Julian Robertson
Julian Robertson was a legendary hedge fund manager and influential Wall Street investor best known for founding Tiger Management in 1980, one of the most prominent and successful hedge funds of its era. Widely regarded as a pioneer of the modern hedge fund industry, Robertson earned nicknames such as the “Father of Hedge Funds” and the “Wizard of Wall Street” for his exceptional trading skill and innovative investment approach. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Tiger Management became a dominant force in global markets, achieving outsized returns and shaping the evolution of active fund management. After closing Tiger Management in 2000, Robertson became equally renowned for mentoring and seeding a new generation of elite investors known as the “Tiger Cubs,” many of whom went on to build some of the most successful hedge funds in the world. Beyond his investment legacy, Robertson was recognized as one of America’s most generous philanthropists, donating an estimated 1.3 billion dollars to causes including medical research, education, charter schools, and environmental conservation. Julian Robertson passed away on August 23, 2022, at the age of 90, at his home in New York, leaving behind an enduring influence on global finance and philanthropy.
Julian Robertson Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
-
Founder and CEO
-
CEO of Asset Management
Academic History
-
B.S., Business Administration
TIGER MANAGEMENT
Julian Robertson built one of the most successful hedge funds of the late twentieth century with Tiger Management, delivering exceptional long-term performance while seeding many of the next generation’s most prominent investors.
In 1993, he achieved an extraordinary 80 percent return in a single year driven by a highly successful bond trade, cementing his reputation as one of Wall Street’s most skilled macro investors.
By 1996, Tiger Management’s initial capital had grown to 7.2 billion dollars, and by 1998 the fund had expanded to 22.8 billion dollars in assets under management.
Robertson was also one of the few investors who anticipated the 1987 stock market crash, shifting out of U.S. equities and into foreign securities before Black Monday, which protected Tiger from severe losses.
TIGER CUBS
A titan of the hedge fund industry, Robertson became equally famous for mentoring and seeding the “Tiger Cubs,” a network of former analysts and portfolio managers who went on to launch some of the most influential hedge funds in the world.
After closing Tiger Management in 2000, he focused on managing his personal capital and supporting emerging managers through seed investments, giving rise to the Tiger Cubs and Tiger Seeds.
His protégés include Chase Coleman’s Tiger Global, Lee Ainslie’s Maverick Capital, Andreas Halvorsen’s Viking Global, and Philippe Laffont’s Coatue Management, all of which have become powerhouses in global investing.
EARLY CAREER
After two years of service in the U.S. Navy, Robertson began his finance career in 1957 as a retail broker at Kidder, Peabody & Co., where he quickly rose through the ranks.
He ultimately became CEO of the firm’s asset management division, Webster Securities, before departing to launch Tiger Management.
In 1978, Robertson and his family spent time in New Zealand, where he developed three prominent resort properties, foreshadowing his later interest in conservation and philanthropy.