Math PhD career track

[bearish]

I run a quantitative research group in the investment management industry and am in the process of trying to hire a junior quant. The current leading contender is in the process of finishing up his math PhD at a major flagship state school, Curiously, he was a pure math (number theory) guy until a couple of years ago, then made the switch to applied math and then discovered finance. We have put him through the paces, including a serious homework exercise, and he keeps on impressing us, If all works out (next week), he will probably start with something close to a $200k package. What makes him special? Good communication skills, demonstrated interest in the field of application, and an ability to solve problems often associated with engineers.