Julian H. Robertson, Jr.

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Julian H. Robertson Jr. was an American investor, hedge fund manager, and philanthropist who was best known for founding Tiger Management in 1980, which became one of the most successful hedge funds of its time. Robertson was widely regarded as a pioneer in the hedge fund industry and earned the nickname "Wizard of Wall Street" for his exceptional investment acumen. He passed away on August 23, 2022, at the age of 90. 
In 2011, Robertson was inducted into the Futures Industry Association's Futures Hall of Fame, which was established in 2005 to commemorate outstanding contributions to the global futures and options community.
== Background ==
Julian Hart Robertson Jr. was born on June 25, 1932, in Salisbury, North Carolina. He was the son of Julian Hart Robertson Sr., an executive in a textile company, and Blanche Spencer, a local activist. Robertson claimed that his father was a descendant of Pocahontas. His interest in stocks began at the early age of six.
=== Career ===
After graduating, Robertson served as an officer in the U.S. Navy from 1955 to 1957. Following his military service, he moved to New York City and began his career on Wall Street as a stockbroker for Kidder, Peabody & Company. Over the next two decades, Robertson climbed the ranks at Kidder Peabody, eventually becoming the head of the firm's asset management division, Webster Securities.
In 1978, Robertson took a sabbatical and moved with his family to New Zealand for a year to write a novel. Upon his return to the United States in 1980, he founded Tiger Management with $8 million in initial capital. The fund grew rapidly, reaching a peak of $22 billion in assets under management by 1998. During this period, Tiger Management achieved an average annual return of 31.7% after fees, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 12.7% annual return over the same timeframe.
However, the fund experienced significant losses in the late 1990s, largely due to Robertson's skepticism of the dot-com boom and his fund's large position in US Airways. In March 2000, at the peak of the dot-com bubble, Robertson decided to close Tiger Management and return all outside capital to investors.
After closing his fund, Robertson continued to manage his personal wealth and became a mentor and seed investor for a new generation of hedge fund managers, known as the "Tiger Cubs." These included prominent figures such as Chase Coleman III, Ole Andreas Halvorsen, and Stephen Mandel.
== Philanthropy ==
Robertson was known for his philanthropic efforts. In 1996, he and his wife Josie founded the Robertson Foundation, which focuses on high-impact grants in education, environment, and medical research. He also established the Tiger Foundation in 1990 to combat poverty in New York City.
In 2010, Robertson was appointed an Honorary Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to business and philanthropy. He was also one of nine people awarded a Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in 2017.
== Education ==
Robertson completed his schooling at local schools and Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia, graduating in 1951. He then attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was admitted to Zeta Psi fraternity and was a member of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. In 1955, Robertson graduated with a Bachelor of Science in business administration.
== References ==	
Category:Hedge Funds
Category:Hedge Fund Managers
Category:Investors
Category:Philanthropists
Category:Tiger Management
Category:Kidder, Peabody & Company
Category:Kidder, Peabody & Company - Former Employee
Category:Deceased
Category:Futures Hall of Fame Members