Path to Eliott or other activists?

I've done some reading on the forum that indicates that IB/PE is the best pathway to Eliott or other activist funds and am wondering if it would still be possible from smaller SM event driven shops. Eliott markets themselves as an event driven shop, so wouldn't the buy-side analysis and valuations skills that help create and understands thesis based on events and catalysts still transfer even if you the "activist" are the catalyst. Also wouldn't event driven public equity analysis also give insight into which companies could be targets for activism? Any advice or insight into the activist industry would be greatly appreciated!!

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Generally speaking the IB / PE skillset will serve you better in an activist type seat. While you are right that an event driven seat will give you exposure to activist situations in an activist fund your mandate is not to play the event after it begins to be catalyzed but underwrite the longer term actions the company should be undertaking.

Also generally speaking the arbs I know are good at pricing potential outcomes but tend not to be subject matter experts on any company and lean fairly heavily on others for that. An activist generally needs a deeper fundamental understanding of a business to be tangling with company management teams

 

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