The Rise Of An Investing Legend: Karl Mikael Syding

Humble, mindful, curious, and sporting a brain the size of a planet, Mikael Syding is a man you’re going to enjoy listening to.

I recorded a recent conversation that I had with Mikael for you but first a bit of background.

Mikael managed the long/short equity fund at Futuris/Brummer from 2000 to 2015 as one of three senior partners, serving as a portfolio manager and managing director.

The fund received numerous awards, including several for being the best directional hedge fund over ten years, and not least, European long-short equity fund of the year in 2008 – a year, if you recall, where investors globally took a beating. The fund then went on to win the European Hedge Fund of the Decade 2000 to 2009.

Topics We Discuss

Mikael and I cover a lot in this conversation, including:

  • Why the most successful sell-side brokers are also dishonest.
  • Why being uncomfortable is what every investor should strive for, plus some simple exercises you can use to train your own mindset to do this in everyday life.
  • Why the best performing European hedge fund for a decade couldn’t raise a single penny from fund managers.
  • What DeepMind’s AlphaGo means for portfolio management.

Listen To Our Podcast

This podcast is longer than normal. But then Mikael is far from normal, and speaking with him never involves a short conversation as there is just too much to talk about.

We didn’t manage to cover the global macro environment, which we had intended to do. But I will record another conversation with him on that very topic, so make sure you’re subscribed to ensure you get it.

Since retiring from the hedge fund business, Mikael writes an excellent blog which you can find here.

If you have any dying questions relating to global macroeconomics which you’d like me to ask him on when we next speak, fire them to me.

What was your favourite thing you learnt from this podcast?

Let me know in the comments section below.

– Chris

“Live laterally! In short, lateral living means to incessantly provoke yourself, your brain and your body, for continued development, growth and happiness.” – Karl Mikael Syding

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