K2 Advisors
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryInvestment Management
Founded1994 (1994)
FoundersDavid Saunders
William Douglass
HeadquartersStamford, Connecticut, U.S.
ProductsFund of hedge funds
AUMUS$10.4 billion (July 2023)
ParentFranklin Templeton Investments
Websitek2advisors.com

K2 Advisors is an American fund of funds investment firm headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. Currently it is a subsidiary of Franklin Templeton Investments and is one of the largest fund of hedge funds in the United States. It has additional offices in Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Background

K2 advisors was founded in 1994 by David Saunders and William Douglass.[1][2][3][4][5][6] The firm was named after the K2 mountain in the Karakoram range where the pair attended a fundraiser to benefit a team to climb it.[1][3][5] Saunders previously worked for Julian Robertson at the firm Tiger Management as Head Trader making K2 Advisors part of the Tiger Cubs group.[1][5][6] Douglass previously worked at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette.[1]

Since 2006, K2 Advisors has been known to be investing in ESG securities as well as Insurance-Linked Securities.[7]

In 2007 TA Associates acquired a minority interest in K2 advisors for an undisclosed amount of money.[1][2][6][8]

In 2011, K2 Advisors considered selling the firm with The Carlyle Group being one of the main bidding frontrunners.[1][2]

In 2012, K2 Advisors was acquired by Franklin Templeton Investments.[2][3][4][6] K2 Advisors used the money from deal to buy out TA Associates stake which allowed Franklin Templeton Investments to have 100% ownership of K2 Advisors.[2][4]

In 2019, K2 Advisors expanded its business to Europe with a new fund range which allowed local investors there to have access to U.S.-based fund managers.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Zuckerman, Jenny Strasburg And Gregory. "K2 Advisors in Talks for Potential Sale". WSJ. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Barth, Chris. "Franklin Templeton Acquires World's 7th Largest Hedge Fund Of Funds". Forbes. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 "Franklin Resources buys prominent hedge fund firm K2". Reuters. September 19, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 "Franklin Templeton taking majority stake in K2". Pensions & Investments. September 19, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "Forgoing tradition: Face to Face with David C. Saunders". Pensions & Investments. March 19, 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Five Questions: K2's David Saunders Weighs Changes in Fund-of-Funds Industry". Institutional Investor. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  7. ↑ "No plain vanilla portfolios here". Pensions & Investments. December 15, 2006. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  8. ↑ "TA Associates takes stake in K2 Advisors". Reuters. March 27, 2007. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Franklin Templeton's K2 expands in Europe with new fund range". Reuters. October 1, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
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