The Hedge Funds Club Good Life Interviews – Part 40: Michael Armitage
HFC boss Stefan Nilsson checks in with Michael Armitage in Melbourne to talk about The Clash, beach runs, dog walks, unjaded young people, Aussie red wine and much more. Michael is a well-known industry leader who founded FundLab in Australia and has worked with firms such as Apollo Capital, Cor Capital, Mercer, Milliman, S&P Capital IQ, AlphaPoint Capital, Sunrise Capital, SMBC and more.
From where and how do you get your daily general news updates?
RealClearMarkets and RealClearPolitics for my first update. Zerohedge for some entertainment, AFR for local markets and barchart.com. I try to stay in the middle politically – hard to avoid all the narratives.
What do you do to unwind on a weekend?
Young children, new dog, beach runs and mountain bike in winter – surf club and swim in summer.
Can you name a great book you have recently read?
Official CIA manual on trickery and deception.
Your soundtrack of choice?
Varies. From Daft Punk to The Clash. Currently yachting music channel on Spotify, 1970s California.
What drink do you start the day with and what drink finishes it?
Green Vita/Spirulina algae with water. Finish the day with Aussie red, currently Barossa Shiraz.
What’s the worst money mistake you’ve made?
2007 Investment in a gay nightclub in San Diego, California, they’re not heavy drinkers, and GFC.
Have you ever had a great mentor and what did you learn?
Jack Forrest – the father of US CTA – trend followers. Learned plenty on risk sizing, but more importantly, taught me – build something good and the money will come.
What gives you energy?
Young, smart people – not jaded yet.
How do you stay grounded and focused as a person in these turbulent and fast-changing times?
Early morning walks with the dog – a form of meditation – and create a to-do list of four things each day – the rule is I must complete three by noon.
Can you name a terrific restaurant that you love?
Angelos in Little Italy, New York. Plenty of great memories being entertained by NY brokers.
What’s your favourite museum in the world?
New York’s Museum of Natural History. Childhood memories and it’s better with your kids.
Are you active on social media and what do you actually use it for?
LinkedIn – publish articles, network. I dropped others as it’s too political.
Do you have any secret guilty pleasure that you are prepared to reveal here?
Crypto.
What kind of battle dress do you normally put on for work?
Currently in lockdown, jeans and tee with a jacket at the ready for Zoom.
Do you celebrate your wins? If so, how?
Buy a piece of art.
What makes you happy?
My three-year-old’s laugh and my eight-year-old’s piano practice echoing through the house.
