New York (HedgeCo.Net) – Hedge fund sponsored event, Robin Hood, yesterday concluded its 2nd annual Investors Conference, raising $6 million to support hundreds of the most effective job-training programs, schools, soup kitchens, shelters and other poverty-fighting programs throughout New York City.
“All of us at Robin Hood are extremely grateful for the generosity shown by our sponsors, which is what enables us to contribute 100% of the money raised through Conference ticket sales to hundreds of the best programs throughout the five boroughs that work to help improve the lives of the 1.8 million New Yorkers living in poverty,” said David Saltzman, executive director of Robin Hood. “We couldn’t have asked for a better outcome or for a more successful event.”
For the second year in a row, the Conference was organized by Robin Hood board members David Einhorn, president and founder of Greenlight Capital; John Griffin, president of Blue Ridge Capital; Philippe Laffont, founder and CEO of Coatue Management, and Barry Sternlicht, chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital Group. The two-day Conference featured a packed agenda with legends from the investment and business worlds, as well as many up-and-comers, all of whom provided lively debate and insight into subjects including energy, retail, innovation and technology.
Both days included several popular “Lightning Rounds” and “Best Ideas” forums, where participants – including Larry Robbins, CEO of Glenview Capital Management and Robin Hood board member — presented their thoughts on the best places to invest today and why.
Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Google said during his remarks on Tuesday that, “Robin Hood is the most efficient and effective nonprofit in America today.”
One of the most highly anticipated panels took place on Tuesday, when Larry Fink, chairman and CEO of Blackrock, Carl Icahn, founder of Icahn Enterprises and Dan Loeb, founder and CEO of the hedge fund Third Point, discussed the role of shareholder activism. In an exchange regarding corporate governance, Larry Fink said, “The financial community has done well, but a lot of people have been left behind. We should be asking the bigger question, `Are the investments we’re making good for society?'”
Over half of the speakers at this year’s Conference were first time participants, including Traci Lerner, president and founding partner of Chesapeake Partners Management Co; Keith Meister, managing partner and chief investment officer of Corvex Management; Joe Lonsdale, founder and managing partner of Formation 8; and Zach Schreiber, chairman, chief executive officer and chief investment officer of PointState Capital.
Tuesday’s Conference session included two surprise presenters: Eli Manning, quarterback for the New York Giants and a member of Robin Hood’s Leadership Council; and Mark Teixeira, first baseman for the New York Yankees and board member of Harlem RBI – a Robin Hood grantee that provides kids from East Harlem with year-round educational and athletic opportunities.
Alex Akesson
Editor for HedgeCo.net
alex@hedgeco.net
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