zlacker

Not only quants can have some good in-depth knowledge and ideas in those firms. As a Software Developer in one of such companies, I do know a lot of sensitive details too. And then, traders who use the software I write - they are very much connected to Quants, thus having lots of valuable ideas in their heads (both of their own and ones they got from Quants).

But for SW devs, the non-competitive agreements in Finance industry isn’t really the same kind of bondage as for Quants. If Quant changes company - his options are very much limited to other companies doing trading, thus directly covered by non-competitive agreement. If SW Dev changes the company - he can choose the company working in other industries not related to finance, and then he is free as a bird.