Julian Robertson

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Julian Robertson

Overview

Julian Robertson (June 25, 1932 – August 23, 2022) was an American investor and hedge fund pioneer who founded Tiger Management in 1980. Widely called the “Father of Hedge Funds” and the “Wizard of Wall Street,” Robertson built one of the era’s most influential hedge funds, later mentoring a generation of successful managers and becoming a prominent philanthropist.

Early life and career

  • Born in Salisbury, North Carolina; attended Episcopal High School and graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1955.
  • Served two years in the U.S. Navy.
  • Began his Wall Street career at Kidder, Peabody & Co. in 1957, eventually leading its asset management division.
  • Took a year-long sabbatical in New Zealand in 1979, where he conceived the idea for his own hedge fund.

Tiger Management and investment approach

  • Founded Tiger Management in 1980 with roughly $8 million in seed capital; assets grew to about $22 billion over two decades.
  • Employed a global macro perspective and a long-short equity strategy: concentrating on top stock picks while shorting those judged overvalued.
  • Notable for avoiding many technology stocks during the 1990s internet bubble. That stance reduced losses when the bubble burst but led to significant redemptions as investors chased tech gains.
  • A large, troubled position in U.S. Airways and other pressures contributed to poor performance; Robertson liquidated Tiger Management in 2000.

Mentorship and the “Tiger Cubs”

After closing Tiger, Robertson invested in and mentored many former employees who launched their own funds—collectively known as the “Tiger Cubs.” Prominent examples include:
– John Griffin (Blue Ridge Capital)
– Ole Andreas Halvorsen (Viking Global)
– Chase Coleman (Tiger Global Management)
– Steve Mandel (formerly Lone Pine Capital)

These protégés carried forward elements of Tiger’s investment discipline and became influential in their own right.

Philanthropy and personal interests

  • Committed philanthropist: donated heavily to education, medical research, environmental causes, and charter schools. Reports indicate charitable giving totaling over $1 billion.
  • Established scholarships at his alma mater and supported programs at Duke University.
  • Joined The Giving Pledge.
  • Maintained strong ties to New Zealand, where he owned several luxury lodges and spent extended periods.

Legacy

Julian Robertson is remembered for building one of the first and most successful hedge funds, for a disciplined value-oriented trading approach, and for training a generation of hedge fund managers who shaped modern asset management. His philanthropy and international ties further marked his impact beyond finance.

Death

Robertson died at his home in New York on August 23, 2022, at age 90.