Team Members

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Basic Materials & Agriculture

Jim Cunningham, CFA

Portfolio Manager

• Manages the investment management and research process for basic materials, agriculture and commodity investments
• 1997–2003 Portfolio Manager for Renberg Capital Management. Co-managed $500 mm in assets
• 1996–1997 Vice President of Business Development for Crossroads Software
• 1994–1996 Senior Director of Worldwide Industry Strategy Group for Oracle Corp
• 1993–1994 Consultant for Booz Allen & Hamilton in San Francisco
• 1985–1990 Manager in Information Services Group for Morgan Stanley in New York and Hong Kong
• 1992 MBA received from the Stanford Graduate School of Business
• 1992 MA in Food Research received from Stanford University
• 1985 BS in Financial Economics received from Lehigh University

Ejnar Knudsen, CFA

Portfolio Manager

• Co-manages the investment management and research process for food, agriculture and commodity investments
• 1998-Present Portfolio Manager for Craton Capital, an investment partnership focused on the agriculture industry
• 2001-2007 Executive Vice President of Western Milling, a feed milling company with over $700 million in sales
• 1991-2001 Vice President for Rabobank in New York; managed a loan portfolio, venture capital investments and corporate advisory services in food, agriculture and commodities
• 1991 BS received from Cornell University
• Serves in various capacities at the board and/or advisory level of Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Western Milling

Sebastien Boifort, CFA

Portfolio Manager

• Co-manages the investment management process for basic materials investments
• 2006 Summer Associate at Brandes Investment Partners
• 2004–2005 Senior Associate in Lehman Brothers’ technology investment banking group in Menlo Park, CA
• 2003–2004 Assistant Vice President in ABN AMRO’s global technology banking group in San Francisco, CA
• 2000–2003 Associate in Lehman Brothers’ European technology investment banking group in London, UK
• 1997–2000 Analyst in Credit Lyonnais’ equity capital markets department in Paris, France (1999-2000); Analyst in Credit Lyonnais’ corporate banking department in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (1997-1998)
• 1997 MS in Engineering received from ENSAE/SupAero, France
• 2007 MBA received from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business

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Consumer

Peter Supino

Portfolio Manager

• Manages the investment management and research process for consumer investments
• 2004-2008 Research Analyst & Portfolio Manager at Wallace R. Weitz & Company, manager of $5 billion of mutual funds
• 1998-2004 Portfolio Manager, Vice President for Capital Markets, and Associate for Corporate Finance at Allen & Company, LLC
• 1998 BA in History received from Williams College

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Energy

Walther Lovato, CFA

Portfolio Manager

• Manages the investment management process for the Energy sector
• 1998 Equity Analyst for ValueVest Management, a $150 million long/short global value fund
• 1997 Summer Associate at Goldman Sachs
• 1991–1996 Research Analyst/Institutional Sales at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. in New York and London
• 1998 MBA received from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business
• 1991 BA in International Monetary Policy received from Bocconi University (Milan)

Laurance Narbut

Portfolio Manager

• Co-manages the investment management process for the Energy sector focused on exploration and production companies
• 2001–2003 Principal at Richmond Financial LLC, specializing in public and private equity
• 1998–2000 Associate for Sun Capital Partners, a $160 million private equity fund in Moscow and London 
• 1997 Summer Associate at Parthenon Group, a management consulting and private equity firm
• 1993–1996 Investment Banking Analyst at Credit Suisse First Boston
• 1998 MBA received from Harvard Business School
• 1994 BS in Economics, cum laude, received from The Wharton School and BA in Regional Science from the University of Pennsylvania

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Mortgage-backed

Jeff Kong

Portfolio Manager

• Manages the mortgage-backed and related fixed income strategy.
• 2000-2010 Portfolio Manager for Structured Portfolio Management. Managed the $1 billion flagship SSH mortgage fund
• 1998-1999 Director at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. Senior mortgage-backed securities dealership trader
• 1986-1998 Vice President at Greenwich Capital Markets. Mortgage-backed securities research & trading
• 1985-1986 Senior programmer/analyst for Citibank, NA
• 1981-1985 Accounting and operations manager for Lotus International
• 1981 BS in Finance and Management received from the University of Florida

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Healthcare

Modassir S. Choudhry, M.D.

Portfolio Manager

• Manages the investment management process for the Healthcare Strategy
• 2007–2009 Vice President at Venrock investing in private and public equity in the healthcare and clean energy sectors
• 2006–2007 TVM Capital investing in US and emerging markets healthcare in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East
• 2003–2005 Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Harvard Medical School-Massachusetts General Hospital
• 1998–2003 General, Trauma, and Cancer Surgery at the New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, board-certified and licensed surgeon
• 1998 BA/MD dual degree program received from Brown University

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India & Capital Markets

John Woodberry

Portfolio Manager

• Manages the investment research process for India and Capital Markets
• 2004-2007 Founder and Portfolio Manager at Independence Capital Asset Partners, LLC, a $0.5 billion long/short hedge fund
• 2001-2004 Assistant Portfolio Manager and Research Analyst at Cobalt Capital, a $2.2 billion long/short hedge fund
• 2000-2001 Research Analyst at Trident Global, a $0.8 billion long/short hedge fund
• 1998-2000 Founder and Portfolio Manager at MMCM, LLC, a start up long/short hedge fund
• 1995-1998 Assistant Portfolio Manager and Research Analyst at Templeton Investment Counsel
• 1990, 1991-1994 Associate at Smith Barney Corporate Finance
• 1991 MBA received from Harvard Graduate School of Business
• 1986 AB in History received from Stanford University
• Board Member of Dividend Capital Total Realty Trust

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Internet / Technology

Andrew Seligson

Portfolio Manager

• Co-manages the investment management process for the Internet and Technology sector
• 2000 Summer Associate for Passport Capital
• 1995–1999 Strategic Planning Group Analyst at NEC Corporation in Tokyo
• 2001 MBA received from Haas School of Business, University of California at Berkeley
• 1995 BA in Asian Studies and Computer Science received from Colgate University

Seth Spalding, CFA

Portfolio Manager

• Co-manages the investment management process for the Internet and Technology sector
• 2001–2002 VP Goldman Sachs covering communications technology sector
• 2000–2001 Director of Research for Epoch Partners covering networking and telecom sectors
• 1998–2000 Research Analyst for C.E. Unterberg Towbin covering broadband telecom sector
• 1995–1998 Research Associate for Gartner Group covering networking and telecom sectors
• 1995 AB in Human Biology received from Stanford University

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Middle East & North Africa

Arshad Ashraf

Portfolio Manager & Trader

• Manages the investment management and research process for companies in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
• 2006–2007 Director, TMT-SEAF Pakistan Growth Fund, a $100 mm private equity fund
• 2004–2006 Founder & CEO, AKN Messaging Technologies (Pvt.) Ltd., Pakistan’s largest mobile content company
• 2000–2004 Founder & CEO, eSmart Systems Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian technology company
• 2007 MS received from Stanford Graduate School of Business
• 1996 BS in Manufacturing Engineering received from Boston University
• 1996 BA in Religion received from Boston University

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Risk Management & Quantitative Strategies

Tim Garry, CFA

Portfolio Manager & Chief Risk Officer

• 2005-2007 Vice President, Quantitative Portfolio Manager, US Market Neutral Fund, Absolute Return Strategies, for State Street Global Advisors
• 2004-2005 Principal, Quantitative Portfolio Manager, Energy Fund, US Equity Market Neutral Fund, Absolute Return Strategies, for State Street Global Advisors
• 2003 Principal, Marketing Analyst, Hedge Fund Strategies Group, for State Street Global Advisors
• 2000-2002 Associate, Product Analyst covering alternative investments, for State Street Global Advisors
• 2006 MS in Finance received from Boston College
• 2000 AB in Philosophy and English received from Boston College

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Trading

David Tillman

Head Trader

• 2007 Sales Trader at CIBC
• 2003–2007 Sales Trader at Susquehanna Investment Group
• 1993–2002 Options Market Maker on the Pacific and Philadelphia Stock Exchanges
• 1991 BS in Accounting received from Pennsylvania State University

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Operations / Finance

John Moran

President

• Manages department heads and Management Committee
  
• 2008-2011 Director of Business Operations & Strategy at Passport Capital, LLC
  
• 2006–2008 Managing Member of Event Rentals 2, LLC, built and sold company
• 1996–2004 President & CEO of Classic Party Rentals, Inc., built and sold nation’s largest party rental company
• 1992-1994 Président Directeur Général of Pharmaceutical Marketing Services, Inc.’s subsidiary in Paris 
• 1988-1990 President of Test Services, Inc., built largest franchisee of The Princeton Review
• 1986-1987 Senior Staff Consultant of Arthur Anderson LLP
• 1992 MBA received from Harvard Business School
• 1986 BA in Economics received from Northwestern University

Joanne Cormican, CFA, CPA (inactive)

Chief Operating Officer

• Manages operations, compliance, finance and accounting and advises on risk management
• 2004-2011 Chief Financial Officer at Passport Capital, LLC
  
• 2002–2004 Senior Investment Officer and Partner of Allianz Hedge Fund Partners
• 1994–2002 Director, Head of Risk Management at Citigroup Alternative Investment Strategies
• 1989–1994 Audit Manager at Coopers & Lybrand LLP
• 1989 Bachelors of Commerce received with honors from Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Liz Mahon, CPA

Chief Financial Officer

• Responsible for management of portfolio accounting, financial reporting, and compliance
• 2005-2011 Controller at Passport Capital, LLC
  
• 2003–2005 Manager for Alternative Investment Services at Rothstein Kass & Co / Bisys Group Inc.
• 2000–2003 Supervisor for International and Domestic Accounting for Institutional Funds at Barclays Global Investors
• 1998–2000 Speech Writer for Korean Consulate
• 1998 BA in Business Economics, cum laude, received from University of California Los Angeles
• Member of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants
  

William Alberti, Esq.

General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer

• Manages legal and compliance
• 2001-2005 Chief Operating Officer & General Counsel, Marin Capital Partners, L.P., San Rafael, California
• 1997-2001 Partner, Foley & Lardner, San Francisco, California
• 1988-1997 Partner, Pillsbury Madison & Sutro, San Francisco, California
• 1980-1987 Associate, Pillsbury Madison & Sutro, San Francisco, California
• 1980 J.D., University of Illinois, College of Law

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Marketing & Investor Relations

Bill Nolan

Head of Marketing and Investor Relations

• Directs investor relations, fund raising, marketing and communications
• 1999–2007 General Partner, Head of Sales and Marketing for Crosslink Capital, a $1.4 billion alternative investment firm focused on public and private technology investing
• 1996–1999 Principal, Robertson Stephens & Co., Private Client Services
• 1993–1996 Vice President, Legg Mason Inc., Private Client Services
• 1991–1993 Senior Consultant, Arthur Andersen, Business Systems Consulting
• 1987–1989 Consultant, Booz Allen & Hamilton
• 1991 MBA received from University of Michigan Ross School of Business
• 1987 BS in Mechanical Engineering from University of Notre Dame

Rick Harris

Director, Sales and Marketing

• Directs fund raising, marketing and communications 
• 2006-2009 Senior Vice President and Director of Institutional Sales, D. E. Shaw Investment Management, L.L.C.
• 1995-2006 Managing Director, Head of Sales and Marketing for the Midwest and West regions, Putnam Investments 
• 1988-1995 Managing Director, Manager of Public Finance Group for the Western Division, Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc. 
• 1984-1988 Principal, Head of Transportation Finance Group, Morgan Stanley & Co. 
• 1977-1984 Vice President, Head of Transportation Finance Group, The First Boston Corporation
• 1974-1977 Assistant to Vice President Nelson A. Rockefeller; Legislative Assistant to Senator Robert P. Griffin of Michigan
• 1976 MBA received from Zicklin School of Business, Bernard Baruch
• 1970 Honorably Discharged USMC
• 1967 BS in Finance received from New York University

Bill Williams

Director, Sales and Marketing

• Directs fund raising, marketing and communications
• 2009–2010 Business Development Officer-Strategic Accounts, Schwab Advisor Services, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.
• 2003–2009 Vice President, Fidelity Institutional Wealth Services, Fidelity Investments  
• 1999–2003 Senior Account Executive, Advent Software, Inc.
• 1996–1999 Co-Founder, Golden Gate Test Preparation
• 1989-1990; 1992–1994 Teacher and Head Coach, Verbum Dei High School, Los Angeles, CA
• 1998 Masters in Latin American Studies from Tulane University
• 1989 BA in History from Georgetown University

Greg Leograndis

Director & Product Specialist, Sales and Marketing

• Directs fund raising, marketing and communications; product specialist for Passport Capital sector funds
• 2007-2009 Principal, Leograndis Group, fund raising and investing in the equity and real estate markets
• 2004-2007 Chief Operating Officer, Sports Marketing and Entertainment
• 2000-2001 Managing Director, Head of Corporate Services, W.R. Hambrect & Co.
• 1998-1999 Managing Director, Head of Corporate Services, Volpe Brown Whelan
• 1997-1998 Director, Global Restricted Equities Group, UBS
• 1994-1997 Vice President, Corporate Services, Robertson Stephens & Co.
• 1991-1994 Associate, Investment Services Division, Kidder Peabody & Co.
• 1991 MBA received from Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA
• 1987 BA in Business/Economics with Honors, University of California at Santa Barbara

Jean Thouvenin

Director, Sales and Marketing

• Directs fund raising, marketing and communications in Europe and the Middle East
• 2005 – 2011 Partner, Head of Global Marketing, Millennium Global
• 1999 – 2005 Global Head of Business Development, Pictet Asset Management
• 1992 – 1999 Partner, Head of Business Development Europe & Middle East, Fischer Francis Trees & Watts
• 1988 – 1989 VP Fixed Income Sales, JP Morgan
• 1985 – 1988 VP Fixed Income Sales, Salomon Brothers
• 1984 – 1985 Assistant Trader, E.D. & F. Man
• 1982 MBA received from HEC (Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales), France

Michele Clifford

Director, Investor Relations and Operations

• Responsible for management of investor relations and marketing operations
  
• 2000–2003 Head of Operations at OTA Off the Record Research, an independent broker/dealer
• 1996–1999 Head of Operations at San Francisco Business Times, a business newspaper
• 1995 BA in Art History received from University of California at Berkeley

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