After graduating in 2002 from the IB program, Teymour studied Comparative Literature and Mathematics at Harvard University and obtained a Masters in Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Oxford. He founded two different start-ups before going on to work at McKinsey and Company and Two Sigma Investments, where he is now general manager of a Modeling strategy. His first novel, The Secret Billionaire, was published in 2016.
You are currently employed at one of the biggest hedge funds in the world. At the same time, you just self-published a book about the lives of the super-rich. Coincidence?
Coincidence! It’s safe to say that The Secret Billionaire is a product of my imagination, especially since I finished writing the book before joining the hedge fund. It’s a book informed by my childhood fascination with superheroes, adventurers, and double identity, a fascination that never really disappeared. The Count of Monte Cristo and Ali Baba are two of my all-time favorites – I still come back to both all the time. They’re works that you can read at any age, which is why I find them so compelling, even if, personally speaking, my writing is primarily addressed at young adults.
But it seems like you have a double identity – a manager by day, a writer by night.
(Laughs). Not exactly! My own manager at Two Sigma was one of the people who reviewed my book before it came out. He liked it so much that he’s going to give it to his daughters to read when they’re old enough. So I wouldn’t say that my extracurricular activities are exactly a secret to my colleagues.
What does your writing schedule look like?
During the week I usually spend about one hour a day writing; on the weekend, I devote a whole day. I aim for a certain number of words a week. Writing is like going to the gym, sometimes you want to do it, sometimes you don’t, which is why I find it essential to have a strict schedule.
When did you start to write?
At EABJM! Two of my favorite teachers there were Madame Lemardeley (French) and my college counselor, Ms. Godard (English). It was in Madame Lemardeley’s class that I discovered Proust, on whom I would later go on to write my undergraduate thesis. For years after high school, I was working on different projects, mostly historical fiction. One story takes place in the Middle East during the Crusades, another is set in 19th- century Italy. But I’ve moved towards Young Adult fiction recently, because I came to realize that a lot of YA stories resonate with readers of all ages, including adults. Adolescence is a time in your life when imagination plays a huge role, when your sensations and impressions are still vivid, but at the same time you’re starting to become aware of how the real world functions. When you’re a kid you’re more likely to suspend disbelief, to lose yourself in a story, and that is what I enjoy about writing.