Profits at Winton Capital Management, the UK-based hedge fund founded by trader David Harding, jumped 23 per cent last year to GBP162m, according to the firm’s accounts for 2011.

The rise came on the back of an increase in assets under management of GBP6.9bn (USD11bn) – a rise of almost 65 per cent – during the year.

Harding, who recently publicly revealed a personal annual tax bill of GBP34m for 2011 on reported earnings of GBP84m, owns 57 per cent of Winton Capital Management, the firm he set up in 1997 as a commodity trading advisers hedge fund.