York Capital Management About York It has often been observed that change is a constant in human affairs and indeed in the world at large. This is especially so in the business world. Driven by what Adam Smith termed the “invisible hand,” mankind’s tendency to progress creates an environment of corporate Darwinism, where companies that do not constantly act to improve their businesses will perish. This dynamic, rooted in human nature itself, is the foundation of event investing. York Capital Management was founded in 1991 with a simple goal: to provide consistent, superior risk-adjusted investment returns relatively independent of the overall market. In the years since, the firm has pursued this goal through a combination of focused research and investment selection, and disciplined risk management. With offices located in New York, Washington, DC, London and Hong Kong, York manages over 9 billion dollars worth of assets on behalf of institutions, endowments, foundations, fund of funds, wealthy individuals and their families.
Transcript
York Capital Management
About York
It has often been observed that change is a constant in human affairs and indeed in the world at large. This is especially so in the business world. Driven by what Adam Smith termed the “invisible hand,” mankind’s tendency to progress creates an environment of corporate Darwinism, where companies that do not constantly act to improve their businesses will perish. This dynamic, rooted in human nature itself, is the foundation of event investing.
York Capital Management was founded in 1991 with a simple goal: to provide consistent, superior risk-adjusted investment returns relatively independent of the overall market. In the years since, the firm has pursued this goal through a combination of focused research and investment selection, and disciplined risk management.
With offices located in New York, Washington, DC, London and Hong Kong, York manages over 9 billion dollars worth of assets on behalf of institutions, endowments, foundations, fund of funds, wealthy individuals and their families.
York Capital Management
James G. Dinan – Founder, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer
Jamie founded York in September 1991 and is the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and a managing partner of the Firm. He is also the Co-Portfolio Manager of the York Multi-Strategy funds. From 1985 to 1991, he worked at Kellner, DiLeo & Co., where he became a General Partner and was responsible for investing in risk arbitrage and special situation investments, including distressed securities, high yield bonds and short selling.
From 1981 to 1983, Jamie was an investment banker at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, Inc., where he was involved in a broad range of corporate finance and merger and acquisition activities. Jamie currently is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Museum of the City of New York and a member of the Board of Directors of Publicolor, a not-for-profit organization benefiting New York City public school children. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation and a member of the Wharton Undergraduate Executive Board at the University of Pennsylvania.
Jamie received a B.S. in Economics, summa cum laude, from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.
Managing Partners
York Capital Management
Daniel A. Schwartz – Chief Investment Officer
Dan joined York Capital in March 1993 and is the Chief Investment Officer and a managing partner of the Firm. He is also the Portfolio Manager of the York Select funds and the Co-Portfolio Manager of the York Multi-Strategy funds.
From 1990 to 1993, he worked as an Associate at Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc., spending two years in the Investment Banking Group and one year in the Global Equity Derivatives Group. Dan currently is a member of the Board of Trustees of the REITS division of Yeshiva University.
Dan received a B.A., magna cum laude, from Yeshiva University and an M.S. in Industrial Engineering from Columbia University.
Managing Partners
York Capital Management
Jeffrey A. Weber - President
Jeff joined York Capital in October 2004 and is the President and a partner of the Firm. He is also the Portfolio Manager of the York Total Return funds. From 1992 to 2004, Jeff managed William A.M. Burden & Co., L.P., most recently as its President and Chief Executive Officer. For the two years prior, he was an associate at Chemical Venture Partners, the venture capital and leveraged buyout arm of Chemical Banking Corporation.
From 1986 to 1988, Jeff worked as an analyst in the Corporate Finance Department of Drexel Burnham Lambert Incorporated. In addition, Jeff is the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Portfolio Manager of The 1794 Commodore Funds, a fund of hedge funds advisor and an affiliate of York. Jeff currently is a member of the Board of Directors of iStar Financial Inc. and York Enhanced Strategies Fund, LLC. He also serves on the Board of Directors of The Carter Burden Center for the Aging and the Department of Medicine Advisory Board at the Mount Sinai Medical Center.
Jeff received a B.A. in History of Ideas, cum laude, from Williams College and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.
Partners
York Capital Management
Alan H. Cohen – Senior Managing Director
Alan joined York Capital in March 1998 and is a Senior Managing Director and a partner of the Firm. He is also the Portfolio Manager of the York Credit Opportunities funds. From 1996 to 1998, he worked as a Vice President and Analyst for Franklin Mutual Advisers Inc. For the two years prior, Alan was a Director in the High Yield Trading Group at Smith Barney Holdings Inc.
From 1991 to 1994, he was a Vice President at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, Inc., where he traded high yield and distressed bonds. For the five years prior, Alan was a Vice President at Goldman, Sachs & Co., where he analyzed and traded high yield bonds. Alan currently is a member of the Board of Directors, in his capacity as a York employee, of the Hundred Acre Group, LLC.
Alan received a B.S. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.
Partners
York Capital Management
William C. Vrattos – Senior Managing Director
Bill joined York Capital in January 2002 and is a Senior Managing Director and a partner of the Firm. He is also the Co-Portfolio Manager of the York Asian Opportunities funds. From 1997 to 2002, he worked at Georgica Advisors LLC as a Portfolio Manager specializing in media and communications equities and distressed securities.
From 1995 to 1997, he rejoined Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc. as an investment banker, where he worked for two years prior to attending business school. Bill is currently a member of the Board of Directors, in his capacity as a York employee, of Sparta Insurance Holdings, LLC.
Bill received a B.A. in English, cum laude, from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.
Partners
York Capital Management
Christophe Aurand – Chief Executive Officer, York UK Advisors
Christophe joined York Capital in July 2001 and is a Senior Managing Director of York Capital, the Chief Executive Officer of York Capital Management UK Advisors Limited (York Capital’s UK subsidiary) and a partner of the Firm. He is also the Portfolio Manager of the York European Opportunities funds and the Co-Portfolio Manager of the York European Focus funds and is based in London.
From 1995 to 1999, he worked as a Senior Fund Manager at Taiyo Life Gamma Asset Management, Ltd. For the two years prior, he was an Options Trader at Credit Commercial de France. Christophe currently is a member of the Board of Directors, in his capacity as a York employee, of Ipotek Bank and SkyEurope Airlines, a.s.
Christophe studied International Finance and Financial Markets at Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Reims in Reims, France, and received an M.B.A., with Honors, from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Partners
York Capital Management
Michael Y. Weinberger – Senior Managing Director
Michael joined York Capital in July 2000 and is a Senior Managing Director and a partner of the Firm. He is also the Portfolio Manager of the York Global Value funds.
From 1996 to 1998, he was an investment banker at Lehman Brothers Inc.
Michael received a B.S. in Finance, summa cum laude, from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A., with High Distinction, from the Harvard Business School.
Partners
York Capital Management
Christian Reyntjens – Senior Managing Director
Christian joined York Capital in March 2004 and is a Senior Managing Director and a partner of the Firm, based in London, focusing on European investments. Christian is also the Co-Portfolio Manager of the York European Focus funds.
From 2000 to 2004, he worked at Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. as an investment banker in the Mergers and Acquisitions Group.
Christian received an M.S. in Banking and Finance from HEC Lausanne, Switzerland and a B.S. and M.S. in Management Engineering, cum laude, from the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium.
Partners
York Capital Management
Zalman Jacobs – Senior Managing Director
Zalman joined York Capital in March 2008 and is a Senior Managing Director, Co-Head of Private Equity at York Capital and a partner of the Firm. Prior to joining York Capital, he worked at Leucadia National Corporation, where he co-led an investment group for the past eleven years.
Previously, Zalman worked as a Vice President at The Carlyle Group. Prior to that, he was a Vice President at the Giza Group in Tel Aviv, Israel, and a corporate attorney at Davis, Polk & Wardwell.
Zalmie received a B.A. in History, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Columbia College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Partners
York Capital Management
Luis Medeiros – Senior Managing Director
Luis joined York Capital in March 2008 and is a Senior Managing Director, Co-Head of Private Equity at York Capital and a partner of the Firm. Prior to joining York Capital, he worked at Leucadia National Corporation, where he co-led an investment group for the past eleven years.
Previously, Luis worked as a Principal at The Carlyle Group. Prior to that, he was a senior executive at The Artery Organization, a major Washington, DC real estate development, construction and management firm. Before that, Luis was a Manager of Taxation at Coopers & Lybrand specializing in structured transactions.
Luis received a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Maryland and an M.B.A. from The George Washington University.
Partners
York Capital Management
Adam J. Semler – Chief Financial Officer
Adam joined York Capital in November 1995 and is the Chief Financial Officer and a partner of the Firm.
From 1994 to 1995, he was a Senior Accountant at Granite Capital International Group. For the two years prior, Adam worked as a Senior Accountant at Goldstein, Golub, Kessler & Co., where he specialized in the financial services area.
Adam received a B.B.A. from Emory University and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Partners
York Capital Management
Brooke S. Parish – Senior Managing Director, Investor Relations and Client Services
Brooke joined York Capital in 2003 and is a Senior Managing Director and a partner of the Firm. He is responsible for the management of the Investor Relations and Client Services Group.
From 2001 to 2003, he worked as a Senior Vice President at Lazard Asset Management, where he focused on the distribution of hedge fund products. For the year prior, Brooke was the Chief Product Officer at Scudder Weisel Capital. From 1993 to 2000, he was with Bessemer Group, Incorporated where he managed the Alternative Asset Management Group.
Brooke received a B.A. in History from Hobart College.
