Paul Atfield

Paul brings over two decades of experience in quantitative analytics and financial modelling, having consistently addressed some of the most complex challenges in the financial sector. He spent twelve years at J.P. Morgan, where he played a central role in establishing and expanding their European systematic trading business. More recently, as Managing Director at Jefferies International, he led the development of sophisticated data and modelling infrastructure to support more precise trading and risk management.

Throughout his career, Paul has held senior roles focused on driving innovation and improving operational performance. As European Head of Central Risk at Jefferies, and earlier as Executive Director who pioneered the Central Risk Book at J.P. Morgan, he introduced analytics frameworks that enhanced decision-making, strengthened organisational efficiency, and addressed critical strategic issues.

In his current role, Paul leads the Data, Analytics, and AI work of the Education Outcomes Fund (EOF). He is responsible for defining and executing data strategies that translate into practical tools and insights. Drawing on his deep technical background, he develops evidence-driven approaches to strengthen delivery and accountability across global education programmes.

Paul’s work advances EOF’s mission by enabling smarter, faster, and more adaptive programming. Through his efforts, EOF is able to generate robust insights, improve performance, and ultimately deliver greater impact for some of the world’s most disadvantaged children. His ability to combine technical expertise with strategic thinking makes him a key contributor to system-wide improvement in education outcomes.