By Barry CohenFrom his penthouse office in central London, Paul Marshall has a bird’s eye view: To the west, he sees the Houses of Parliament, a wistful reminder of ambitions that led him to seek public office in 1987 & has kept him active in politics ever since. Turning to the east, he looks at St. Paul’s Cathedral & the skyscrapers of the City’s financial district, a stark rejoinder to the task that occupies him these days: returning the firm he co-founded, Marshall Wace, to its former glory.Largely as a result of his passionate interest in politics, the 50-year old Marshall stepped back from the investment side of the firm in 2004 and was rumored to be considered for Parliament in recent years. That had left Ian Wace, with whom he had started the firm in 1997, in charge. As markets began to tumble last year, taking Marshall Wace’s many...
