A Guide to the Hedge-Fund Elite -- New York Magazine

The Rankings

(Photo: Peter Morgan/Reuters)

T. Boone Pickens
BP Capital Management
Size: $2.5 billion
Style: Trader
Location: Dallas
Straight-up bullish oil bets have made him a fortune. Huge philanthropist to boot, donating more than $200 million in 2005. Estimated net worth of $2.5 billion.
Old Hand: “Grew up in the energy business. Used to make his money in energy through companies; now he’s in hedge funds.”
Young Buck: “Pickens makes huge bets. Has nearly lost all of his money several times.”

Timothy Barakett
Atticus Capital
Size: $14 billion
Style: Stock picker
Location: Manhattan
Once turned down a chance to play for the New Jersey Devils. Longtime focus on consolidation of global stock exchanges, including NYSE, Euronext, and Deutsche Boerse.
Old Hand: “Clearly a great global stock picker.”
Young Buck: “Something obviously runs in the family. His brother Brett also runs a hedge fund, Tremblant Capital.”

Stephen Mandel
Lone Pine Capital
Size: $7.94 billion
Style: Stock picker
Location: Greenwich, Conn.
Most successful of Julian Robertson’s “Tiger Cubs.” One of his best picks of late has been Google. One of many successful hedge-fund managers to have come out of Goldman Sachs.
Old Hand: “The team to beat. A quiet and closed guy, he runs probably the best organization in the industry. If you’re looking for a firm that’s likely to succeed its founder and keep on thriving, this is the best example.”
Young Buck: “His personal earnings are $250 million a year.”

(Photo: Patrick McMullan)

James Chanos
Kynikos Associates
Size: $3 billion
Style: Stock picker
Location: Manhattan
One of few short sellers to escape the nineties bull market alive. Called Enron early, and made Fortune’s Bethany McLean a star by telling her. Made his own fortune in the process.
Old Hand: “Clearly the dean of short sellers. He’s a deep thinker, not a trader.”
Young Buck: “Top, pure short investor of the past decade. He predicted Enron, for God’s sake.”