HF Headcount (Is Third Point Normal?)

Stumbled across Third Point's org chart recently (below). Is this a normal headcount for a firm of their reputation/AUM? Seems insanely low, or maybe I'm missing something and there are more junior people under each vertical (certainly doesn't seem like it from Linkedin). Can anyone weigh in on Third Point's model/whether other firms of that caliber are similar?

Cheers.

 

that's pretty normal in well oiled single-manager / 1 master-feeder type funds. A normal call it $1-2bn HF should theoretically not need anymore than 10-15 total in the investment team and if you grow to become a truly outstanding single manager at the >$10/$20bn level, your team doubling in headcount as your AUM went up 10x is within reason. Why else do you think reputable single manager HFs pay so much? There's huge operating leverage in this model as long as your founder isn't a greedy little bastard.

It's different for more institutionally oriented companies where they build out very dedicated back-office / non-investment team related staff and begin to hire more and more for adjacent strategies. That's when you run into the large distressed managers with gigantic investment teams while Third Point would just have Ian + Louis running the show.

 

I would say that is a decent sized fund. for the credit side I think that’s definitely an acceptable critical mass. on the equity side probably as well. it’s really hard to scale hedge funds past $5bn nowadays without time and constant outperformance. just my opinion though but I think $2bn AUM hedge funds (and I mean HF not like other drawdown-type stuff attached) is a solid size. You’ve always got the Tiger Cubs and other large brand name outliers

 
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I would say that is a decent sized fund. for the credit side I think that's definitely an acceptable critical mass. on the equity side probably as well. it's really hard to scale hedge funds past $5bn nowadays without time and constant outperformance. just my opinion though but I think $2bn AUM hedge funds (and I mean HF not like other drawdown-type stuff attached) is a solid size. You've always got the Tiger Cubs and other large brand name outliers

Yes, agree. 1-2bn for HF is a decent sized fund.

However 10-15 people on the investment team for this size fund seems pretty high, the funds of this size that I interviewed with were generally less than 10 people on the investment team (founder / CIO, 2-4 more senior analysts, 2-4 junior resources + a trader)

 

Pershing Square has 7 people on its investment team for a $10bn+ firm. The massive megafunds like Tiger, Lone Pine, Viking, etc. probably have 10-20 people each. My friend worked for a super low-profile $3bn firm with 4 people, which is apparently quite normal.

Single manager firms tend to be quite small on headcount, although I'd have expected a firm like Third Point (special sits/activist vs. value) to maybe be a bit fatter. I guess I could say the same for Pershing Square though.

 

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