TPG hires a 23-year-old GS analyst as Director!!

Check the link!
http://www.tpgcredit.com/our-team/tom-hou
http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/tom-hou/18/b55/597

Seems that the guy is a German born Chinese, smart and has great experience! I wouldn't be surprised if he is top candidate for buy-side associate level job after two years stint in GS.

But how come the prestigious TPG hires this young guy as a DIRECTOR! (When he's hired by TPG, his full-time experience is probably less than one-year!)

44 Comments
 

Wow, not bad...Does anyone actually know him or how good he really is?

I'm talking about liquid. Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars, buddy. A player. Or nothing. See my Blog & AMA
 

One thing I don't understand is, how the ppl in TPG knows this guy is qualified for a Director position with only 6-month track record.

Saw some 28/29 yo trading managing director, but it's quite understandable. You graduate in 22, and have 6 years to show your track-record, if you keep making tons of money for the firm 6 years in a row,the track record is quite self-explanatory and convincing.

But PE is something more team-work oriented and a director is supposed to be a leader managing a team and dealing with tricky situation and different people. Don't think this quality can be shown in 6 month?

 

He joined in 2011 and proved himself as an associate? Still a rock star but sounds a little more plausible than jumping from IB analyst (6 months) to a director.

Might be a little bit of title inflation though given it reads 50 professionals, 22 investment professionals. Are the associates not included in investment profressionals or do they actually have 28 support staff?

 
hockey1316

My guess is that he has strong language/cultural knowledge for an emerging opportunity they are considering.

good point

I'm talking about liquid. Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars, buddy. A player. Or nothing. See my Blog & AMA
 
hockey1316

My guess is that he has strong language/cultural knowledge for an emerging opportunity they are considering.

This was my first thought. Kid speaks 4 languages and has already worked in IB and PE in 3 major international cities and went to school in NYC. If your want fresh blood to build out international opportunities you'd be hard pressed to find someone with equal abilities

I would agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong.
 
rogersterling59 hockey1316:

My guess is that he has strong language/cultural knowledge for an emerging opportunity they are considering.

This was my first thought. Kid speaks 4 languages and has already worked in IB and PE in 3 major international cities and went to school in NYC. If your want fresh blood to build out international opportunities you'd be hard pressed to find someone with equal abilities

This. Sometimes finding that niche individual is priceless.

 

It's title inflation. Look at the sideboard: There are no ranks below "Director," among their investment professionals.

The website mentions that the division has 22 investment professionals. If you count the left hand side of the page's investment professionals, you reach 22. So all the front office people in the division have a title of "Director" or higher.

Still very impressive, but not crazy in the same way.

 
Markov

It's title inflation. Look at the sideboard: There are no ranks below "Director," among their investment professionals.

The website mentions that the division has 22 investment professionals. If you count the left hand side of the page's investment professionals, you reach 22. So all the front office people in the division have a title of "Director" or higher.

Still very impressive, but not crazy in the same way.

Possible, but many firms don't list juniors on their website.

 
Best Response
jos.a.bankhard Markov:

It's title inflation. Look at the sideboard: There are no ranks below "Director," among their investment professionals.
The website mentions that the division has 22 investment professionals. If you count the left hand side of the page's investment professionals, you reach 22. So all the front office people in the division have a title of "Director" or higher.
Still very impressive, but not crazy in the same way.

Possible, but many firms don't list juniors on their website.

Firms don't usually list juniors, but when they identify the total number of investment professionals, that does include juniors. Since they mention 22 investment professionals, and there are a combined sum of 22 directors, MDs, and Partners/PMs, it follows that everyone on the team is listed there.

 
jos.a.bankhard Markov:

It's title inflation. Look at the sideboard: There are no ranks below "Director," among their investment professionals.
The website mentions that the division has 22 investment professionals. If you count the left hand side of the page's investment professionals, you reach 22. So all the front office people in the division have a title of "Director" or higher.
Still very impressive, but not crazy in the same way.

Possible, but many firms don't list juniors on their website.

Almost all reputable firms, and TPG for sure, list their investment professionals. The people stating that Director is the lowest title amongst the investment professionals are correct.

xoxo

[quote=Dirk Dirkenson]Shut up already. Your mindless, reflexive responses to any critical thought on this are tedious. You're also probably a woman, given the name and "xoxo" signoff, so maybe the lack of judgment is to be expected.[/quote]
 

Don't get too worked up over titles. They can be misleading. More important are responsibilities and how many people he is managing etc.

That said, he has pretty solid credentials plus he might have strong relevant connections/experience which justify his fast rise.

 

Top student at Columbia, interned at Blackstone, GS, fluent in German and Mandarin. Guy probably didn't spend time playing with Power Ranger dolls when he was as kid (mine were GI Joe, mother*cker).

Good for him, but I agree with comments above that Director is probably not as high up as you're thinking here, and they've probably got plans for him. One of the other guys came from a sales background in aviation, now manages their aviation investments - so kinda ties together with that theory.

Array
 
HarvardOrBust

TPG Credit is gonna get phased out by Credit Opportunities. Besides, Minnesota is so not prestigious.

Except it just closed another $1B distressed fund last year, mostly run out of Minnesota.

And you must not be familiar with Wayzata, Black River, etc.

Let's put it this way, if it's a current or spun-out Cargill fund, it's as legit as those in NYC, London, SF, Chicago, etc. There is serious money being made at these.

 
holla_back 3176401:

Psi Upsilon, not surprised

Ha, I guess you're from Columbia? Is Psi Upsilon a good thing or a bad thing?

Nah, I'm at Penn. Psi Upsilon is arguably the most prestigious frat on campus. I'm guessing it's the same at Columbia
Array
 

A couple things: - This is not TPG, and I don't just mean that in the sense that it's not the buyout group. TPG Credit is a separate firm in Minnesota that was seeded by TPG, so in that sense the relationship is more akin to a Tiger cub with Tiger Management. - Director appears to be the most junior position at this firm. One of their other "Directors" was hired out of the banking analyst program at Piper Jaffray - This is literally the 2nd post about this exact guy on this board in probably less than two months which is kind of creepy...poor kid

 

I know the guy...some facts so the speculating can be toned down:

  1. He did not get hired as a Director to TPG, this is a recent change that was made this year.

  2. He did not start out of undergrad at TPG, he started at Goldman’s private equity group PIA

  3. The reason why they hired him into Goldman PE is because he had taken a year off in College (graduated in 3 years but with a gap year after my sophomore year) to work full-time in Europe in finance

  4. One of the main reasons why TPG hired him is because of my Chinese/European heritage and language skills (he grew up in France, UK, Germany, China and the US)

.

 
WallStreetOasis.com

I know the guy...some facts so the speculating can be toned down:

1. He did not get hired as a Director to TPG, this is a recent change that was made this year.

2. He did not start out of undergrad at TPG, he started at Goldman’s private equity group PIA

3. The reason why they hired him into Goldman PE is because he had taken a year off in College (graduated in 3 years but with a gap year after my sophomore year) to work full-time in Europe in finance

4. One of the main reasons why TPG hired him is because of my Chinese/European heritage and language skills (he grew up in France, UK, Germany, China and the US)

.

4. One of the main reasons why TPG hired him is because of my Chinese/European heritage and language skills (he grew up in France, UK, Germany, China and the US)

Say what?

Frank Sinatra - "Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy."
 
yeahright WallStreetOasis.com:

I know the guy...some facts so the speculating can be toned down:
1. He did not get hired as a Director to TPG, this is a recent change that was made this year.
2. He did not start out of undergrad at TPG, he started at Goldman’s private equity group PIA
3. The reason why they hired him into Goldman PE is because he had taken a year off in College (graduated in 3 years but with a gap year after my sophomore year) to work full-time in Europe in finance
4. One of the main reasons why TPG hired him is because of my Chinese/European heritage and language skills (he grew up in France, UK, Germany, China and the US)
.

4. One of the main reasons why TPG hired him is because of my Chinese/European heritage and language skills (he grew up in France, UK, Germany, China and the US)

Say what?

He probably emailed Patrick and was like, "Why the fuck are so many people LinkedIn stalking me/my dad right now?" Then probably emailed over some clarifications for Patrick to post.

"For I am a sinner in the hands of an angry God. Bloody Mary full of vodka, blessed are you among cocktails. Pray for me now and at the hour of my death, which I hope is soon. Amen."
 
WallStreetOasis.com

I know the guy...some facts so the speculating can be toned down:

1. He did not get hired as a Director to TPG, this is a recent change that was made this year.

2. He did not start out of undergrad at TPG, he started at Goldman’s private equity group PIA

3. The reason why they hired him into Goldman PE is because he had taken a year off in College (graduated in 3 years but with a gap year after my sophomore year) to work full-time in Europe in finance

4. One of the main reasons why TPG hired him is because of my Chinese/European heritage and language skills (he grew up in France, UK, Germany, China and the US)

.

Patrick, attention to details... ;)

The Auto Show
 
huanleshalemei WallStreetOasis.com:

I know the guy...some facts so the speculating can be toned down:
1. He did not get hired as a Director to TPG, this is a recent change that was made this year.
2. He did not start out of undergrad at TPG, he started at Goldman’s private equity group PIA
3. The reason why they hired him into Goldman PE is because he had taken a year off in College (graduated in 3 years but with a gap year after my sophomore year) to work full-time in Europe in finance
4. One of the main reasons why TPG hired him is because of my Chinese/European heritage and language skills (he grew up in France, UK, Germany, China and the US)
.

Patrick, attention to details... ;)

huanleshalemei, grammar.. ;)

 

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