Algo Trading Masterclass: Kevin Davey's Secrets To Consistency

Sep 1, 2025

Kevin Davey, a World Cup trading champion and algorithmic trading expert with over 30 years in the field, delves into the secrets of systematic trading. He reveals how his engineering background shaped his analytical approach and discusses the evolution of AI tools in strategy development. Kevin emphasizes the importance of diversification and robust backtesting, sharing insights on successfully blending AI with traditional methods. He also touches on unique trading strategies and the significance of persistence in finding profitable algos.

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ANECDOTE

How A Junk Mail Sparked A Trading Career

Kevin Davey first got hooked by a mail ad promising huge commodity gains and started researching markets after that.
That curiosity launched a 30+ year trading career mixing engineering skills with systematic trading.

INSIGHT

Design For A Targeted Return And Test Probabilities

Kevin targeted strategies that could deliver ~100% annually and combined them across markets to raise his odds.
He used Monte Carlo-style simulations to estimate probabilities before trading live.

INSIGHT

Competition Keeps Raising The Bar

Increased competition and accessible technology mean trading never gets 'easy' as more players adopt systematic methods.
New tools like AI-backed backtesting are changing the landscape but raise new validation challenges.

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In this episode of the Two Blokes Trading Podcast, we sit down with World Cup Trading Champion Kevin Davey for a powerful masterclass on AI trading strategies and systematic trading. With over three decades in the markets, Kevin shares how he uses automation, robust backtesting, and diversification to generate consistent returns. If you're a trader exploring the edge that comes from blending quantitative systems with AI-powered trading models, this is a must-listen.

Kevin discusses how his engineering background laid the groundwork for a highly analytical approach to trading, and how the evolution of tools like GPT has helped him generate new strategy ideas. From Monte Carlo simulations to strategy-building frameworks, Kevin walks us through the exact thinking and processes behind trading hundreds of algos. You'll also get a behind-the-scenes look at his newest book, “11 AI-Inspired Algo Trading Strategies.”

Whether you're a discretionary trader curious about automation, or an algo trader looking to refine your edge, this episode offers invaluable lessons on building resilience and finding your niche in today's increasingly competitive trading landscape.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Listeners will gain a deep understanding of how AI trading strategies are reshaping the retail trading landscape. Kevin outlines how systematic, rules-based systems outperform emotional decision-making and shares how he built real-money strategies that achieved over 100% returns. You'll learn how diversification creates smoother equity curves, how to identify and test high-potential strategies using historical data, and how to mitigate drawdowns using statistical modeling.

The episode also explores the convergence of AI and traditional mechanical systems, offering a glimpse into the next generation of algorithmic trading. Kevin talks about using tools like GPT to generate trade ideas, how to distinguish between hallucinated and valid outputs, and why traditional exits like moving averages are often inferior to novel, research-backed alternatives. This is a masterclass in marrying technology with timeless trading principles.