Industry Hedge fund Headquarters New York City Founded 2004 | Website www.ospraie.com/ Founder Dwight W. Anderson Type of business Limited liability company | |
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Key people Jason Mraz, (President) | ||
Ospraie Management, LLC is a New York City-based asset management firm founded in 1999 that invests in commodity markets and basic industries worldwide based on fundamental, bottom-up research.
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History
Ospraie was launched by Dwight Anderson as an independent commodities hedge fund within Tudor Investment Corporation. Ospraie became an independent firm in 2004, launching with $1.2 billion in assets under management. At its peak, the firm managed assets totaling nearly $9 billion. In 2005, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. purchased a 20 percent stake in Ospraie for an undisclosed amount.
In 2006, Ospraie launched the Ospraie Special Opportunities Fund, which holds private-equity stakes in commodities and basic industries companies. The fund was the lead investor in the 2008 acquisition of Gavilon LLC.
As of 2007, Ospraie offered five investment products: the flagship Ospraie Fund, Ospraie Special Opportunities, Wingspan Fund (a fund of funds), Real Return Fund (a long-only fund), and the Point Fund (a concentrated commodity fund).
In September 2008, Ospraie closed its flagship fund after losing 38.6% for the year amidst falling commodity prices and significant losses in energy, mining and resource equity holdings. It was reported to be one of the biggest closures of a commodities-focused hedge fund.
In 2009, Ospraie launched two new hedge funds: the Ospraie Commodity Fund, which focuses on commodity futures and derivatives, and the Ospraie Equity Fund, which invests in listed commodities companies.
Gavilon Acquisition
In 2008, the Ospraie Special Opportunities Fund led an investor group in the $2.8 billion acquisition of ConAgra Foods Inc.’s commodity trading and merchandising operations. The investor group also included General Atlantic and Soros Fund Management. The acquired ConAgra business was renamed Gavilon upon closing of the transaction in June 2008.
In July 2013, Marubeni Corp purchased Gavilon for $2.7 billion, plus $2 billion in debt. Upon the announcement of the deal, the media reported that investors would have had made a nearly 100% return on their investment.
Founder
Dwight Anderson launched Ospraie in 1999 in partnership with Tudor Investment Corporation, where he served as Head of the Basic Industries Group, before establishing Ospraie Management, LLC as an independent firm in 2004. Prior to joining Tudor, Anderson was a Managing Director responsible for the Basic Industries and Commodities Group at Tiger Management. Recruited and mentored by Julian Robertson, Anderson is known as a “Tiger Cub,” a name given to alumni of Tiger Management who have since started their own funds.