How many L/S seats exist?

How many L/S seats do you think exist in the entire world? 

Lets clarify for the sake of this question how many seats actually care about getting numbers right each quarter/few quarters, while also having some short exposure. 

This includes the platforms, SMs, your odd PM at a asset manager etc. Include anyone from analyst to PM/Partner. 

Let me know what you guys think. I have heard places like P72 have 60-70% of headcount in L/S strats. So that instantly means a couple hundred professionals. 

4 Comments
 

It is said that there are more L/S HFs than burger kings in America.... so a lot. In terms high quality seats (which is what I am assuming you are asking), high level estimate 300-600. Cliffwater CEO said only about a dozen SM HF are relevant and I am guessing there are 20-40 pods at the platforms that pulls in the majority of the PnL. Assuming 10 people per team. 

 

Think it would be helpful to do a high level scrape of IAPD for number of funds and come up with an assumption on average level of IPs and go from there.

 

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