ROCATON COUGHS UP $2.75M FOR RECOMMENDING
Transcription
ROCATON COUGHS UP $2.75M FOR RECOMMENDING
AIN040907 4/5/07 3:01 PM Page 1 APRIL 9, 2007 VOL. VIII, NO. 14 Time To Pay The Piper! ROCATON COUGHS UP $2.75M FOR RECOMMENDING AMARANTH Homm Mulls Moscow Outpost Florian Homm, co-founder of $2.4 billion hedge fund firm Absolute Capital Management, is eying Russia as the next place for expansion. See story, page 7 Rocaton Investment Advisors has paid a $2.75 million settlement to the San Diego County Employees Retirement Association for recommending Amaranth Advisors, according to AIN sister publication Money Management Letter. “We settled all issues between Rocaton and SDCERA due to the potential for prolonged distraction,” said Todd Miller, Rocaton spokesman. Amaranth lost $6 billion in natural gas trades in September and Rocaton (continued on page 14) At Press Time Deephaven, JMB File Claims Against Container Co. 2 U.S. News SAC Delves Into Tech Chapman Slams Semiconductor Co. Owl Creek Joins Delphi Bail-Out 4 6 6 European News Absolute Eyes Moscow Outpost Halbis To Soft-Close India Strat 7 7 Private Equity News Forsythe Adds Mezzanine, India Exposure N.Y. Buyout Pursues Environmental-Waste Co. 8 8 Departments Data Zone Mandate Scoreboard Living On The Hedge With Logan Short 9 13 15 SPINNERHAWK TO LAUNCH PRIVATE EQUITY FUND Dallas hedge fund firm Spinnerhawk Capital Management is in the early stages of launching a private equity fund, according to new CIO Jim Wicklund. The fund, tentatively planned for the third quarter, will coinvest with other private equity groups as opposed to buying out entire companies on its own, said Wicklund. “[It (continued on page 14) GOLDMAN NABS HSBC’s MESSIER, MULLANE Gerald Messier, global head of HSBC Private Bank’s $30 billion-plus alternatives business, and David Mullane, head of alternative advisory services, have quit the firm to join Goldman Sachs. Messier led HSBC’s single-manager hedge fund selection and bespoke alternative advisory and also managed funds of funds for HSBC Alternative Investments. Mullane reported to him, overseeing the private bank’s alternative advisory team. Peter Rigg, head of alternatives research in New York, will transfer to Geneva on Tuesday to temporarily fill (continued on page 14) MARCH MADNESS Formidable Citadel GRIFFIN’s FIRM TAKES HEDGE FUND CROWN 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 2007 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. Citadel Investment Group vanquished D.E. Shaw to win the second annual edition of AIN’s March Madness hedge fund tourney. One year after being upset in the first round (AIN, 3/7/06), Ken Griffin’s Chicago-based firm was on a mission to reclaim its place in the annals of hedge fund lore. With apologies to a certain high-ranking politician who immortalized the phrase: Mission accomplished. Citadel’s path to the final led through Adage Capital Management, Canyon Capital Advisors, Renaissance Technologies and finally SAC Capital Advisors. Many of these (continued on page 11) Check www.iialternatives.com during the week for breaking news and updates. AIN040907 4/5/07 1:51 PM Page 2 Alternative Investment News www.iialternatives.com April 9, 2007 At Press Time Inflexion To Hire Investment Director London- and Manchester-based Inflexion Private Equity is seeking to hire an investment director to bolster its growing business. The firm is searching for somebody who either works at a private equity shop or has experience in leveraged/mezzanine finance or corporate finance. The firm is focused on U.K. mid-market buyouts and generally makes equity investments of GBP4-20 million. The new hire will originate investment opportunities, close deals and monitor the investment portfolio. Managing Partners John Hartz and Simon Turner were away from the office and unavailable to comment. Deephaven, JMB File Sea Containers Claims Deephaven Capital Management and JMB Capital have filed EUR8 million worth of claims against bankrupt shipping concern Sea Containers. The hedge funds purchased the claims from a German shipping concern that originally agreed to sell shares to Bermuda-based Sea Containers. They join other hedge funds already knee-deep in the action, as Trilogy Capital, Dune Capital and Mariner Investment Group are members of the official unsecured creditors committee. Sea Containers agreed to purchase shares of a Finnish limited partnership controlled by German company Papenburger Fahrschiffreederei GmbH & Co. in 2005, according to bankruptcy filings. It was due to pay roughly EUR13 million plus interest of 4% with final payment due in Sept. 29, 2006. Two days before payment was due, Papenburger sold its claim to Silver Point Capital. The hedge fund renegotiated the agreement with Sea Containers, extending the due date until Oct. 15 while increasing the interest rate to 10.75%. It also received an additional $200,000 in cash from Sea Containers in consideration for renegotiating the deal. Following the company’s bankruptcy filing, Silver Point sold a portion of the claims to Deephaven and JMB. Deephaven, the Minnetonka, Minn.-based firm run by Knight Capital Group, is seeking to recover roughly EUR4 million. JMB, which is run by Jon Brooks, a former head trader at Cerberus Capital Management, is also seeking approximately EUR4 million. It could not be determined if Silver Point still owns the remaining portion of the claim. Sea Container filed for U.S. bankruptcy protection in October because it was slated to pay off note holders. Though it had cash on hand to make the payments, doing so would have caused it to default on other unsecured notes due in the future, which in turn lead the company to reorganize via Chapter 11 bankruptcy. A Deephaven official declined to comment. Calls to Sea Containers, JMB and Silver Point were not returned by press time. EDITORIAL TOM LAMONT Editor 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 SUZY KENLY Associate Reporter (212) 224-3978 LOGAN SHORT Esteemed Industry Observer [email protected] VENILIA BATISTA AMORIM (44-20) 7303-1718 London Bureau Chief STANLEY WILSON Washington Bureau Chief (202) 393-0728 HARRY THOMPSON Hong Kong Bureau Chief (852) 2912-8097 KIERON BLACK Sketch Artist PRODUCTION DANY PEÑA Director LYNETTE STOCK, DEBORAH ZAKEN Managers MICHELLE TOM, MELISSA ENSMINGER, BRIAN STONE, JAMES BAMBARA Associates BRIAN McTIGUE Marketing Director (212) 224-3522 ARCHANA MARWAHA 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 - $2,595 (in Canada add $30 postage, others outside U.S. add $75). 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Tel: (212) 224-3648 Email: [email protected] 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. Alternative Investment News ©2007 Institutional Investor, Inc. ISSN# 1544-7596 Copying prohibited without the permission of the Publisher. CBOE-Volatility 3/26/07 5:30 PM Page 1 VOLATILITY EQUALS OPPORTUNITY. TRADE OPTIONS ON THE VIX, THE WIDELY FOLLOWED MEASURE OF MARKET VOLATILITY. T The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) is considered to be the world’s premier barometer of investor sentiment and market volatility. CBOE now offers Options on VIX, the first securities exchange-traded product on market volatility. Explore the opportunities of exchange-traded volatility. Trade the VIX. Trade VIX Options. To learn more, visit www.cboe.com/vix ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTE. S Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. Prior to buying or selling an option, a person must receive a copy of Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options (ODD). Copies of the ODD are available from your broker, by calling 1-888-OPTIONS, or from The Options Clearing Corporation, One North Wacker Drive, Suite 500, Chicago, Illinois 60606. CBOE ®, Chicago Board Options Exchange ®, CBOE Volatility Index®‚ and VIX®‚ are registered trademarks of Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated. Copyright 2007, Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated. All rights reserved. AIN040907 4/5/07 1:51 PM Page 4 Alternative Investment News www.iialternatives.com April 9, 2007 U.S. News Hamptons Firm To Launch Mortgage Fund Sag Harbor, N.Y., based Sag Harbor Capital Management is launching a hedge fund geared to institutional investors next month. W Financial Mortgage Fund II will originate a portfolio of residential and commercial bridge loans, second mortgages and on a very selective basis mezzanine loans, according to Gregg Winter Gregg Winter, principal. Sag Harbor’s existing fund, W Financial Mortgage Fund I, was launched in July 2003 for high-net-worth individuals. Requests by institutional investors prompted Winter and co-partner Mark Bailin to set up the second iteration. “Over time we’ve been approached by institutional investors and we feel we can accommodate that,” said Winter. The firm has set a target size of $250 million for the new fund. In addition to managing the funds, Winter is the owner and ceo of Winter & Company, a commercial mortgage brokerage he founded in 1989. The original fund has an investment minimum of $100,000 with a two-year lockup, while Fund II’s minimum is $1 million, probably with no hard lockup, Winter predicted. Fund II will have a traditional 2/20 fee structure, he noted. ING To Market Fixed-Income Hedge Fund, ‘Best Ideas’ Portfolio ING Investment Management Americas will start marketing its fixed-income hedge fund this summer when the fund reaches its oneyear track record. The strategy dips into mortgage-backed securities, commercial MBS, asset-backed securities, emerging market debt and high-yield. James Kauffman In addition, ING is promoting Solutions Portfolios, which takes the best ideas from several strategies to form multi-asset mandates. The strategy should deliver LIBOR plus 200 basis points, said Jim Kauffmann, head of fixed income. Then ING adds a derivative overlay tailored to client requirements. The portfolios are rebalanced monthly and consist of equity, bonds and commodities, including senior loans, emerging market debt, high-yield and absolute return. ING has provided Solutions Portfolios to retail clients for years, but won its first institutional mandate nine months ago and 4 now manages $500 million to $1 billion for corporate pension plans. “We’ll see more focus there because of this reach-for-return phenomena,” Kauffmann said. “I don’t know if we’ve had an enquiry for core all year yet.” Solutions Portfolios is overseen by ING’s Multi-Asset Strategy and Solutions Group. It was formed last year under Paul Zemsky, who joined ING in 2005 as head of derivatives strategies. Kauffmann manages the hedge fund, which can deliver LIBOR plus 300-600 bps, depending on leverage and market opportunities. It was seeded with $300 million from clients and capacity is about $1 billion. The management fee will be 50 bps with a 2% performance fee on returns over two-month LIBOR. Citadel To Sell China Security Convert Notes Citadel Investment Group is seeking to unload $60 millionworth of China Security & Surveillance Technology convertible notes, nearly a month after it purchased the securities in a private deal with the Shenzhen-based security system maker (AIN, 3/12). Citadel plans to sell the notes through one or more transactions, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The notes pay a 1% coupon and are due in 2012. They have an initial strike price of $18 per share. The notes also have full call protection, as China Security may not call them prior to 2012. Calls to Citadel were not returned by press time. SAC Sinks Teeth Into Tech Company SAC Capital Advisors has purchased shares and warrants in wireless networking technology company USA Technologies through a private placement. Steven Cohen’s firm purchased around 1.6 million shares at $6 for a total of $10 million, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As part of the deal, SAC also received warrants to purchase an additional 833,333 shares at $6.40 per share. The warrants are exercisable at any time following their six month anniversary. USA Technologies also gave SAC the right to have an observer attend all board meetings for one year. The hedge fund was also afforded the right to purchase any future securities issued by the company to maintain its pro rata ownership position. It currently owns 15.2% of the company’s shares. Shares of USA Technologies, which just recently graduated from over-thecounter status to a NASDAQ listing, were trading around $8.41 as AIN went to press last week. The company, which develops technology to facilitate non- ©Institutional Investor News 2007. Reproduction requires publisher’s prior permission. Fidelity-Confidence 3/29/07 12:09 PM Page 1 AIN040907 4/5/07 1:51 PM Page 6 Alternative Investment News www.iialternatives.com April 9, 2007 U.S. News (cont’d) cash transaction for items such as vending machines, used a portion of the proceeds from the sale to repay $1.6 million in 10% convertible senior notes that were due in 2008. Calls to USA Technologies were not returned by press time. A SAC spokesman declined to comment. Owl Creek Joins Delphi Party Owl Creek Asset Management has joined a group of investors that will bail Delphi Corp. out of bankruptcy. Owl Creek, which is run by Jeff Altman, has agreed to purchase up to 2,428,574 shares in a rights offering of the post-bankrupt company, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The automotive parts maker reached an agreement earlier this year with a group of investors led by Appaloosa Management and Cerberus Capital Management. That group, which also included Harbert Management, agreed to purchase $1.4 billion in common and preferred shares of the newly reorganized company’s shares. It also agreed to be the backstop of a $2 billion rights offering, in which shares would be sold for $35 per share. The plan is still pending approval from the bankruptcy court. Calls to Owl Creek were not returned by press time. Chap Slaps FSI Execs Chapman Capital, the activist hedge fund firm run by wellknown manager Robert Chapman, is upset at executives of semiconductor concern FSI International. Chapman owns 6.5% of the company’s shares and is planning to solicit interest from prospective buyers for the company, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. He is also seeking to replace the firm’s officers and directors. Chapman is particularly irked by the company’s poor earnings in light of its executive compensation. CEO Donald Mitchell is earning “millions of dollars in cash compensation and hundreds of thousands of free common stock options while owning less than 30,000 shares of common stock,” the filing says. Also, despite the company’s location in Chaska, Minn., Chapman is upset that Mitchell is based in San Diego. The filing notes that Benno Sand, executive v.p. of business development for FSI, defended the living arrangement. “In this industry, it doesn’t matter where the CEO lives because the customers are in Asia, Japan, China and Israel; he has commuted for six years, [and] I don’t view it as a perk,” Sand said according to the filing. “It’s inane to opine that it does not matter where the top leader of a public company resides, particularly where the residence is thousands of miles away from the core employee base and the company is losing millions of 6 dollars,” Chapman told AIN. “Don Mitchell is putting his sun tan over his shareholders.” Chapman also was annoyed that the company refused his offer to conduct a conference call with Mitchell and Sand. Their insistence on coordinating and paying for the call was probably because they wanted to record the conversation, Chapman noted. “It was a 100% reasonable request. It was not as though I requested that the ceo put on a clown outfit and dance for me,” he added. Sand declined to comment on the filing but noted that the company refused Chapman’s request to coordinate the conference call because of its internal procedures. He added that FSI was not planning to record the call. Calif. Firm Seeks Video Game Specialist Beverly Hills, Calif., hedge fund firm Strata Capital Management is seeking a senior analyst in consumer technology with an expertise in Internet and video games. According to President Steven Bardack, the firm’s investments in the market have paid off due to a recent boom in Asian online gambling. The new hire will perform strategic analysis, modeling prospective and existing portfolio companies and analyzing financial statements. He or she should have at least two years’ experience at a consulting firm or investment bank, or two-seven years’ experience at a long/short equity hedge fund. Strata’s growth technology-focused long/short global strategy has returned 22% the last eight months, according to Bardack. The firm is holding preliminary discussions about launching a new 2X levered fund sometime in 2008, he said. CAIA Opens Registration For September Exams The Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association has begun registration for its September cycle of Level I and II exams. The exams, to run Sept. 10-21, will now solely focus on alternative asset classes such as real estate, private equity, commodities, hedge funds and managed futures. Traditionally the segments covered conventional investments, which are now considered prerequisite knowledge for all CAIA candidates. Early registration, which is discounted 10%, ends May 14. The regular registration ends July 20. CAIA is an independent, not-for-profit organization whose goal is to make the CAIA designation the worldwide standard of excellence in the alternative investments field. Founded in 2002, it currently has over 4,000 members. ©Institutional Investor News 2007. Reproduction requires publisher’s prior permission. AIN040907 4/5/07 1:51 PM Page 7 April 9, 2007 www.iialternatives.com Alternative Investment News European News Caliburn, Mizuho Target Japanese Investors Caliburn Capital Partners, the London- and Geneva-based fund of funds firm co-founded by Tony Morrongiello, is targeting Japanese investors for the first time. The firm manages a thematic fund of hedge funds with around $300 million. Its client base is largely European, with the exception of Japanese investment bank Mizuho International, which owns a 29% stake in Caliburn, said Morrongiello. Mizuho will now market the Caliburn fund via distribution channels in Japan, he explained. Morrongiello, who is ex-ceo at Syz & Co.’s alternatives arm, 3A, acknowledged that Japanese investors are notoriously slow to make investment decisions, with lengthy due diligence processes. As such, there is no timeframe for securing assets from Japan, but the firm hopes to eventually grow the fund of funds to $1 billion. Caliburn is also planning to launch more funds this year (iialternatives.com, 8/25). KGR Seeks Analysts Asia-focused fund of hedge funds firm KGR Capital is seeking to hire more analysts for its Hong Kong office to strengthen its manager coverage in the rapidly-expanding Asian hedge fund space. The firm will add to its fund research and operational due diligence teams, said Mark White, director in London. KGR will hire opportunistically and no one has been lined up. The firm employs 15 people between Hong Kong and London. The fund research team consists of five analysts in Hong Kong focused on evaluating hedge funds’ investment processes; the operational due diligence team numbers three. White said KGR will seek to grow both teams this year. increase its research capabilities in the region (iialternatives.com, 10/27). New funds would initially be run from Palma and Warsaw, but “it would make sense” to open a Moscow office at a later date, he said. Internal discussions are in the early stages and the firm will probably wait until the €125 million East West fund hits its €250 million capacity limit. But this is likely to happen by the end of the year, said the official, who noted that the fund returned around 26% last year, making it the firm’s highest performer in 2006. Halbis Anticipates India Fund Soft Close Halbis, an investment management arm of HSBC, expects to soft-close its new long/short Indian equity fund within a matter of months. The fund was rolled out on April 2 with $101 million, making it Halbis’ largest hedge fund launch to date. It has a $300 million soft-close target. “Day-one investors have been those that can be more nimble,” said Charles Robinson, marketing director in London. Some large investors in the firm’s long-only Indian equity strategy are expected to make their first allocations to the hedge fund in the next few months, he added. “We expect to get to the soft close in pretty fast order,” he ventured. The fund is managed by Sanjiv Duggal, who is based in Singapore. It will hard-close at $500 million. Homm Eyes Russia Weir Group To Shift Up To 25% Into Alts Absolute Capital Management, the $2.4 billion listed hedge fund firm cofounded by well-known manager Florian Homm, is considering more funds focused on Central and Eastern Europe and may set up an office in Moscow. The most likely launch would be a fund focused on Russia and its Florian Homm surrounding states, according to an official at the Palma de Mallorca, Spain-based firm. Absolute Capital already manages a fund focused on Central and Eastern Europe, the East West Fund, but would benefit from taking advantage of other plays on the region, said the official. The firm opened a Warsaw office last year to The approximately £550 million Weir Group Pension & Life Insurance Scheme is planning to allocate up to a quarter of its assets to alternatives. The move, which would entail hiring external managers, follows an investment strategy review conducted with the help of Watson Wyatt, said Barbara Mungall, U.K. pensions manager. The review recommended introducing alternatives to better spread its risk, Mungall explained. The scheme plans to diversify its portfolio gradually over the next three to four years and its trustees will study property, private equity and possibly hedge funds and commodities as well as other asset classes recommended by the consultant. The move will be funded by reducing equity but the exact plan has not yet been decided. To receive email alerts or online access, call 800-715-9195. 7 AIN040907 4/5/07 1:54 PM Page 8 Alternative Investment News www.iialternatives.com April 9, 2007 Private Equity News Chicago Federation Eyes P/E Increase The $580 million Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago will discuss whether to raise its target private equity allocation at its June 4 finance committee meeting. When CIO David Brief joined the federation in 2002 it had less than 3% of its assets in private equity. It now has a 9% stake and is on David Brief track to hit 12% in 2010, the maximum exposure allowed in its investment policy. Brief said he is studying whether the fund should cap private equity at 12% or adjust its policy to allow a higher exposure. Brief likes private equity’s potential to outperform traditional equity and bond markets. “If we want to generate the types of returns that drive our economic engine then private equity becomes very alluring, but it’s fraught with difficulties,” he said. But Brief is concerned about the lack of reliable performance data, seeing as private equity managers tend to raise capital for a new fund before they have meaningful numbers back from their prior fund. “You’re buying into a blind pool without being able to judge a manager’s recent performance,” he said. The federation takes a core/satellite approach to private equity. Its core funds of funds include Commonfund, Keyhaven Capital Partners in London and Weathergage Capital, a fairly new venture fund of funds. Credit Suisse advises the federation on direct private equity investments. FSI Taps Analyst Financial Stocks Inc., an investment firm focused on the securities industry, has hired Kevin Reeney as an analyst in its private equity division. Reeney, who is based in the firm’s Cincinnati office, joined from investment banking and wealth management shop Ryan Beck & Co. Bob King, senior managing director at FSI, said Reeney’s experience—particularly his “extensive knowledge of the U.S. banking sector”—would strengthen the firm’s ability to uncover financial institutions with the potential to deliver outsized returns. Reeney’s career started at Merrill Lynch’s investment © 2007 Knight Capital Group, Inc. All rights reserved. banking division in the early 1990s. He also did stints at Advest and Sterling Financial Investment Group before moving to Ryan Beck. N.Y. Buyout Targets E-Waste Co. Hyde Park Holdings, a private equity firm based in New York, recently bought e-waste company Environmental Reclamation Services. Bankers at Citigroup Capital Strategies, which ran the auction, are hoping to line up similar targets for the firm, said Eric Williams, a managing director at Citigroup who represented ERS. Terms of the recent transaction were not disclosed. Laurence Levy, Hyde Park’s founder, did not return phone calls. Forsyth P/E Fund Adds Mezz Debt, India Exposure Forsyth Partners, the Croydon, Surrey-based fund of funds firm, has revealed some of the holdings of its private equity fund of funds. In February, the fund upped its exposure to Duemme Private Equity Strategies and committed capital to a private equity fund of funds focused on India. Henry Freeman, fund manager, was out of the office and could not be reached. The Forsyth fund increased its position in Duemme because manager Andrea Torlonia “tends to have more exposure to mezzanine debt than his peers,” according to an investor document. “The reason for this is to further reduce correlation to equity markets, which served us well when market turbulence set in on 27 February.” Also in February, the Forsyth fund took a position in Evolvence India Holdings, which listed on the Alternative Investment Market in March. “India has already shown strong growth and we believe this will continue for the longer term,” the document states. “The fund is tilted towards the fast-growing areas of infrastructure, construction, retail and life sciences, and is managed locally by the Evolvence team in India.” Forsyth’s fund launched Dec. 1 and invests in a concentrated portfolio of listed private equity companies and private equityrelated securities. It returned 1.56% in February and is up 4.4% since inception. AIN040907 4/5/07 1:54 PM Page 9 April 9, 2007 www.iialternatives.com Alternative Investment News Data Zone PERFORMANCE SNAPSHOT: FUNDS OF HEDGE FUNDS The table below displays some of last month’s top performing funds of hedge funds, according to data provided by Eurekahedge. Fund Pinnacle Fund The Kintaro Fund SAM Discovery Fund Thames River Warrior Fund Multi Strategy Fund (Equity Market Neutral) Gottex Horizon Fund Limited - USD Galileo Japan Fund HDF Europe Long Short Green Way Select European L/S - Class A La Fayette Regular Growth Fund - USD Pine Grove Partners Summit Private Investments I Conservative Alternative Strategies - Series A Coast Diversified Fund Crestline Plus Archstone Market Neutral Strategies Fund Benchmark Plus Fixed Income Fund Manager Pinnacle Associates SwissEdge Atlas Capital Thames River Capital WR Capital Management Gottex Fund Management GL Funds HDF Finance Credit Agricole Asset Management La Fayette Investment Management (UK) Pine Grove Associates Summit Private Investments Lyster Watson & Company Coast Asset Management Crestline Investors Archstone Partners Paradigm Partners Region Global Asia Pacific Emerging Markets Global Global Global Asia Pacific Europe Europe Europe North America North America North America North America North America North America North America Feb ‘07 Return 5.09 3.24 4.21 2.96 3.05 2.32 3.42 2.25 2.20 1.57 2.00 1.84 1.64 2.03 2.53 0.89 4.03 ‘07 YTD return 8.32 5.70 5.45 5.42 5.33 4.88 4.83 3.76 3.72 3.71 3.63 3.33 3.31 3.27 3.26 3.20 3.16 2006 return 10.75 (16.51) 20.53 15.67 0.97 7.51 (12.83) 12.65 16.79 10.98 9.67 12.42 10.30 8.58 15.53 13.20 7.10 Annualised Std Deviation 6.82 19.83 11.47 6.72 4.75 4.76 9.86 4.70 6.05 4.37 3.03 6.52 3.13 6.55 6.29 3.09 9.61 Sharpe Ratio 0.78 0.64 0.05 0.63 2.51 2.42 0.38 1.07 0.75 1.31 2.26 1.41 1.31 1.76 2.07 1.35 1.27 AuM (US$ Mln) 63 80 91 554 55 47 76 93 245 1380 604 341 234 1525 260 190 357 Eurekahedge Commentary: Funds of Hedge Funds The Eurekahedge Fund of Funds Index posted modest gains of 0.7% in February, despite market turbulence towards the month’s close. The month’s best returns came from allocations to opportunistic hedge fund strategies such as event driven and distressed debt. While the former took advantage of the continued strength in global M&A deal flow (including several cross-border mergers, notably in India and Canada) and new issuance (7 public offerings were successfully placed in Latin America alone, during the month), the latter benefited from a high yield market that posted returns upwards of 1% for the eighth consecutive month. Though corporate bonds had been steadily appreciating, the sharp month-end equity correction spurred selling pressure in the corporate debt market. Credit spreads widened and equity market volatility spiked. The Sharp reversals across financial markets, however, had an adverse effect on allocations to directional macro and CTA/managed futures strategies. It’s an astonishing view don’t you think? Four windows into the future of trading. Sure, one would suffice. 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Visit www.iievents.com for speaker updates Who Should Attend Hedge Funds, Investors in Hedge Funds, Funds of Funds, Fund Administrators, Specialist Consultants, Performance Measurement and Risk Analytics Solutions Providers With responsibilities in: Risk Analysis & Management, Risk Reporting, Performance Measurement, Fund Management, Qualitative and Quantitative Research, Credit Analysis, Investment Management and Technology LEARN new methods for dealing with liquidity ANALYZE risk scenarios to divert potential disasters PARTICIPATE in roundtables on best practices for hedge funds and funds of funds INTERACT with leading hedge fund experts and academics Four Easy Ways to Register: Phone: 1.800.437.9997 or 1.212.224.3570 Fax: 1.212.224.3811 Email: [email protected] MEDIA PARTNERS: Visit w w w . i i e v e n t s . c o m for agenda and speaker updates! AIN040907 4/5/07 1:51 PM Page 11 April 9, 2007 www.iialternatives.com Alternative Investment News MARCH MADNESS GRIFFIN’S FIRM SAC Wins ‘Consolation Game’ For 3rd Place As the lone “Cinderella” team in the final four, Brevan Howard had its work cut out for it. A loss to Shaw in the semifinal left it bruised and battered, but desperate to prove it belonged. By listing one of its funds on the London Stock Exchange Brevan Howard certainly caught the industry’s attention this year. Unfortunately, the listing failed to meet its €1 billion target. SAC Capital Advisors, by contrast, had probably the quietest year of the four semifinalists, if 34% returns can be considered quiet. This better than tripled Brevan Howard’s 11% return last year and Steven Cohen’s firm rode off with the bronze. (continued from page 1) battles were extremely close-fought, but Griffin’s firm ultimately triumphed on the back of a few factors: Performance (returns close to 30% in its Kensington Global Strategies fund and close to 34% in its Wellington Partners strategy), innovation (the first-ever public debt offering by a hedge fund in the U.S.) and willingness to undertake contrarian missions, such as purchasing Amaranth Advisors’ energy book. Together, these made Citadel’s case too compelling to match, let alone surpass—even by the likes of David Shaw’s $26 billion firm. GLG Partners 1 Euro Region Sloane Robinson Conn. Region Pequot Capital Management SAC Capital Advisors 8 4 4 SAC Capital Advisors Sloane Robinson Brevan Howard Asset Management 4 Brevan Howard Asset Management 2 4 SAC Capital Advisors ESL Investments Brevan Howard Asset Management CHAMPION 6 BlueCrest Capital Management Citadel Investment Group 6 D.E. Shaw Group 2 ESL Investments 2 AQR Capital Management 6 Citadel Investment Group Farallon Capital Management D.E. Shaw Group 1 1 THIRD PLACE GAME: D.E. Shaw Group Cerberus Capital Management Brevan Howard Asset Management 5 5 SAC Capital Advisors Renaissance Technologies 5 SAC Capital Advisors Renaissance Technologies Citadel Investment Group D.E. Shaw Group 5 Citadel Investment Group Atticus Capital 7 Atticus Capital Moore Capital Management 6 6 NYC Region Other Ports Region To receive email alerts or online access, call 800-715-9195. Citadel Investment Group 2 2 Canyon Capital Advisors 6 11 RS HedgeFunds 3/20/07 11:13 AM Page 1 AIN040907 4/5/07 1:51 PM Page 13 April 9, 2007 www.iialternatives.com Alternative Investment News MANDATE SCOREBOARD The table below shows new allocation commitments gained by alternative managers year-to-date through April 4. 2007 Tally Firms Hired Week of April 2 Wins Total* 1 2 3 Hellman & Friedman Apax Partners Gottex Asset Management 6 5 5 1035 670 508 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Crestline Investors CVC European Equity Partners Silver Lake Partners Avenue Special Situations OCM Opportunity Fund Pacific Corporate Group Coller International Partners Lehman Brothers Aquiline Holdings Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. New Mountain Capital Grove Street Advisors Carlyle Group MHR Institutional Partners Energy Capital Partners AQR Capital Management AXA Rosenberg Texas Pacific Group Goldman Sachs Asset Management Man Group Grosvenor Capital Management Greenpark Capital Leonard Green & Partners The Blackstone Group GMO Australia Oaktree Capital Management Credit Suisse Abbott Capital Management Affinity Equity Partners Enterprise Investors Actera Partners Lexington Partners Morgan Stanley Investment Mgt Pantheon Ventures Hammond Associates Four Winds Capital Management Benchmark Plus Management Blue Point Capital Partners Citigroup Asset Management Gores Group Investcorp Navis Partners NGP Energy Capital Management Satellite Asset Management Sheridan Production Partners TCW Group Charterhouse Capital Partners Portfolio Advisors Aetos Capital K2 Advisors Alchemy Partners UBS Global Asset Management Sankaty Advisors Attalus Capital Signet Capital Managemetn Canyon Capital Advisors Intrepid Capital Management The Jordan Company Providence Equity Partners Horizon21 1 1 4 2 3 1 1 5 2 2 2 1 3 1 1 1 1 3 1 2 2 3 3 5 2 2 3 1 1 1 3 1 4 4 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 500 486 450 450 410 400 375 300 300 300 300 300 250 250 220 213 212 200 200 197 190 177 175 174 158 155 150 150 150 131 130 130 128 122 117 115 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 97 95 90 90 89 87 80 80 79 75 75 75 70 70 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 49 50 51 53 54 55 56 57 58 61 62 Client Asset Type Amount* Bath & North East Somerset Council Avon Pension Fund United Biscuits (UK) Pension Plan Hedge Funds of Funds Hedge Funds 118 N/A Mass. Pension Reserves Investment Management Board Private Equity (U.S.) 125 Bath & North East Somerset Council Avon Pension Fund Hedge Funds of Funds 197 Mass. Pension Reserves Investment Management Board Private Equity (U.S.) 125 Mass. Pension Reserves Investment Management Board Private Equity (U.S.) 100 Bath & North East Somerset Council Avon Pension Fund Hedge Funds of Funds 79 *in USD millions For further information, including identities of the institutions and RFP contacts, please visit iisearches.com or contact Keith Arends at 212-224-3533 or [email protected]. To receive email alerts or online access, call 800-715-9195. 13 AIN040907 4/5/07 1:51 PM Page 14 Alternative Investment News www.iialternatives.com GOLDMAN NABS April 9, 2007 hedge fund firm run by Texas oilman and famed corporate raider T. Boone Pickens (AIN, 6/12/05). Wicklund has dabbled in oil for the past three decades, figuratively and literally; he was out in the fields drilling oil in the late 70s and early 80s. “That broad experience always gave me a little bit of an advantage as an analyst,” he said. “I hope and trust it will benefit me to some extent as an investor.” Asked why he departed BofA, Wicklund said he was tired of the constant travel the job required. “My oldest daughter starts the first grade [this fall]. I made myself a promise that when she started, I would stop traveling,” he said. Wicklund was ranked third in AIN’s sister publication Institutional Investor’s All-America Research Team in October. —Suzy Kenly (continued from page 1) Messier’s role while a permanent replacement is found, according to a spokesman for HSBC. No one has been lined up for the position vacated by Mullane. Messier and Mullane will join Goldman’s hedge fund strategies group, which manages about $19 billion. Messier and a Goldman spokesman both declined to comment. Mullane could not be contacted on his mobile phone. —Robert Murray SPINNERHAWK TO (continued from page 1) would be] more of a junior investor in some deals rather than blaze new trails,” he said. The firm is planning the fund in response to investor interest. Wicklund joined the firm March 1 after a six-year stint at Bank of America, where he was managing director in the equity research department, covering oilfield services, equipment and drillers. He currently co-manages the firm’s long/short equity Spinnerhawk Natural Resources Fund with Founder Garrett Smith. Smith started the firm nearly two years ago after departing Dallas-based BP Capital, the $2.5 billion ROCATION COUGHS (continued from page 1) resigned from SDCERA shortly after, on Oct. 17. Miller declined to comment on whether the $2.75 million was covered by professional liability insurance or came out of partners’ pockets, or to reveal whether Rocaton admitted wrongdoing. “It’s a lot of money no matter how you slice it and it’s a lot of money to be paid so quickly,” said David Scott, an attorney at Scott + Scott, a law firm that represents SUBSCRIPTION ORDER FORM www.iialternatives.com ❑ YES! Please send me 1 year (51 issues) of Alternative Investment News at the special price of $2,345*. 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 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. (continued on page 26) 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 [email protected] Institutional Investor News P.O. Box 5016 Brentwood, TN 37024-5016 44 207 779 8929 44 207 779 8619 [email protected] Julian Davies Institutional Investor News Nestor House, Playhouse Yard London, EC4V 5EX, England 852 2842 6910 852 2543 7617 [email protected] Edealia Cheung Institutional Investor News 17/F, Printing House, 6 Duddell Street Central, Hong Kong AIN040907 4/5/07 1:51 PM Page 15 April 9, 2007 www.iialternatives.com institutions in securities fraud cases. SDCERA paid Rocaton $1.2 million in fees from 2002 through June 2005. Separately, SDCERA hired Bernstein Litowitz Berger & Grossman in October to advise on legal action following Amaranth’s collapse. It could not be learned whether BLB&G advised SDCERA on its settlement with Rocaton. The plan filed a lawsuit March 29 against Amaranth to recoup losses from its $175 million mandate. Amaranth’s collapse caused SDCERA to lose about $105 million of its original investment, after initial gains of nearly $59 million. It has already received two payouts from Amaranth; $12.5 million in November and $35.5 million in December. BLB&G lead attorney John “Sean” Coffey was on vacation at press time and Brian White, ceo at SDCERA, did not return a call. SDCERA appears to have suffered the greatest loss from Amaranth of any pension fund. 3M’s $9.2 billion pension fund was also an Amaranth client but its mandate was worth less than 1% of plan assets. Canada’s Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec reportedly invested $67 million with Amaranth. The $32 billion Pennsylvania State Employees Retirement System is also advised by Rocaton and used Amaranth, but the fund has no qualms with its consultant because it only had a marginal exposure through fund of funds, said Robert Gentzel, spokesman. Meanwhile, the New Jersey Division of Investments had a $25 million exposure to Amaranth through funds of hedge funds managed by Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Arden Asset 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 [email protected] or at 1-800-715-9195. Alternative Investment News Management and Rock Creek Group. The Philadelphia Public Employees Retirement System had $8 million with Amaranth via four funds of funds. —Emma Blackwell Living On The Hedge… An occasional column by Logan Short, an astute industry observer. He can be reached at [email protected]. I know AIN’s March Madness has been getting a lot of attention, with that Baker guy going on TV to talk about it and everything, but I’ve got a few issues I’d like to raise. For one, didn’t the criteria state that “favorable or negative press” would factor in to who got picked to win? Then why did Citadel Investment Group win the whole thing? (See page 1). When and where did these guys ever receive favorable press—about anything? Not in AIN, that’s for sure. The only stuff I could dig out of the archives were reports of under-performance, redemptions and layoffs…Come to think of it, how much favorable press has there been of hedge funds, period? Except for a flacky piece on Jim Simons in the Wall Street Journal a year or two ago, I can’t think of anything. But Simons’ firm, Renaissance Technologies, lost in the quarterfinals! To Citadel! I’m starting to think these guys just flipped a coin to determine winners. Unfortunately, you haven’t heard the last of editorial staff playing judge, jury and (for all I know) executioner to the industry. In a few weeks, these clowns announce nominees for their 5th Annual Hedge Fund Industry Awards. I think I’m going to take the occasion to pitch a set of anti-awards awards nominations. The first nominee: Amaranth Advisors, who it turns out was a real nominee back in 2004. You just can’t make this stuff up. Quote Of The Week “It was not as though I requested that the ceo put on a clown outfit and dance for me.”—Chapman Capital’s Robert Chapman, expressing his annoyance at FSI International’s refusal to conduct a conference call (see story, page 6). One Year Ago In Alternative Investment News Credit Suisse shook up its hedge fund of funds group by replacing its top executives in New York. [Jim Vos, who headed the group, was initially reassigned but later resigned to start up his own hedge fund and private equity advisory, Aksia (AIN, 8/7). He hired four former Credit Suisse employees, Norman Calargian, Credit Suisse Asset Management director of equity arbitrage strategies, Simon Fludgate, director of operational due diligence (AIN, 9/4), Joe Larucci, head of long/short equity manager selection and Patrick Adelsbach, head of event-driven and credit manager selection (iialternatives.com, 8/3).] To receive email alerts or online access, call 800-715-9195. 15 Project2 2/23/06 10:24 AM Page 1 I chose Calyon Financial because institutional business is their only business. Focus At Calyon Financial, we focus on the specialized needs of institutional customers. Efficient execution and clearing of orders. A complete suite of straight through processing tools. Customized electronic trading solutions. By delivering on these needs and more, Calyon Financial has earned its place as a leading global brokerage firm. Now that’s a good choice. calyonfinancial.com Nothing contained herein should be considered as an offer or the solicitation of an offer to sell or to buy any financial instruments discussed herein. Calyon Financial SNC is authorized by Banque de France. In the UK, Calyon Financial SNC’s London Branch is regulated by the Financial Services Authority for the conduct of designated investment business in the UK. In France, Calyon Financial SNC is regulated by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers and by the Commission Bancaire. Calyon Financial Inc. is a member of SIPC and NASD. © Calyon Financial. All rights reserved.
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