I have a friend named Neil Barsky who used to be a journalist and now runs a hedge fund. This is not a typical progression in the journalism field. But that’s the fact. He did most of his journalism for the Wall Street Journal, principally covering real estate, and then he worked as a research analyst at Morgan Stanley, where he dealt with real estate, gaming, and lodging.
Now he’s the managing partner of Alson Capital, a long-short equity hedge fund with about $3 billion under management. Although Alson is not a giant of the hedge-fund world, it is big enough, and Neil is smart enough, to answer whatever questions you might have about hedge funds — how they’re run, what kind of productivity and investment they generate, how they handle risk, how the famous 2 & 20 fee works, etc. There is a certainly a lot to ask these days, what with Congress thinking about raising the taxes on hedge fund and private equity earnings; with New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer, of all people, running interference for the equity crowd; and with a well-heeled fund like Sowood Capital losing its footing.
So, in the fine tradition of earlier reader-generated Q&A’s with Mark Cuban, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, and others, go ahead and fire away at Neil. We’ll post his answers in the coming days.
Addendum: The answers to these questions can be found here.
and 
. You can also watch it on 
- How much of the process of a Hedge fund being successful is that of luck and that of expertise of the fund managers?
(Also, on a side note as a soon to be univ grad, how does one go about finding a job in Hedge funds? The odds I believe are really low.)
- How much of the process of a Hedge fund being successful is that of luck and that of expertise of the fund managers?
(Also, on a side note as a soon to be univ grad, how does one go about finding a job in Hedge funds? The odds I believe are really low.)
I guess almost similar to the question above, how does most Hedge Fund managers feel about investors like Warren Buffet referring to investment advisors as ineffective “helpers”?
Also, being a “soon to be univ grad” can Mr. Barsky get me a job?
I guess almost similar to the question above, how does most Hedge Fund managers feel about investors like Warren Buffet referring to investment advisors as ineffective “helpers”?
Also, being a “soon to be univ grad” can Mr. Barsky get me a job?
Hello Neil, I have two questions:
(1) Do you think the Senate proposal really could see a flight of the industry overseas, as e.g. Ben Bernanke has hinted?
(2) Do you think any reasonable objections can be raised against the House proposal, considering that private equity fund managers, besides (as I understand it) making a token co-investment whenever they put together a deal, surely don’t face the kind of risk faced by an entrepreneuer or major investor.
Hello Neil, I have two questions:
(1) Do you think the Senate proposal really could see a flight of the industry overseas, as e.g. Ben Bernanke has hinted?
(2) Do you think any reasonable objections can be raised against the House proposal, considering that private equity fund managers, besides (as I understand it) making a token co-investment whenever they put together a deal, surely don’t face the kind of risk faced by an entrepreneuer or major investor.
Mr. Barsky,
Do you foresee, as I’ve heard, that hedge funds and private equity firms will just raise the fee structure to 3 & 30 to recoup the lost profits to tax? Thus hurting investors and those average joes whose pensions are invested in these funds.
Mr. Barsky,
Do you foresee, as I’ve heard, that hedge funds and private equity firms will just raise the fee structure to 3 & 30 to recoup the lost profits to tax? Thus hurting investors and those average joes whose pensions are invested in these funds.