Meet the most powerful woman in hedge funds

"The hedge fund industry has two new massive independent money managers to start 2015."

Leda Braga formally started Systematica Investments this month after years under prominent European hedge fund firm BlueCrest Capital Management.

Geneva-based Braga manages the same amount she ran at BlueCrest, $8.5 billion, easily making her the most powerful female hedge fund manager in the world in charge of her own shop.

David Warren also completed his transition out of Brevan Howard Asset Management, another European hedge fund giant.

Warren's newly independent firm, New York-based DW Partners, starts with more than $6 billion in assets.