Scott Bessent

Scott Bessent (born 1962) is a prominent American investor, philanthropist, and educator.[1][2][3][4] He is the founder of Key Square Group, a global macro investment firm which was one of the largest hedge fund launches of all time.[1][5][6][7][8]

Early life and education

Bessent was born in Conway, South Carolina.[9][10] He attended Yale College, graduating in 1984.[9][11][12] He originally intended to become a computer scientist or journalist, but switched to finance when his passion for investing was sparked by an internship with renowned money manager Jim Rogers.[9][13][10][12] While at Yale, Bessent wrote for The Yale Daily News, was President of Wolf's Head Society and Treasurer for the class of 1984.[14][12]

Investment career

Throughout his career, Bessent helped orchestrate some of the most legendary bets in markets history.[15] The Wall Street Journal hailed him as “one of the most powerful investors on Wall Street.”[2] Bessent was featured in Crain's “40 Under 40,” which proclaimed, “If hedge fund managers are the rock stars of Wall Street, Scott Bessent is the front man.”[2] He is a frequent speaker on economic and investment panels around the globe.[15][16][17][18][19] The Australian Financial Review noted that “In the world of macro hedge funds, Scott Bessent could be regarded as royalty.”[2]

Bessent was previously the Chief Investment Officer of Soros Fund Management, the $30 billion family office of billionaire George Soros.[9][20][11][21][22] From 2006 to 2011, Bessent was an Adjunct Professor of economic history at Yale, where he taught three courses.[9][10][23][2][12] The Daily Beast included his 2010 class in its listing of “Hottest College Courses.”[24]

Initial investment experience

Bessent was fortunate to have been mentored by some of the greats in the investment management business.[11][15][16][2][22] After beginning his career at Brown Brothers Harriman, he moved to the Olayan Group, a Saudi family office where he reported directly to Hutham Olayan.[9][11][10][25] From there, he became the first analyst for acclaimed short seller Jim Chanos at Kynikos Associates.[9][11][10]

First stint at Soros Fund Management

Bessent first joined Soros Fund Management (SFM) in 1991 and was a partner there throughout the 1990s.[9][2] At the age of 29, he was asked to head SFM's London office.[9][20][13][26][27] He was one of the two youngest Managing Directors at the firm.[26]

According to Sebastian Mallaby's history of hedge funds, More Money Than God, Bessent's analytics played a key role in helping George Soros and Stan Druckenmiller construct SFM's fabled wager against the British pound, which netted the firm a profit of $1 billion (see “Further reading”).[10][28][5][29][30]

In addition to heading the London office, Bessent served as SFM's head of global research and co-head of external manager selection.2,3,5,16 He also directly managed $1.5 billion of the firm's capital.[9][11][31]

By the time he decided to leave SFM in 2000, an SFM memo described Bessent as “a trusted advisor for nearly a decade.”[26][29]

Other ventures

After resigning from SFM in 2000, Bessent founded a $1 billion hedge fund, which he converted to a family office in 2005.[9][11][13][12][26] He was also a senior investment advisor at fund-of-funds Protégé Partners.[11][10][2]

Bessent was in the process of starting a new fund in the summer of 2011 when George Soros asked him to return to SFM as CIO.[20][11][25][6]

CIO at Soros Fund Management

Bessent served as the Chief Investment Officer of Soros Fund Management from 2011 to 2015.[32][25] Under Bessent's leadership, the firm made a profit of $10 billion.[32][25][33] In February 2013, Bessent was credited with helping Soros Fund Management make more than $1.2 billion in profits, in part by betting that the Japanese yen would weaken against other major currencies.[10][30] Bessent had a reputation for the strength of his convictions, holding onto his investment theses even when they differed from those of George Soros.[10]

In August 2015, it was announced that Bessent would be leaving Soros Fund Management to start his new firm, Key Square Group, with $2 billion of George Soros's money.[32][16][21][25][22] In addressing his departure, an SFM memo praised his skill and dedication, noting that “Scott will continue to advise SFM on an informal basis and remains close to George Soros and the Soros family.”[25]

Key Square Group

Key Square Group was the largest hedge fund launch of 2016 and, at that time, the third-largest hedge fund launch ever.[6][7][8] The firm's name alludes to the pivotal position for a player's king during the endgame in chess.[5]

Bessent founded Key Square Group with Michael Germino, who had been the Global Head of Capital Markets at SFM.[33] A number of the pair's former colleagues from SFM followed them to Key Square.[33][7]

Key Square received a $2 billion anchor investment from George Soros.[32][16][21][25][22] By the end of its first quarter of operation, Key Square was managing $4.5 billion from a close-knit group of trusted investors.[8] The firm was oversubscribed at launch, and had to turn away some capital.[33]

At the end of 2017, Key Square's assets were $5.1 billion.[32][15][1] Bloomberg in May 2018 reported that Key Square had mostly outperformed rival macro managers and continued to generate significant investor interest.[32] As part of a pre-arranged deal, the firm gradually returned the Soros capital as it took in other assets.[32] Its investors include Australia's sovereign wealth fund.[15][1]

Philanthropy

Bessent has been very active at his alma mater, Yale University, where he sits on the University Council.[14] He and his sister donated the Bessent Library to Yale in honor of their father, H. Gaston Bessent, Jr.[34] Bessent has also endowed three scholarships at Yale, including one for students who are first-generation college matriculants, one for students from South Carolina, and one for students from the Bronx.[34]

Bessent previously served on the board of God's Love We Deliver, an organization founded to deliver meals for homebound people with AIDS.[14][35] He is a supporter of The Harlem Children's Zone, where he has chaired their annual dinner and mentors recent graduates.[36]

Bessent currently serves on the board of trustees of Rockefeller University, where he chairs the Investment Committee and is a member of the Executive Committee.[37] He is vice-chair of Classical American Homes Preservation Trust, and a former board member of the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina.[37][38] Bessent is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.[14][37]

Personal life

Bessent resides in Manhattan with his spouse, a former New York City assistant district attorney, and two children.[10][12][29] He has been identified as the most prominent gay hedge fund manager on Wall Street.[9][13][12]

Bessent is prominently featured in several books on hedge funds (see “Further reading”).[14] A number of his articles have been published in The International Economy Magazine.[39][40][41]

References
  1. "Volatility Offers Rich Pickings," The Australian, November 16, 2018
  2. “Soros Puts New Man at Helm,” Wall Street Journal, September 20, 2011
  3. School, Columbia Business (2013-03-08). "Institutional Investing: Alternative Assets in Pension Plans". Courses at Columbia Business School. Retrieved 2018-12-04.
  4. "Kenan Institute Welcomes Investor Scott Bessent for Lunch and Discussion with Kenan Scholars – Student Opportunities". www.kenaninstitute.unc.edu. Retrieved 2018-12-04.
  5. “Scott Bessent Quits Soros Group to Launch Hedge Fund,” Financial Times, August 4, 2015
  6. “George Soros’ Protégé Just Nailed One of the Biggest Hedge Fund Launches Ever,” Business Insider, January 5, 2016   
  7. “Bessent’s $5.3 Billion Fund Makes Star Emerging Markets Hire,” Bloomberg, March 27, 2017   
  8. “Former George Soros Executive Raises $4.5bn For New Fund,” Financial Times, January 5, 2016   
  9. "Meet The Hedge Fund Superstar George Soros Just Hired To Take Over His $25 Billion Fund," Business Insider, September 19, 2011
  10. "Soros Aide Wins Kudos for Japan Bets," Wall Street Journal, February 14, 2013   
  11. "Ex-Soros Trader Bessent Returns to $25 Billion Firm as CIO," Bloomberg, September 19, 2011
  12. “Life and Money Management,” Yale Alumni Magazine, Sept/Oct 2015   
  13. "Scott Bessent, 38," Crain's New York Business, 40 Under 40 Class of 2001, updated October 12, 2012   
  14. “New Members Appointed to University Council,” YaleNews, November 8, 2016   
  15. "Scott Bessent is Preparing for ‘The Great Divergence’," Australian Financial Review, November 4, 2018
  16. "Soros Mentee Among Speakers at Sohn Conference in Melbourne," Bloomberg, November 15, 2018   
  17. "Macro Guru Scott Bessent Says US-China Trade Deal Could Reignite Global Growth," Australian Financial Review, November 16, 2018   
  18. “The Annual Sun Valley Conference is Almost Here,” Business Insider, July 10, 2018
  19. “Past Conference Speakers: Bessent, Scott,” Grant’s Interest Rate Observer, Spring 2016. https://www.grantspub.com/conferences/Bessent-Scott   
  20. "Soros appoints new CIO to family office," Financial Times, September 19, 2011
  21. “Soros’s Investment Chief to Depart,” Wall Street Journal, August 4, 2015   
  22. “Soros’ CIO to Start Own Hedge Fund with $2 Bln,” Reuters, August 4, 2015   
  23. "Sohn Hearts and Minds 2018: Top Investment Tips from Leading Fund Managers," Australian Financial Review, November 16, 2018   
  24. “Hottest College Courses: From Economics to Sustainable Food,” The Daily Beast, September 6, 2010   
  25. “Soros Hands Top Money Man Bessent $2 Billion to Start Firm,” Bloomberg, August 4, 2015   
  26. “Soros’ European Investment Head Bessent Leaves,” Bloomberg, June 8, 2000   
  27. “Top Soros Man Bessent Quits to Start Hedge Fund,” Telegraph, June 9, 2000
  28. "Stock Pickers Let Good Tips Roll," The Australian, November 16, 2018   
  29. “A Top Soros Money Manager Is Leaving to Start Own Firm,” Wall Street Journal, June 9, 2000   
  30. “George Soros ‘Makes $1.2bn Betting Against Yen’,” The Guardian, February 15, 2013
  31. “Former Soros Manager Scott Bessent Raises $1 Bln for New Funds,” Bloomberg, September 27, 2000
  32. “George Soros Gets Most of His $2 Billion Back from Bessent," Bloomberg, May 14, 2018
  33. “Ex-Soros’s Bessent Raises $4.5 Billion For New Hedge Fund Firm,” Bloomberg, January 5, 2016   
  34. “Annual Report of Giving to Yale, 2000-2001," www.giving.yale.edu
  35. “Out 100 -- Money + Business: Scott Bessent,” Out Magazine, January 2001
  36. “Harlem Children’s Zone Annual Benefit, April 24, 2013.” http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork/organization/Harlem_Children's_Zone_30051   
  37. "Three New Trustees Are Elected to the Board," Rockefeller University Press Release, March 3, 2016
  38. “Palatial Purchase Palmer Home B&B on East Battery, Known as the Pink Palace, Sells for $6.5M,” Post and Courier, June 21, 2016
  39. 'Why is the VIX “Fear Gauge” So Low? ' The International Economy Magazine, Spring 2017. http://www.international-economy.com/TIE_Sp17_VIXQuestion.pdf
  40. 'Is the World at Risk of the “Japan Disease”?' The International Economy Magazine, Summer 2017.  http://www.international-economy.com/TIE_Su17_JapanDiseaseSymp.pdf
  41. 'Is the World Ready For the Next Downturn?' The International Economy Magazine, Summer 2018.  http://www.international-economy.com/TIE_Su18_ReadyDownturnSymp.pdf

Further reading

Steven Drobny, "The Stock Operator: Scott Bessent," Inside the House of Money

Sebastian Mallaby, More Money Than God: Hedge Funds and the Making of a New Elite

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