Depending on how far you're willing to go with this, there is the best of both worlds. Give him command over a group. If they get somewhere, offer the chance to lead a spinoff.

The other thing that'll hold a hacker in a job is a hot wife and a good family life. A man's focus can change over life, and one can prefer to put their heart there instead of in the industry. Of course, there are few legal ways to work in this area...