PDF version - Institutional Investor`s Alpha
Transcription
PDF version - Institutional Investor`s Alpha
AIN050106 4/28/06 11:23 AM Page 1 MAY 1, 2006 VOL. VII, NO. 17 OSPRAIE READIES HYBRID FUND RAB Starts Pension Fund Push London’s RAB Capital is making a major push for pension fund assets and hopes to benefit from increased interest in hedge funds from institutional investors of all types. See story, page 2 Dwight Anderson Ospraie Management is readying a hybrid fund that crosses a hedge fund strategy with private equity invest in illiquid investments. It will invest in the basic industry and commodities spaces; the bread and butter of the $4 billion firm run by Dwight Anderson. An Ospraie official declined to comment. The firm is seeking to raise $750 million over a series of several closings, with a hard close expected in a few months. It is launching the (continued on page 14) Doomsday Alert! At Press Time Morley Plots Major Expansion 2 U.S. News Loeb Continues Offensive Chicago Options Shop Makes Hires FSU Foundation To Boost Alts 3 4 5 European News Citadel Seeks London Analysts FIM Taps Head Marketer 6 7 Under The Hood Thames River Gains On Nikkei Bet Blackberry A Winner For GLG 9 9 Private Equity News NY Shop Closes Fund #1 Middle East Firm Sells Romanian Stake 11 11 Departments Search & Hire Directory Data Zone 12 13 COPYRIGHT NOTICE: No part of this publication may be copied, photocopied or duplicated in any form or by any means without Institutional Investor’s prior written consent. Copying of this publication is in violation of the Federal Copyright Law (17 USC 101 et seq.). Violators may be subject to criminal penalties as well as liability for substantial monetary damages, including statutory damages up to $100,000 per infringement, costs and attorney’s fees. Copyright 2006 Institutional Investor, Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN# 1544-7596 For information regarding subscription rates and electronic licenses, please contact Dan Lalor at (212) 224-3045. DALIO: HEDGE FUND BUST WOULD RIVAL S&L CRISIS The next crisis in world financial markets will likely burn more than $100 billion of hedge fund assets, which would rival the 1989 savings and loans crisis in terms of impact. This is one of the points of a letter titled What a Hedge Fund Bust Would Look Like penned by Bridgewater Associates Founder Ray Dalio. A call to Dalio was referred to a Bridgewater spokesman, who did not return a phone call. Dalio’s letter demonstrates the impact of past financial crises on hedge fund assets: (continued on page 14) BLACKSTONE AFFILIATE HIRES CREDIT SUISSE TRIO Three senior professionals at the hedge fund marketing unit of Credit Suisse’s private fund group will join Park Hill Group, an alternative asset placement firm affiliated with Blackstone Asset Management. The three are Pat Daly, director, Alexander Moomjy, managing director and Peter Mayer, whose title could not be obtained. They will continue raising (continued on page 14) MORGAN STANLEY TRIMS ALTS GROUP Morgan Stanley has laid off approximately one-fourth of its alternative investment group. The layoffs are likely due to the firm’s effort to restructure various departments after James Gannon, the new head of retail, came on board. Asked about his efforts to restructure the firm, Gannon hung up the phone. Calls to Morgan Stanley spokespersons were not returned. At least four individuals, including a product manager and sales associate were among those affected by the layoff. The group numbered between 16 and 20 people. —E.M. Check www.iialternatives.com during the week for breaking news and updates. AIN050106 4/27/06 6:42 PM Page 2 Alternative Investment News www.iialternatives.com May 1, 2006 At Press Time RAB Makes Global Push For Pension Fund Assets RAB Capital, the $3.2 billion London-based hedge fund firm, is making a major push for pension fund assets. It hopes to benefit from increased interest in hedge funds from all kinds of institutional investors. As part of the move, the firm is targeting Japanese institutions for the first time. It is also seeking to grow its U.S. client base. RAB’s client base already includes a handful of pension funds. “It’s a growing market opportunity and we want to benefit from it directly, rather than indirectly,” said Marc Popiolek, spokesman. To distribute its funds in Japan, RAB has joined with Prestige Asset Management, a local consulting firm. With the country’s economy strengthening, Japanese institutions “are becoming more outward-looking” in terms of their investments, added Popiolek. RAB is pursuing Japanese institutional assets for its RAB Europe and RAB Multi-Strategy offerings. Japanese investors want exposure to Europe by investing with local managers, he explained. The vast majority of RAB’s client base is currently European, with a small amount of U.S. money, said Popiolek. Rod Barker, director of business development and distribution, will oversee a marketing push to grow RAB’s U.S. client base. Other Western firms have sought to benefit from the growing capital flows into alternatives from Asian institutional investors, including Harcourt Investment Consulting (iialternatives.com, 7/1), Gems Advisors (iialternatives.com, 7/15) and CDK Group (iialternatives.com, 11/4/05). STEVE MURRAY Deputy Editor DOUGLAS CUBBERLEY Executive Editor (212) 224-3318 NATHANIEL E. BAKER Managing Editor (212) 224-3648 MARK FARO Senior Reporter (973) 706-5307 ROBERT MURRAY Senior Reporter (44-20) 7303-1705 ELANA MARGULIES Associate Reporter (212) 224-3615 ELINOR COMLAY (44-20) 7303-1738, VENILIA BATISTA (44-20) 7303-1718 London Bureau Chiefs STANLEY WILSON Washington Bureau Chief (202) 393-0728 MATTHEW TREMBLAY Hong Kong Bureau Chief (852) 2912-8097 JANA BRENNING, KIERON BLACK Sketch Artists PRODUCTION DANY PEÑA Director LYNETTE STOCK, DEBORAH ZAKEN Managers ORN Just The Beginning? Morley Plans Major Hedge Fund Expansion Morley Fund Management, the London-based asset management giant, is planning to grow its hedge fund business and will consider acquiring hedge fund boutiques and launching more funds from scratch. The firm made a major move in this direction last week when it acquired a 56% stake in $600 million London hedge fund firm ORN Capital—Morley’s first hedge fund acquisition. An industry official familiar with the situation said Morley is also in the process of hiring other managers to run funds in-house. Morley has total assets under management of GBP156.2 billion, but hedge funds only account for GBP500 million—less than a third of one percent, said Fiona Baker, spokeswoman. James Tanner, managing director, distribution and alternatives, reviewed Morley’s alternatives business in December with a view to accelerating growth, said Baker. The firm will consider making other acquisitions, possibly of entire firms, if there is a good fit with Morley’s existing business, she added. Baker declined to comment on any plans to hire teams away from other firms, and said Morley does not have a specific target for hedge fund asset growth. The firm runs a multi-strategy fund of funds, as well as four single-strategy funds focused on G-7 fixed income, convertible bond arbitrage, Central Europe long/short equity, and socially responsible long/short equity investment. ORN’s funds, which include event-driven, global resources and distressed debt funds, were seen to fill gaps in Morley’s platform, said Baker. Harald Orneberg, founder and chairman at ORN, could not be reached. 2 EDITORIAL TOM LAMONT Editor MICHELLE TOM, ILIJA MILADINOV, MELISSA ENSMINGER, BRIAN STONE, JAMES BAMBARA Associates JENNY LO Web Production & Design Director MARIA JODICE Advertising Production Manager (212) 224-3267 ADVERTISING JONATHAN WRIGHT Advertising Director (212) 224-3566 jwright@iinews.com Copying prohibited without the permission of the publisher. PAT BERTUCCI, MAGGIE DIAZ Associate Publishers [New York] LANCE KISLING Associate Publisher [Technology] PUBLISHING MARK FORTUNE Publisher (212) 224-3129 BRIAN McTIGUE Senior Marketing Manager (212) 224-3522 JASON FINK Associate Marketing Manager (212) 224-3421 JAMES MERRINGTON Asian and European Marketing Manager [London] (44-20) 7779-8023 VINCENT YESENOSKY Senior Operations Manager (212) 224-3057 DAVID SILVA Senior Fulfillment Manager (212) 224-3573 SUBSCRIPTIONS/ ELECTRONIC LICENSES One year - $2,495 (in Canada add $30 postage, others outside U.S. add $75). DAN LALOR Director of Sales (212) 224-3045 DAVID VAN ENGEL Account Executive (212) 224-3824 EMILY-JANE STAPLETON Account Executive [London] (44-20) 7779-8704 ejstapleton@euromoneyplc.com REPRINTS DEWEY PALMIERI Reprint & Permission Manager (212) 224-3675 dpalmieri@institutionalinvestor.com CORPORATE CHRISTOPHER BROWN Chief Executive Officer DAVID E. ANTIN Chief Operating Officer ROBERT TONCHUK Director/Central Operations & Fulfillment Customer Service: PO Box 5016, Brentwood, TN 37024-5016. Tel: 1-800-715-9195. Fax: 1-615-377-0525 UK: 44 20 7779 8704 Hong Kong: 852 2842 6910 E-mail: customerservice@iinews.com Editorial Offices: 225 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003. Tel: (212) 224-3648 Email: nbaker@iinews.com SIMON OLIVER Associate Publisher [London] (44-20) 7779-8355 Alternative Investment News is a general circulation weekly. No statement in this issue is to be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell securities or to provide investment advice. LUCA MIHALY Sales Associate Alternative Investment News ©2006 Institutional Investor, Inc. ISSN# 1544-7596 LESLIE NG Advertising Coordinator Copying prohibited without the permission of the Publisher. AIN050106 4/27/06 6:42 PM Page 3 May 1, 2006 www.iialternatives.com Alternative Investment News U.S. News New York Firm To Launch Long/Short Healthcare Fund Sio Capital Management will unveil its flagship long/short equity Sio Partners fund with an anticipated mid-May launch date. The fund will take 20-25 long positions and 10 short positions in the healthcare sector, according to Michael Castor, portfolio manager. There is no limit on the number of Michael Castor positions taken at one time, Castor said. The fund will identify healthcare investments that U.S.-only funds are not targeting. It will also eye various technological, political and environmental issues surrounding healthcare, Castor said. Castor, declining to elaborate on specific investments, noted the majority of their holdings will be long-term, over a year. Prior to starting Sio Capital, Castor was a consumer noncyclical/healthcare portfolio manager at AllianceBernstein Institutional Investment Management. The fund carries a $1 million investment minimum, 1.5/20 fees and has a one-year lockup with quarterly redemption. Merlin Securities is the prime broker. Loeb Continues Assault On Coal Company Third Point, the activist hedge fund firm run by outspoken manager Daniel Loeb, is continuing its bombardment of Massey Energy Company. Loeb is running a slate of two nominees, including himself, for seats on the coal company’s board because he feels it’s moving too slow with a share buyback program (AIN, 4/24). He is also now railing against its CEO’s compensation and management perks, while offering to use some of the savings to reward the coal company’s mine workers. In a letter to shareholders, Loeb decries what he calls “Massey’s Air Force,”—his multi-million dollar Challenger 601 jet. His letter questions the need for an aircraft with a 3,000 mile range for a company whose business is only in Central Appalachia. “If elected to the board of directors, we will urge the board to get rid of the Challenger 601 luxury jet and review the use of the other aircraft. We think a good place to put the cost savings from the luxury jet would be a program to reward and retain the company’s miners,” the letter says. Loeb also makes several attacks against Massey CEO Donald Blankenship. “For the year ended December 31, 2005, Massey’s CEO was paid $33.7 million, more than four times the average compensation of $8.1 million for the competitors’ CEOs,” Loeb wrote. Loeb also came out against Blankenship living in a company paid house, which would become his when he leaves. “What kind of example does it set when a CEO who makes $33.7 million in a single year is given free housing while the company is having difficulty retaining its mine workers?” The hedge fund also questioned Massey’s dealing with a vendor owned by Blankenship’s nephew. “The company should promptly disclose to stockholders not only a detailed explanation of the reasons for any such approval, but also meaningful facts that indicate the significance of the company’s relationship to the executive’s relative or his business.,” Loeb wrote. Loeb declined to comment and calls to Blankenship’s office were referred to Massey’s investor relations department. An official there did not comment. Ohio Power Fund Sets Up Houston Post Columbus-based Alpha Energy Partners is opening an office in Houston. The firm, which is run by former American Electric Power honcho Lew Williams, is opening the office on May 1, said Barry Hines, co-founder of Boomerang Capital, which serves as third-party marketer. Alpha, which manages $325 million, focuses on natural gas trading (iialternatives.com, 9/24/04). The team is comprised mostly of AEP veterans, and for this reason is based in Columbus, said Hines. By opening an office in Houston, the firm will have an easier time attracting talent in the future, he added. John Massey, who manages the coal and emission portions of the portfolio, will head up the office in the Lone Star state. Credit Suisse/Tremont Index Up For March, Q1 The Credit Suisse/Tremont Hedge Fund Index, composed of 410 funds, was up for March and the first quarter at 1.82% and 5.46%, respectively. March’s return was an increase from February’s nearly flat return of 0.34% (AIN, 3/27). Within the index’s ten sub-strategies for March, managed futures generated the highest return of 4.08% due to currency trends and a strong commodities market, according to Oliver Schupp, president of the index. The only negative performer for the month was dedicated short bias, down 3.32%, according to Credit Suisse/Tremont Hedge Fund research. The two strongest performers for the quarter were emerging markets and long/short managers up 8.89% and 6.88%, Copying prohibited without the permission of the publisher. 3 AIN050106 4/27/06 6:42 PM Page 4 Alternative Investment News www.iialternatives.com respectively, Schupp said. January’s return of 3.23% and March’s return were the quarter’s two strongest months, he added. Each month the index had only one negative performer. Managed futures were down 2.62% in February and dedicated short bias was down 2.98% in January, according to index research. Bear Stearns To Launch Leveraged Classes Of Structured Fund Bear Stearns is in the process of creating 2:1 and 3:1 leveraged share classes for its $1.4 billion High-Grade Structured Credit Strategies fund to launch June 1, according to a third-party marketing document. The new share classes will initially be open to existing investors only, but new investors will have a chance to invest in the leveraged share classes later this year. The fund, which has not experienced a losing month in its 30-month lifespan, reopened to new investors last fall (AIN, 11/26). Calls to Bear Stearns were not returned by press time. Ninety percent of the fund’s portfolio consists of structured finance securities rated at least AAA and AA-. The remaining 10% of the portfolio is currently used to purchase securities that will themselves be restructured into investment-grade assets or have an investment-grade return profile, states the document. The fund returned 39 basis points in March and is up 1.87% year-to-date. Chicago Firm Boosts Options; Drops Lockups Chicago-based Sellers Capital, which buys long-term equity anticipation securities (LEAPS) call options, has hired two officials to work on the operational side of its business. The $60 million firm is also in the process of registering with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It tapped Mike Porter from Morningstar and Melanie Dart from Kilkenny Capital Management. Dart will focus on trade reconciliation and work on registering the firm with the SEC, said Porter. Porter, who was director of operations for the equity group at Morningstar, will serve as her backup, as well as handle IT and client relations. The firm hired the pair because its staff, including its founder Mark Sellers, wanted to spend more time on investments, said Porter. The firm is registering with the SEC now, having previously opted to impose two-year lockups in lieu of registration. It is changing course because it now has enough staff to handle the process, and removing the lockups will assist in raising new capital, said Porter. The firm has been planning a second fund for a while because its original offering was nearing the investor limit (iialternatives.com, 9/2). The new feeder should be up and 4 May 1, 2006 running this summer, he added. The firm is also planning its first annual investor meeting. Rather than pack investors into a Chicago conference room, the firm is holding its gathering in Omaha, Neb., to coincide with Berkshire Hathaway’s famed meeting. The site was chosen because Sellers bases his investment philosophy on Warren Buffett, said Porter. The hedge fund was also able to secure some passes to the Berkshire soiree for its investors. Kurzman To Focus On “Clean” Assets New York-based Kurzman Partners is selling its non-clean technology assets so its flagship long/short Kurzman Clean Tech fund can hold shares in exclusively clean technology companies, the area of greatest growth, according to David Kurzman, managing partner. This transition will allow the fund to David Kurzman maintain its ability of finding well-run companies generating strong-free cash flow that can be purchased at a reasonable valuation, Kurzman said. By year’s end, the fund is expected to take 100% of its positions in clean technology stocks, up from 75%. At inception in September 2003, 60% of the fund’s shares were in clean technology stocks. The fund has a total of 18 long and three short positions. Kansas City, Kan.-based Seaboard is one non-clean technology position the fund is eliminating. Kurzman is selling this pork producer at 15.90 a share, an increase from his purchase price of 10.80 per share. Headwaters and Hy-Drive Technologies are two clean technology companies in which the fund’s shares have increased since purchase. Kurzman’s position in Salt Lake City’s Headwaters, an alternative energy and construction products company, has increased to 37 a share, up from 14. In Ontariobased Hy-Drive Technologies, Kurzman’s shares have increased approximately 10% since his C$4 per share purchase. Hy-Drive manufactures machines that create hydrogen gas from distilled water. The majority of the fund’s investors are high-net-worth individuals, said Kurzman. A Vermont-based hedge fund of funds also invests in it, but Kurzman declined to identify it. Prior to launching the fund, Kurzman was v.p. of equity research for energy at New York-based investment banks Needham and H.C. Wainwright. The fund carries a $250,000 investment minimum with 1.75/20 fees. As assets grow, the management fee will most likely be reduced, said Kurzman. The fund has a one-year lockup with quarterly redemption. Jefferies Group is the prime broker. Copying prohibited without the permission of the publisher. AIN050106 4/27/06 6:42 PM Page 5 May 1, 2006 www.iialternatives.com FSU Foundation To Boost Alts The $375 million Florida State University Foundation intends to boost its 20% allocation to alternatives—possibly via a maiden direct investment in hedge funds—and has hired Cambridge Associates for advice. CFO Tom Hawkins said the fund will have its initial meeting with Cambridge in two weeks and will begin discussing which asset classes to invest in and how much to allocate. Cambridge will educate the Tallahassee-based foundation on the full range of hedge fund strategies. FSU has $38 million in funds of hedge funds, split almost evenly between Blackstone Alternative Asset Management and Gerber/Taylor Associates. The foundation had used Mercer Investment Consulting as its advisor for roughly a decade, but the investment committee decided it wanted to seek out new ideas. “The committee just decided that after 10 years it wanted a fresh perspective.” Hawkins, who said it was difficult to sever long-term ties with Mercer, noted that the committee went with Cambridge because of its extensive work with endowments. “They are the gold standard when it comes to endowments,” he said. Charles Salmans, spokesman for Mercer, declined to comment. Florida State allocates 48% to domestic equity, 12% to international equity, 20% to fixed income and 20% to alternatives. Manager inquiries should be directed to Cambridge. Ohio State Eyes Hedge Funds, Private Equity The Ohio State University is considering allocating more of its $2 billion endowment to direct hedge fund and private equity investments. So far the bulk of the school’s alternatives exposure is overseen by funds of funds. It has selected a consultant to help find opportunities, said Alvin Rodack, associate treasurer. The consultant’s contract will be finalized in the next 30 days and he declined to name the firm until then. The endowment plans to increase its 14% alternatives exposure, which includes real estate, to 20% in the next two to three years. This $120 million will be invested across private equity, hedge funds and real estate. Rodack said the endowment is more interested in diversification than in specific strategies. “We’ll definitely be adding money,” he continued, but he’s not sure exactly how much will be invested this year. That will depend on opportunities in the market. “We’re going to be patient,” he added. Most of the school’s private equity assets are handled by Commonfund, Fort Washington Capital Partners Group and Mesirow Financial Private Equity. The endowment decided early last year to increase its target alternatives allocation to 13% from 7%, and then raised the target to 20% toward year-end. “The most relevant agenda I’ve seen for any commodity conference anywhere” 4th – 6th July 2006, The Park Lane Hotel, Piccadilly, London Alternative Investment News Kimberly Tara, CEO, FOURWINDS CAPITAL MANAGEMENT The Inaugural Pan-European Conference on Commodity Investment Understand how to exploit commodities within your portfolio Hear how to implement successful strategies for Inflation Hedging Portfolio Diversification and Volatility smoothing for your pension fund FREE PLACES FOR PENSION FUNDS AND FAMILY OFFICES CIS 2006 ADVISORY BOARD Philip Jones LPFA Chris Armitage SAINSBURY’S PLC Charlie Metcalfe HERMES PENSIONS MANAGEMENT Alasdair Macdonald WATSON WYATT Kayte Alexander BRITISH AIRWAYS Lead Sponsor: Sponsors: For more information call +44 (0)20 7368 9465, email hannah6@wbr.co.uk or visit www.commodityinvestmentsummit.com AIN050106 4/27/06 6:42 PM Page 6 Alternative Investment News www.iialternatives.com May 1, 2006 European News Swiss Firm Launches Long-Only Energy Fund London Firm Launches Special Situations Play Zurich-based Azemos Partners has launched its long-only Hornet Renewable Energy Fund with a €100 million target, according to Gerard Reid, portfolio manager. The fund will take between 30 and 35 positions at one time and invest in geothermal, biofuel, wind, water and energy storage, Reid said. Prior to launching the fund, Reid was head of research at First Berlin, a small-cap research company in Germany, where he focused on wind and solar companies. The fund carries a €190,000 investment minimum, 1.5/10 fees and has no lockup. Zurich-based Liechtensteinische Landesbank is the prime broker. London-based Ecofin is launching its long/short and special situations Ecofin Special Situations Utilities Fund this week and will close to investors in July, according to Vincent Barnouin, chief operating officer. These two strategies will be split evenly among the portfolio and the fund will have on average 50 long and 50 short positions, he said. The fund will invest in gas, electricity and water assets in the United States, Europe and various emerging markets in Eastern Europe, Russia, India and China. Bernard Lambilliotte, cio, is the fund’s portfolioj1 manager. Prior to co-founding the firm in 1992 he was an investment manager at Swiss private banking giant Pictet & Cie in its Geneva and London offices where he developed sector funds. Lambilliotte was not available to comment. This vehicle is the firm’s third, said Barnouin. Its maiden Ecofin Water & Power Opportunities fund launched in February 2002 and has $740 million in assets. Its long/short Ecofin Global Utilities Hedge Fund which launched in October 2004 and has $750 million in assets. It has generated a 22% annualized return since inception, Barnouin said. The latest fund has a $500,000 investment minimum with 2/20 fees for the one-year lockup option and 1.5/20 fees for the two-year lockup option. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are the prime brokers. Citadel To Make Analyst Hires For London Citadel Investment Group, the $12 billion hedge fund mammoth led by Ken Griffin, is seeking analysts to join its equity and credit investment teams in London. The Chicagobased firm is on the lookout for analysts with one-to-three years’ experience and a background in an area such as mergers and acquisitions, private equity, leveraged finance, or credit or equity research. Scott Rafferty, investor relations, declined to comment, citing firm policy. Shooter Rolls Out Short Equity Fund Square Eyes More Fund Launches Square Investment Management, the global macro firm set up late last year by Pierre Schroeder, ex-head of proprietary trading and debt finance at Société Générale, is considering launching additional hedge funds. This is the firm’s medium-term plan and is unlikely to happen until the firm’s existing $200 million macro offering, the Square One Fund, hits capacity at $1 billion, said Séverine Arnaud, head of investor relations and marketing. In November, Arnaud told AIN the firm’s goal was to grow the fund relatively quickly, to $500 million within around six months (iialternatives.com, 11/18). Any new funds are likely to run a similar or identical strategy to the existing fund and would be marketed to new investors following the close of Square One. “It’s always going to be global macro with Pierre, and always fundamental,” said Arnaud. She added that the first fund has been named with the intention that a second fund would follow suit and be called Square Two. The firm is a nominee for AIN’s Emerging Manager of the Year award, with the winner to be announced at an event in New York on June 28. 6 Shooter Fund Management, the London-based hedge fund firm, has launched its second offering, a short equity fund with an options overlay called the Shooter Bear Fund. The fund launched Feb. 22 with $20 million, said David Beddington, chief operating officer. With many long/short funds increasingly veering toward a long-bias, Shooter has seen a lot of interest for the strategy from investors hungry for more exposure on the short side, “especially with Shooter Team markets looking a bit frothy at the moment,” said Beddington. The new fund carries a 1.5% management fee, coupled with a 15% performance fee against a benchmark, which is a 50/50 split between the inverse of the Standard & Poor’s 500 index, and a basket of European indices. The fund has a 60-day redemption notice period and a $1 million investment minimum. The firm will not seek to grow the fund above $500 Copying prohibited without the permission of the publisher. AIN050106 4/27/06 6:42 PM Page 7 May 1, 2006 www.iialternatives.com million, said Beddington. The firm might eventually launch other funds, probably single strategies carved out of the main fund, said Beddington. He added that this would be a medium-term development and will depend on whether the move adds sufficient value to the firm. “We like being streamlined…and focused on trading,” explained Beddington. The firm’s flagship Shooter Multi-Strategy Fund, which invests in a variety of volatility arbitrage strategies, is set to soft-close this month (AIN, 4/24). At press time it held $530 million. Shooter is a nominee for AIN’s Emerging Manager of the Year category. The winners will be announced at a June 28 event in New York. London Options Shop Plans U.S. Fund NEA Capital is in the early stages of launching a U.S. version of its flagship NEA Diversified Strategies fund, an options strategy that has been trading since February 2004, according to Principal Michael Hanes. Hines declined to offer details on timing. The fund invests in the major equity indices through a portfolio of both listed and over-the-counter equity options— mostly customized contracts such as binary options, according to a third-party marketing document. NEA uses statistical analysis to construct a net-long options book corresponding to about Alternative Investment News 40% of the portfolio, with the remainder being invested in shortdated U.S. Treasury Bills. Out-of-the-money put options add an extra layer of hedging. The fund uses no leverage and has monthly liquidity with no lock up. Last month it returned 1.62%. It is up 3.09% year-to-date. London Fund of Funds Shop Hires Marketing Head FIM, a $2 billion fund of hedge funds firm, has hired Lorenzo Rodriguez as managing director of new business development—a new position. Rodriguez will be in charge of growing FIM’s asset base in Europe, South America and the Middle East, according to Federico Ceretti, ceo. Rodriguez will focus Lorenzo Rodriguez on institutional markets in those areas, Ceretti said. Rodriguez was not available to comment. Prior to joining FIM, Rodriguez marketed funds across Europe and the Middle East for DKR Capital. Prior to that he worked at AIG and Bank of America in similar roles. “We are confident that Lorenzo’s presence at FIM will mark the beginning of a new phase of expansion for our business. We intend to be a leading player with global reach, and his experience and successful track record will undoubtedly benefit our expansion plans,” said Carlo Grosso, founder and executive chairman. Tired of fighting over the lastest newsletter copy? Here’s a simple, painless solution. The Corporate Access Program. ■ ■ ■ ■ Instant, online access to breaking news, feature stories, league tables, rankings,search listings and online archives. Information- and user-specific plans tailored to meet your company’s needs and bottom line. An opportunity to limit your worries about copyright infringement. Business leads and insights into regulatory outlooks. Interested? Call Daniel Lalor at 212-224-3045 or dlalor@iinews.com, or Julian Davies (U.K.) at 44-20-7779-8929 or jdavies@euromoneyplc.com INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR NEWS / 225 PARK AVENUE SOUTH / NEW YORK, NY 10003 / WWW.IINEWS.COM 22 4/17/06 12:11 PM Page 1 The 4th Annual Alternative Investment News Hedge Fund Industry Awards Black tie optional June 28th, 2006 • Gotham Hall • New York City This gala event - held in conjunction with Institutional Investor's Spring Hedge Fund Investment Roundtable, June 28-29, 2006 - will bring together the hedge fund industry to recognize and applaud the achievements of its peers. The awards dinner will include key industry players - hedge fund managers, funds of funds, endowments, foundations, and corporate and public pension funds. 2005 Hedge Fund Dinner LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: John Meriwether, JWM Partners AWARD NOMINEES EMERGING MANAGER: KGR Capital Pershing Square Capital Management Sandelman Partners Shooter Fund Management Square Capital Management INSTITUTIONAL MANAGER: ABN Amro Asset Management Goldman Sachs Asset Management HSBC ING Alternative Asset Management State Street Global Advisors HEDGE FUND LAUNCH: Convexity Capital Magnetar Capital Peloton Partners Renaissance Technologies SAC Capital Advisors FUND OF FUNDS LEADER: Financial Risk Management Gottex Fund Management Investcorp Asset Management Muirfield Capital Management Optima Fund Management INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR: California Public Employees' Retirement System ITT Industries San Diego County Employees Retirement Association Teachers Retirement System of Texas West Yorkshire Pension Fund HEDGE FUND LEADER: AQR Capital Management Brevan Howard Asset Management Ospraie Management Pirate Capital Third Point Management To secure your sponsorship or table reservation, please contact: Tracey Redmond, 212-224-3239, tredmond@institutionalinvestor.com. 2006 HEDGE FUND ADVISORY BOARD Joel Katzman, Formerly JP Morgan Alternative Asset Management Nick von Speyr, Optima Fund Management Kent Clark, Goldman Sachs Hedge Fund Strategies Victor Park, Alternative Asset Investment Management Mehmet Dalman, WMG Limited Stuart Beretz, Senior Managing Director, Global Prime Brokerage Services, Bear Stearns AIN050106 4/27/06 6:42 PM Page 9 May 1, 2006 www.iialternatives.com Alternative Investment News Under The Hood: AIN’s look inside hedge fund strategies Thames River Japan Fund Gains In March London-based Thames River Capital’s long/short Japanese equity fund returned 4.68% for the yen share class during March because of gains in the long book and in futures. But the short equity book was down slightly, losing 21 basis points. The month’s performance contributed the majority of the fund’s gains this year, leading to a 5.22% return for the first quarter. Long positions in the $138.9 million Thames River Edo Fund made 3.81% last month, and futures returned 1.08%, according to an investor letter. Rod Birkett, fund manager, declined to comment, citing firm policy. The fund had been overweight in the electrical sector (iialternatives.com, 1/27) but has now reduced its net exposure following five months of out-performance, the letter explains. It observes that smaller-cap Japanese stocks “again lagged their larger counterparts” in March. “Given our continued concern about smaller company valuations, the weighted average market cap in the long book is marginally greater than the average for the Topix index,” says the letter. London CTA Shines With Metals Exposure Mulvaney Capital Management’s $135 million Mulvaney Global Markets Fund was up 13.05% in March, giving it a 22.20% return for the first quarter. The fund benefited from a price surge in precious and industrial metals, which returned 8.61% last month. Paul Mulvaney, founder and cio, could not be reached by press time. Silver “is being helped to record highs by news that the first exchange-traded fund tracking silver’s price is in the pipeline,” according to an investor document. Copper also rose, supported by strong demand from countries including China, as well as a strike at a large Mexican producer, the document says. “Gold is also surging as investors buy bullion in the wake of speculation that the dollar may weaken,” it continues. After metals, the second-best performing sector was livestock, which returned 2.91%. “Short positions benefited from the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasting ample summer supplies of slaughter-ready cattle and from news surfacing that hog supplies are expected to increase,” the document says. The CTA fund also gained from exposure to sugar, which rose on concerns of a reduction in production from Brazil, as well as increased demand from fast-growing economies. The Mulvaney fund had a short euro/yen position which benefited from concerns about the Bank of Japan upping interest rates. But the fund lost out in two long financials positions. Its exposure to the peso was hurt by a sell-off following “a retreat from emerging markets and evidence of recent rises in Mexican unemployment.” And worries about the widening gap between Canadian and U.S. interest rates adversely affected the fund’s long Canadian dollar position. GLG Fund Wins With BlackBerry Bet London-based hedge fund colossus GLG Partners’ GLG Technology Fund scored on its long position in Research In Motion, makers of the BlackBerry device. RIM had been suffering under a dark cloud due to a patent dispute with NTP Inc., which threatened to derail the company and its popular hand-held devices. Last month RIM opted to settle, forking over roughly $612 million. GLG initiated its long position not long before the settlement, after which RIM’s stock price shot up. “This trade was unusually attractive due to the ability to buy low cost option protection around the court date,” according to an investor document. The fund also scored with its positions in JDS Uniphase, Avanex, Ciena, Alcatel and Adva. “We still see between 50 and 300% upside to each [of ] these names due to the huge operating leverage inherent in their business models,” the document says. GLG planned to actively trade around these core positions and lighten up during periods of excessive buying, heading into this month. The hedge fund sent two of its analysts to Asia last month to research the state of the semiconductor industry’s supply chain. GLG found that the industry was healthy, but the Street consensus is that there is a peak in prices, which could set off a short squeeze. To counter this, GLG has moved into long positions in semiconductor stocks. The fund was up 11.91% last month, bringing its year-to-date performance up to 17.18%. This differs drastically from the firm’s global macro fund, which was down 10.18% last month after its views on the U.S. fixed income and currency picture did not play out as expected (AIN, 4/24). A GLG spokeswoman declined to comment. Copying prohibited without the permission of the publisher. 9 The Message Is Simple.AIN 2/9/06 6:37 PM Page 1 The Message Is Simple… JANUARY 23, 2006 A New Face On K-Street ENRON SHORT-SELLER CHANOS READIES NEW HEDGE FUND LOBBY Renowned short-seller James Chanos, who in 2002 famously drew attention to “overvalued” Enron stock, is preparing a new hedge fund trade association that would 006 RY 16, 2 represent the industry’s interests inside the Beltway. Chanos JANUA has been working on the group, tentatively named Coalition ! Cheerio TS HFR ead of HFR Asset the of Private Investment Companies (CPIC), for several I U Q N GODDE en, the well-knowsinnhess and a regularpoonrted onmonths, according to an individual familiar with his plans. dd bu first re DECEMBER 5, 2005 John Go nt’s European firm. As t Godden’s me e g a a quit the s th a t, h ly n Man , e Lower The Gate! e k it g li ce circu y, it is rc Deno conferen site last Monda be filled by Ma CITADEL HIT WITH REDEMPTIONS y eb . AIN’s W ill at least initiall ot return a call n. 6. Investors are fleeing Citadel Investment Group’s flagship Ja n n w o id ti n d si o positi enogent resigned his po e said, e v.p. D Kensington Global Strategies fund as performance woes executiv n told AIN he een brewing,” h b d a have exacerbated sticker shock over the fund’s fees. The h Godde en; it g’s sudd exodus has triggered the firm’s gate provision—a rare “Nothin occurrence for most healthy funds—that limits quarterly redemptions to a set percentage of assets, according to former investors. With the gate provision in place, 5 3, 200 investors now have to pay a penalty on redemptions, but OCTOBER EEN Y FUND S IT X E V N O C MEYER’S -EVER LAUNCH ST E tgoing ch AS BIGGapital, the hedge fund of,ostuan ds to laun r Liftoff Ready Fo C Jack Meyer nth, which Convexity ersity CIO iv n U . rd of this mo Harva ager launch by the end n o li il b single man Eric er ev twith $4-6 es belong to e it the larg would mak record is believed to $3 billion s ement at u ag o vi an M et ss The pre llow the A fo Eton Park 4). Convexity will 0 Mindich’s 0 /2 6 /2 7 IN, last year (A 05 AUGUST 29, 20 ? an m Only Hu RLY RETURNS MINDICH’S EA SS FAIL TO IMPRE Eton Park Asset renowned par Eric Mindich’s since launch, on s returned 4.9% ha t en any m an th Managem s les d y benchmark an with an industr e $3 billion fund y investments. Th isk s-r les r, cheape er Mindich, a aft 1 . ov h fanfare N raised eyebrows launched to muc d, Sachs wunderkin an dm ol G er form SEPTEMBER 26, 2005 Three-Year Lockup SAC PREPS MULTI-STRAT FUND DECEMBER 26, 20 05 Back In Black GLG DEBUTS TW O FU NDS London-based GL G Partners has lau nched two new funds and is makin g some headway to reverse the poor performance of som e of its others. Th e firm launched th $200 million GLG e Emerging Markets Fund and GLG Consumer Fund No v. 1. The emerging ma rkets fund invest s in equities, corporate bonds, sovereign debt an d local market NOVEMBER 28, 2005 Sales In Demand HEDGE FUND REFUGEES RETURN TO LONG-ONLY WORLD Refugees from a tough hedge fund market are returning to their long-only roots. Traditionally, talent has moved one way—f rom long-only shops to hedge funds. And while mo st movement is still in this direction, there is for the first time an opposing trend, according to a recent study by Russell SEPTEMBER 12, 2005 About Face? Steve Cohen’s SAC Capital Management is rolling out a new multi-strategy fund that will lock up investors’ PIMCO READIES GLOB AL capital for three years. Details remain elusive, as the Stamford, Conn.-based firm is having potential investors CREDIT FUND Pacific Investment Ma sign confidentiality agreements. “What they are doing is nagement Co. is plann ing to making people who meet with them sign confidentiality roll out a global credit fund, less than a year after its letters first—no exceptions,” said one potential investor. CIO Bill Gross vilified the hedge fund indust ry in one of his famous monthly outlooks. “Hedge fun ds in reality are just unregula ted banks, operating on a poorly disclosed amoun AUGUST 15, 2005 t of equity capital and taking AUGUST SSGA LAUNCHES FIRST FIXEDINCOME HEDGE FUND State Street Global Advisors has launched its first fixedincome hedge fund, the Absolute Return Mortgage Fund. The long/short mortgage fund has $60 million of firm and client money and capacity should be $1-2 billion, said Chris Pope, director of sales and client service. SSgA wants to provide its clients with a broader suite of absolute return strategies and complement its range of equity hedge funds, 8, 2005 PRIVATE EQUIT Y FI INTO HEDGE FU RM BRANCHES NDS Callidus Capita l Management, a $1 billion New private equity, str York-based uctured bond an d loan fund spec launched its first ialist, has hedge fund. Th e capital structu fund was launche re arbitrage d with $100 milli on, said an indu official familiar stry with the launch. The Saepes Capit fund takes 30-5 al Investors 0 positions, prim ari ly grade and senio in non-investm r secured floating entrate bank debt, hedged with shor which are t positions in fix ed-rate junior in struments …You Read It Here! To Subscribe: Call: 212 224 3570 WEB: www.iialternatives.com AIN050106 4/27/06 6:42 PM Page 11 May 1, 2006 www.iialternatives.com Private Equity News Middle East Shop Sells One Romanian Investment Dubai-based private equity firm Scimitar Global Ventures sold its nearly $5 million investment in Romania-based Monopoly Media last week to another Romanian media company, giving their Middle Eastern investors a net return of 60%. Monopoly installs flat screen televisions in grocery stores Scott Ogur and banks to sell advertising space. Scimitar sold Monopoly because after its products spread through the country much faster than anticipated, traditional media companies in the region became interested in acquiring it, according to Scott Ogur, partner. Since Scimitar did not have the funding to compete against larger media companies, the most profitable alternative for their investors was to sell it, Ogur said. He declined to name the Romanian media company that acquired Monopoly. Monopoly was one of two investments Scimitar made in Romania. Its other was a nearly $5 million investment in Direct Credit, a software firm whose program initiates loans between banks and consumers (AIN, 4/17). Scimitar is also looking at possible leveraged buyouts in security and energy sectors in the country, but Ogur declined to name specific companies. Closes First Fund N.Y. Firm Plans Industrial Program KTR Capital Partners, a New York-based private equity firm that was launched by former Keystone Properties Trust executives, has closed its first fund. Keystone Industrial Fund, L.P., a $505 million value-add fund, will invest in industrial properties in major transportation and population hubs and is the first in a planned series. The company plans to acquire and develop $1.4 billion of industrial properties over the next few years, said Robert Savage, senior principal. The fund will use leverage of 65%. So far, it has made 13 investments totaling $244.3 million in Chicago, Central and Northern New Jersey, South Florida, Houston, Charlotte and Phoenix. Its portfolio comprises 2.7 million square feet and another 3.3 million square feet of developable land. Savage said the fund will not target any specific acquisition size, but will look at entity-level transactions and individual one-off transactions. KTR was formed after ProLogis acquired Keystone in 2004. Keystone had been a major player in the industrial real estate market when Savage was its chief operating officer. Keystone’s former chief executive officer, Jeffrey Kelter, is a senior principal Alternative Investment News with KTR and the firm also includes former Keystone executives John Dicola and Don Chase. Savage said the fund will pursue a value-added strategy. This will include repositionings, development or property management. The fund will seek to add value by tailoring property characteristics—like ceiling heights, adding cross dockings—to meet user needs. KTR has seen tremendous growth in emerging logistics markets throughout the southeast and the Gulf of Mexico as shipping traffic has become less focused on the ports of Los Angeles-Long Beach and Newark. Moreover, the industrial sector is less crowded with institutional players—four public REITs and two or three large private players—than other major asset classes. The fund has a subscription facility that is being led by Bank of America. Albuquerque Academy To Boost Private Equity The $215 million Albuquerque Academy will double its target allocation to private equity to 8% to boost returns. The move will be funded by trimming allocations to other assets, but the academy has not decided which exposures to cut, said Richard Elkins, treasurer. “We just see the potential returns from traditional equities as being modest going forward and see better opportunities in some of these other asset classes,” he said. The fund could begin making new private equity investments this year or next year. Managers should contact Meketa Investment Group in Braintree, Mass. Real Estate Delay Slovenian Fund Eyes First Closing KD Group, a Ljubljana, Slovenia-based asset management firm, will perform a first-closing for its planned private equity fund in the next month or so. The firm is aiming to raise EUR70 million for the fund, which will invest in deals in the financial telecommunications and healthcare sectors in Southeast Europe (AIN, 2/20). But the firm has yet to grow assets from the EUR30 million it had raised by February, according to an official at the firm. KD is in “the last stage of negotiations” with several large institutional investors, however, and expects the remainder to be allocated in the next few weeks, he added. The fund will be managed by a team including Gavin Ryan, who is former head of Soros Investment Capital Management, a private equity shop focused on Southeast Europe that was majority-owned by George Soros. It has since been renamed Bedminster Capital Management. Copying prohibited without the permission of the publisher. 11 AIN050106 4/27/06 6:42 PM Page 12 Alternative Investment News www.iialternatives.com May 1, 2006 Search & Hire Directory Powered by: i i s e a r c h e s . c o m The following directory includes search and hire activity for the week. The accuracy of the information, which is derived from many sources, is deemed reliable but cannot be guaranteed. All amounts are in US$ millions unless otherwise stated. To report manager hires and new searches, please call Nathaniel Baker at (212) 224-3648 or Robert Murray at 44 (0)207 303 1705 or fax (212) 224-3939. Potential Searches Fund & City Mandate Size (Mlns) Total Amt (Mlns) Fund Type Consultant Comments USD75 Foundation Global / Alternative / Hedge Fund USD8 N/A Fund has pulled USD7.5 million out of long/short equity hedge funds and is looking to invest it by May with long-only international equity managers and true hedge funds, such as trading strategies. CAD1,500 Endowment Canada / Alternative / Portable Alpha N/A N/A Fund is looking to expand its portable alpha program across more equity classes, but is not taking calls from managers at this time. USD40 Public D.B. US / Alternative / Timberland/Vineyards USD2 Dahab Associates RFPs are available at http://dahab.com/searches.html. Proposals are due March 31 with final presentation on May 10. USD2,467 Public D.B. US / Alternative / Absolute Return N/A N/A Sifting through a short list of managers. The fund classifies pure alpha strategies, global tactical asset allocation and hedge funds as absolute return strategies. It would prefer a separate account rather than invest in a hedge fund to obtain more transparency and customization. USD33,000 Permanent US / Alternative / USD200 Callan Associates Mariner Investment Group, Inc. USD100 Callan Associates Lazard Asset Management USD200 Callan Associates Martingale Asset Management USD200 Callan Associates UBS Global Asset Management USD125 N/A Abbott Capital Management, LLC USD125 N/A Pathway Capital Management USD100 N/A GI Partners USD100 N/A Guggenheim Partners Pension Consulting RREEF Funds Albert & Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation, Houston, TX University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario Assignment New Searches City of Overland Park Police Department Retirement Plan, Overland Park , KS Houston Firefighters’ Relief and Retirement, Houston, TX Completed Searches Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, Juneau, AK Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, Fund USD33,000 Juneau, AK Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, Permanent Fund USD33,000 Juneau, AK Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, Hedge Fund-of-Funds Permanent Fund USD33,000 Juneau, AK Permanent Public D.B. Public D.B. Juneau, AK USD49,000 Public D.B. USD49,000 Public D.B. USD1,600 Public D.B. US / Alternative / USD40 Real Assets EUR187,000 Public D.B. Heerlen, Netherlands Global / Alternative / Alliance EUR3,000 N/A AlpInvest Partners EUR3,000 N/A AlpInvest Partners N/A AQR Capital Management LLC Private Equity EUR59,900 Zeist, Netherlands Wisconsin Alumni Research US / Alternative / Private Equity Retirement System, Santa Barbara, CA Stichting Pensioenfonds PGGM, US / Alternative / Private Equity Retirement Fund, Salem, OR Stichting Pensioenfonds ABP, US / Alternative / Private Equity Retirement Fund, Salem, OR Santa Barbara County Employees US / Alternative / Private Equity Alaska State Pension Investment Board, USD12,300 Oregon Public Employees US / Alternative / Hedge Fund Juneau, AK Oregon Public Employees US / Alternative / Hedge Fund Fund Alaska State Pension Investment Board, USD12,300 US / Alternative / Hedge Fund-of-Funds USD1,400 Hybrid DB-DC/ Global / Alternative / Cash Balance Private Equity Foundation Global / Alternative / Hedge FundUSD30 Foundation, Madison, WI For further information on iisearches’ daily search leads and searchable database of mandates awarded and lost since 1995, please visit iisearches.com or contact Keith Arends at 212 224 3533 or karends@iinews.com. 12 Copying prohibited without the permission of the publisher. AIN050106 4/27/06 6:42 PM Page 13 May 1, 2006 www.iialternatives.com Alternative Investment News Data Zone This week, we take a look at multi-strategy hedge funds. The table below displays some of the top performing funds in this sector, according to data provided by Eurekahedge. The data is deemed to be reliable, however AIN cannot vouch for its accuracy. For questions please contact Eurekahedge. Multi-Strategy March 06 Return % (1.76) 2005 Return 68.07 Standard Deviation 52.24 Sharpe Ratio 0.40 AuM (US$ Million) 87 Previous DataZone Appearance(s) April 3 Fund Russian Opportunities Fund Manager Eurostep (Cyprus) Region Europe 2006 Return % 36.68 Ginger Capital Fund Ginger Capital Management Asia 35.07 16.31 (5.04) 22.42 0.89 140 - India Capital Fund India Capital Management Asia 34.94 18.28 39.42 33.07 0.30 206 April 3, March 6, Jan. 30 LIM Asia Alternative Real Estate Fund LIM Advisors Asia 24.16 12.81 12.68 14.56 1.67 80 - BTR Global Arbitrage Fund (Class B) Salida Capital North America 22.95 10.26 9.28 14.08 1.60 110 - RAB Energy Fund - Class A RAB Capital Europe 19.07 4.64 37.78 16.96 3.38 446 April 3, March 6, Jan. 30 Dynamo Cougar Dynamo Administracao Latin America 14.45 de Recursos 0.71 24.48 49.54 1.51 322 April 3, March 6, Jan. 30 RAB Multi Strategy Fund - Class B RAB Capital Europe 11.66 3.88 11.14 9.33 1.49 217 March 6 GLS Offshore Global Opportunities Fund GLS Capital North America 11.35 1.34 5.94 20.51 0.39 155 April 3, March 6 Permal Fixed Income Special Opportunities - Class A NWI Management North America 10.48 1.32 7.39 8.98 1.24 647 - Longview Fund Viking Asset Management North America 10.06 5.11 21.08 15.13 1.83 84 - Permal Global Opportunities - Class A NWI Management North America 9.53 1.84 28.24 17.62 0.57 503 Jan. 30 Metage Global Strategies Fund I Metage Capital Europe 9.40 1.07 22.30 8.37 2.51 129 April 3, March 6, Jan. 30 HG Verde 14 Hedging Griffo Asset Management Latin America 9.15 0.16 20.27 8.82 2.00 77 - Claritas Hedge Claritas Servicos Financeiros Latin America 9.09 (0.82) 28.53 7.03 1.82 46 - Deephaven Market Neutral Fund Deephaven Capital Management North America 8.71 2.72 6.13 5.26 1.73 872 - Access Turkey Fund Access Turkey Europe 8.69 (5.30) 61.23 55.90 0.56 57 - Hadron Fund - Class B USD Hadron Capital Europe 8.43 5.01 17.75 6.91 2.06 78 - Everest Capital Emerging Markets Everest Capital Latin America 8.40 (0.62) 26.94 26.99 0.41 400 April 3, March 6, Jan. 30 EurekaHedge Commentary: Multi-Strategy Funds Rising commodity prices, coupled with continued high levels of corporate activity and strong equity markets, ensured that most conventional hedge fund strategies had a terrific month in March (the benchmark Eurekahedge hedge fund index was up 2 % for the month). It comes as no surprise then that this has translated into robust gains for multi-strategy hedge funds as well, with the Eurekahedge multi-strategy hedge fund index up 2% for the month. The month’s key return-generating regions for multi-strategy funds were Asia and North America, with the corresponding Eurekahedge regional indices rising 3.7% and 2.3% respectively. This was in spite of the overall tightening credit spread environment, as the Federal Reserve met on the 28th, announcing a hike in the short term interest rate (to 4.75%) and indicating further hikes as and when increases in energy prices and resource utilization raise inflationary pressure. iisearches posted over $2.7 trillion in business leads in 2005... The premier daily sales and marketing tool for investment managers. ...grow your business with the latest daily search leads. For further information on iisearches’ daily search leads and searchable database of search-and-hire activity since 1995, visit www.iisearches.com or contact Keith Arends in New York at 212-224-3533 or at karends@iinews.com, or Ben Grandy (Europe and rest of the world) Tel: +44 (0)20-7779-8965 or at bgrandy@iinews.com AIN050106 4/27/06 6:42 PM Page 14 Alternative Investment News www.iialternatives.com OSPRAIE READIES (continued from page 1) fund because its flagship offering is not set up to accommodate enough of the longer-duration, more concentrated investments typical of private equity plays. The fund’s hybrid structure is further amplified by its lockup provisions, which will average around four years. There will also be some side pocket investments with undefined liquidity periods. The firm is a nominee for AIN’s Hedge Fund Leader of the Year award. Winners will be announced at a June 28 dinner in New York. —Mark Faro BLACKSTONE AFFILIATE (continued from page 1) money for hedge fund investments at Park Hill. The Credit Suisse group has approximately 60 staffers worldwide. Victoria Harmon, Credit Suisse spokeswoman, said the firm is actively seeking to replace them. Blackstone helped fund Park Hill at its 2004 inception. Calls to the departing trio and to Park Hill officials were not returned. The departures follow a recent shake-up at the bank’s hedge fund of funds group, where its top two executives in New York were replaced last month (AIN, 4/10). This shake-up followed May 1, 2006 Credit Suisse’s OneBank initiative, a broad effort to streamline business operations throughout the bank (AIN, 9/19). —Elana Margulies DALIO: HEDGE (continued from page 1) Fallout from the 1994 U.S. Treasury bailout of Mexico led to a 7% drawdown, the 1998-1999 Long Term Capital Management meltdown resulted in an 11% flight of assets and the 2000-2003 bear market in U.S. equities led to a 9% drawdown. The comparatively smaller size of the hedge fund industry during those periods meant these losses could be absorbed more seamlessly by global markets. Yet today, “since the amount of money is larger, we are inclined to believe that the negative impact of trying to get through the keyhole at the same time would be larger,” says the letter. Specifically, in today’s terms, a 10% drawdown would translate into $80 billion, or roughly one-half to two-thirds of the S&L crisis bailout, Dalio writes. “We believe that losses are likely to be higher (probably over $100 billion) because when problems occur and liquidity dries up, losses become greater.” —Nathaniel Baker & E.M. SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORM www.iialternatives.com ❑ YES! Please send me 1 year (51 issues) of Alternative Investment News at the special price of $2,295*. Once I have subscribed I can select a permanent User ID and Password to www.iialternatives.com at no extra charge. B400101 NAME TITLE JANUARY 2004 VOL. V, NO. 1 FIRM GATE SLAMS ON MILLENNIUM INVESTORS FrontPoint Shuts Down Quant Fund FrontPoint Partners has for the first time liquidated one of its funds. The Greenwich, Conn.-based hedge fund juggernaut has shut down the Quantitative Equity Strategies (QES) fund. See story, page 19 ADDRESS Some investors looking to get out of an offshore fund last quarter run by multi-billion dollar hedge fund firm Millennium International Management found they were stuck. That’s because following a guilty plea by a former senior trader at the Millennium International Fund, the fund’s redemption limits were reached, (continued on page 25) At Press Time Ex-Ranger Manager Readies Fund LONGHORNS TO PLOW INTO ALTS 2 U.S. Searches CITY/STATE POSTAL CODE/ZIP Ispat Inland Considers Mezz. Search 10 Albuquerque School Weighs Funds 12 COUNTRY European Searches French Insurer Seeks Hedge Funds Health Charity Makes Foray 16 16 Bob Boldt U.S. Manager News Former Caxton Bond Trader Returns 19 Amaranth Unveils Changes 20 TEL FAX E-MAIL European Manager News Quadriga Readies Fund 22 News From Other Ports Telstra To Tap Managers 25 Departments Market Focus Search & Hire Directory Options for payment: 6 18 COPYRIGHT NOTICE: No part of this publication may be copied, photocopied or duplicated in any form or by any means without Institutional Investor’s prior written consent. Copying of this publication is in violation of the Federal Copyright Law (17 USC 101 et seq.). Violators may be subject to criminal penalties as well as liability for substantial monetary damages, including statutory damages up to $100,000 per infringement, costs and attorney’s fees. Copyright 2004 Institutional Investor, Inc. All rights reserved. For information regarding individual subscription rates, please contact Joe Mattiello at (212) 224-3457. For information regarding group subscription rates and electronic licenses, please contact Dan Lalor at (212) 224-3045. ❍ Bill me ❍ Check enclosed (please make check payable to Institutional Investor News) ❍ I am paying by credit card: ❍ Visa ❍ Amex ❍ Mastercard The University of Texas System’s $11.5 billion endowment funds are seeking to add roughly $575 million in new hedge fund investments this year. The funds, which are managed by the University of Texas Investment Management Company (UTIMCO), currently have a little over 20% of their assets allocated to hedge funds, and the goal a 25% allocation, said Bob is to have Boldt, cio. The school is leaning towards investing in absolute return funds over other hedge fund styles, Boldt (continued on page 4) FARALLON FOLLOWS LONE PINE’S LEAD ON HIGH-WATER MARKS Farallon Capital Managemen t, the San Francisco-based hedge fund behemoth run Steyer, is the latest hedge by Tom fund manager to propose changes to its high-water provisions. As first reported mark on AIN’s Web site, www.iialtern atives.com, the move would the firm in line with a growing put number of funds adopting changes first proposed last by Tiger cub Lone Pine Capital spring that allow hedge fund managers even when their funds are to earn performance fees under water. Farallon wants the ability to earn a reduced (continued on page 26) KLM TO WEIGH FUNDS (continued on page 26) Check www.iialternatives. com during the week for CREDIT CARD NUMBER EXPIRATION DATE OF FUNDS The €8 billion KLM Pensioenfon ds, the Amstelveen-based pension plan for pilots, crew members and ground staff of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, may make its first foray into hedge funds of funds this year. Fons Lute, cio of Blue Sky Group, the money managemen t subsidiary of KLM Pensionenfonds, said he plans to recommend a 2-5% allocation hedge funds of funds at a to board meeting in April. breaking news and updates. SIGNATURE The information you provide will be safeguarded by the Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC group, whose subsidiaries may use it to keep you informed of relevant products and services. We occasionally allow reputable companies outside the Euromoney Group to mail details of products which may be of interest to you. As an international group, we may transfer your data on a global basis for the purposes indicated above. ( ) Please tick if you object to contact by telephone. ( ) Please tick if you object to contact by fax. ( ) Please tick if you object to contact by email. ( ) Please tick if you do not want us to share your information with other reputable businesses. * In Canada, please add US$30 for postage. Other non-U.S., please add US$75. UNITED STATES UNITED KINGDOM HONG KONG Tel: Fax: Email: Mail: Tel: Fax: Email: Mail: Tel: Fax: Email: Mail: 1-212-224-3570 1-615-377-0525 customerservice@iinews.com Institutional Investor News P.O. Box 5016 Brentwood, TN 37024-5016 44 207 779 8929 44 207 779 8619 jdavies@euromoneyplc.com Julian Davies Institutional Investor News Nestor House, Playhouse Yard London, EC4V 5EX, England 852 2842 6910 852 2543 7617 enquiries@euromoneyasia.com Edealia Cheung Institutional Investor News 17/F, Printing House, 6 Duddell Street Central, Hong Kong AIN050106 4/27/06 6:42 PM Page 15 May 1, 2006 www.iialternatives.com The Long & Short Of It Alternative Investment News Quote Of The Week Going Market-Neutral: The Nobel Foundation. The folks who award the Nobel Prize decided to invest in hedge funds and recently completed their maiden allocations. AIN is going long on the reputable organization for this move, which potentially supplies the industry with a very powerful endorsement. Then again, the terms “Nobel Prize” and “hedge fund” have been used together before—most infamously when several Nobel Prize winners joined as founding partners of a certain Greenwich, Conn., firm about a decade ago. And of course, the Nobel committee has not exactly been immune from questionable decision-making (two words: Yasser Arafat. Two more: Jimmy Carter). Finally, this move has affixed targets not only to the foundation’s own back, but to the backs of hedge fund firms it has hired—Corbin Capital Partners, Rock Creek Group and Carnegie Corp. The Swedish foundation—and everybody else for that matter—is certainly free to invest in hedge funds at their discretion (reporters might even do this if they could afford to). In this instance, however, it is too early for AIN to commit to a long or short, making market-neutral the conscientious choice. Calendar • 100 Women in Hedge Fund’s Environmental Risk, Untapped Opportunity and Shareholder Value, at Bear Stearns, 333 Madison Avenue, New York. May 3. 5:00 p.m. www.100womeninhedgefunds.org “What kind of example does it set when a CEO who makes $33.7 million in a single year is given free housing while the company is having difficulty retaining its mine workers?”—Daniel Loeb, Third Point, in his latest letter to Massey Energy Company CEO Donald Blankenship (see story, page 3). One Year Ago In Alternative Investment News Daniel Loeb, ceo of Third Point, sold his equity position in small appliance maker and distributor Salton Inc., makers of the George Foreman Grill. [A few months later, hedge fund titan Angelo, Gordon & Co. agreed to a private debt exchange with Salton, where Salton issued new bonds to the firm. The firm also received preferred and common shares as part of the deal (AIN, 7/11).] 5 Years Ago Pequot Capital Management’s founders parted ways with Arthur Samberg staying put and Daniel Benton leaving to start Andor Capital Management. Benton took about half of Pequot’s $15 billion in assets with him. [Since the split, Pequot’s assets have remained at nearly $7 billion and Andor’s have dropped 46% to $3 billion. This decline transpired after CEO Chris James’ departure in 2004, which prompted the firm to liquidate the four funds he managed (AIN, 7/15/04). Andor’s flagship Andor Technology Offshore fund was down 15.65% in 2003. In 2004 and 2005, it returned 5% and 15.11%, respectively, and was up 7.8% through the end of January of this year. A Pequot spokesman declined to comment and a call to Andor was not returned.] • MarHedge’s 12th Annual Mid-Year Institutional Investment Conference, at the Palace Hotel, San Francisco. May 7-9. Contact: Mark Salameh, 646-274-6268. E-mail: msalameh@marhedge.com • Opal Financial Group’s Alpha Max 2006 at Hotel Fira Palace, Barcelona. May 8-10. Contact: 212-532-9898, E-mail: info@opalgroup.net • 2006 Value Investing Congress West Conference, at the Los Angeles Airport Marriot, Los Angeles. May 10-11. www.valueinvestingcongress.com • Forex Profit and Loss Network’s Thought Leadership in Action, at Three Times Square Conference Center, New York. May 11. Contact: Lisa Wilson, lisa@profit-loss.com. www.profitloss.com • International Finance Corporation’s 8th Annual Global Private Equity Conference, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Washington, D.C. May 11-12. For More Benefits Visit Our Web Site • Real time search alerts and breaking news on the alternative investment arena • Email alert services for earlier delivery of information in the weekly newsletter • Access to a virtual archive of past issues • Critical web links to related sites to give you all the information you need on alternative investments Go online and take advantage of web access to AIN. To set up your subscriber password, please contact us at customerservice@iinews.com or at 1-800-715-9195. Copying prohibited without the permission of the publisher. 15 Project4 1/3/06 3:29 PM Page 1 When you want to express your devotion to The Dow, nothing says it like Diamonds (DIA). Exchange traded funds (ETFs) that give you 30 blue chips, the entire Dow Jones Industrial Average, in every single share. They’re tax efficient, and have low management fees, too. Like stocks, Diamonds can be traded all day long, are subject to similar risks, and, of course, your usual brokerage commission applies. Ask your advisor for details. Or forever hold your peace. www.DowDiamonds.com. Ticker symbol Amex:DIA. The 30 blue-chip companies of The Dow in every share. IDow. An investor should consider investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the investment company carefully before investing. To obtain a prospectus, which contains this and other information, go to www.DowDiamonds.com or call 1-800-843-2639. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing. Dow Jones Industrial Average,SM The Dow ® and Diamonds ® are trademarks of Dow Jones & Company, Inc., licensed for use by State Street Global Markets, LLC. Diamonds are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Dow Jones and Dow Jones makes no representation regarding the advisability of investing in Diamonds. ©2006 State Street Corporation ALPS Distributors, Inc., a registered broker-dealer, is distributor for the Diamonds Trust, a unit investment trust. DIA000101
Similar documents
ROCATON COUGHS UP $2.75M FOR RECOMMENDING
Director/Central Operations & Fulfillment
More informationhealth workers expected to hunt for hedge funds andor exec readies
VINCENT YESENOSKY Senior Fulfillment Manager
More information