Sofaer Capital, a pioneer in the Asia hedge fund universe that launched its first Asia-focused strategy in 1989, has suffered mass defections of its top people. FrontPoint, a US-based investment management firm has poached Sofaer's Asian hedge fund managers, Giampaolo Guarnieri and James Soutar to establish its own Asian hedge fund team. The two have also brought their three-person team of analysts along with them.
In addition, Tony Smith, Sofaer's global CFO, has quit to join Hong Kong-based hedge fund broker KE Absolute as COO. The defections have already damaged Sofaer's business, with investors pulling out of its Asia hedge funds and AUM plunging from $450 million...
