Hedge Fund Poll: The world’s best hedge fund managers
US activist hedge fund Atticus has been putting itself firmly on the map in Europe. In 2006, Atticus and TCI teamed up to block Deutsche Börse’s bid for the London Stock Exchange. Earlier this year, the fund turned on Euronext, urging it to merge with Deutsche Börse; more recently Atticus has been involved in the Barclays/ABN Amro "should they/shouldn’t they" saga. Founded by former Harvard ice hockey star Timothy Barakett in 1995, Atticus has more than $13 billion in assets, which have risen more than sixfold since 2004. The multi-strategy house has several funds but its predominant strategy is to buy significant equity stakes in companies in sectors that are ripe for consolidation or turnaround. Despite being seen as secretive, highly aggressive, and charging high performance fees, the returns produced by Atticus have kept investors happy. Last year, Atticus’s main fund was up 40%.