Team Members

Our team of 34 investment professionals focuses on the following industries / sectors / regions: Basic Materials & Agriculture, Consumer, Energy, Financial Services, Healthcare, India & Capital Markets, Internet / Technology, and Middle East & North Africa.  Our operations and administrative team consists of 33 people.  The biographies of our employees grouped by team are below. 




Chief Investment Officer


John H. Burbank III
Managing Member and Chief Investment Officer

  • Founder of Passport Capital LLC in August 2000. Sole Managing Member and Chief Investment Officer
  • 1999–2000 Consultant for JMG Triton Offshore, Ltd. a $1.0 billion market neutral arbitrage fund
  • 1996–1998 Director of Research for ValueVest Management, a $150 million long/short global value fund
  • 1992–1996 Various management positions in start-up companies, active as a private investor
  • 1992 MBA received from Stanford Graduate School of Business
  • 1987 BA in English Literature received from Duke University


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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 six organizations: AdecoAgro, Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, California Grain and Feed Association, Limoneira, Western Milling and Cilion


Neil Adshead, PhD
Director of Research, Vancouver

  • Co-manages the investment research process for basic materials investments
  • 2001–2004 Technical Assistant to Executive Vice President of Strategic Development with Placer Dome Inc. in Vancouver
  • 1995–2001 Production and Senior Exploration Geologist at Misima gold-silver mine (operated by Placer Dome) in Papua New Guinea
  • 1991–1995 PhD in Economic Geology received from James Cook University, Queensland, Australia
  • 1990–1991 Data Engineer for Schlumberger Inc. on exploration and production oil rigs in the northern North Sea
  • 1990 Graduated with First Class Honors degree in Geology received from University of Birmingham (UK)


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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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Financial Services


John H. Burbank III
Managing Member and Chief Investment Officer

  • Founder of Passport Capital LLC in August 2000. Sole Managing Member and Chief Investment Officer
  • 1999–2000 Consultant for JMG Triton Offshore, Ltd. a $1.0 billion market neutral arbitrage fund
  • 1996–1998 Director of Research for ValueVest Management, a $150 million long/short global value fund
  • 1992–1996 Various management positions in start-up companies, active as a private investor
  • 1992 MBA received from Stanford Graduate School of Business
  • 1987 BA in English Literature received from Duke University


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India & Capital Markets


John H. Burbank III
Managing Member and Chief Investment Officer

  • Founder of Passport Capital LLC in August 2000. Sole Managing Member and Chief Investment Officer
  • 1999–2000 Consultant for JMG Triton Offshore, Ltd. a $1.0 billion market neutral arbitrage fund
  • 1996–1998 Director of Research for ValueVest Management, a $150 million long/short global value fund
  • 1992–1996 Various management positions in start-up companies, active as a private investor
  • 1992 MBA received from Stanford Graduate School of Business
  • 1987 BA in English Literature received from Duke University


John Woodberry
Portfolio Manager, Denver

  • Co-manages the investment research process for industry and company analyses in 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


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Risk Management & Quantitative Strategies


Tim Garry, CFA
Portfolio Manager

  • 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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Operations / Finance


Joanne Cormican, CFA, CPA (inactive)
Chief Financial Officer

  • Manages operations, compliance, finance and accounting and advises on risk management
  • 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


William G. 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


John Moran
Director of Business Operations & Strategy

  • Manages business operations, strategy, special projects and assists with marketing
  • 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


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Marketing & Investor Relations


Bill Nolan
Managing Director of Sales and Marketing

  • 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


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