Who Is John Griffin: Early Life, Education, and Philanthropy

John Anthony Griffin is an investor, teacher, philanthropist, and one of the hedge fund industry’s original “Tiger cubs.” He worked nine years with famed investor Julian Robertson, then set up Blue Ridge Capital Management, a hedge fund that earned investors an average of 15.4% per year over more than two decades and at one point managed $9 billion in assets.

Griffin’s successful stock picking and execution of a long-short strategy has earned him plenty of plaudits and recognition as a top investor. When he’s not making money and passing on his knowledge to others, Robertson's protégé strives to help others less fortunate.

Early Life and Education

Born in 1963, John Griffin received his bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia's McIntire School of Commerce in 1985. He then went on to earn an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Before completing graduate school, Griffin worked as a financial analyst at Morgan Stanley Merchant Banking Group from 1985 through 1987. His next major career step, and a defining moment, was partnering with investing titan Julian Robertson, founder of Tiger Management Corp.

Working with Robertson led to huge success. The investing legend took Griffin under his wing and turned him into a star. Griffin wasn't the only one. Several of Robertson's other proteges, colloquially known as the "Tiger cubs," also ended up creating and managing successful hedge funds. That list includes the likes of Lawrence Bowman, Lee Ainslie, Tom Brown, Paul Spieldenner, Andreas Halvorsen, and Steven Mandel.

Notable Accomplishments

John Griffin acted as president at Tiger Management from 1993 until 1996. In addition to his duties as president, Griffin served as a portfolio manager for Tiger Management.

In 1996, Griffin founded Blue Ridge Capital Management. Blue Ridge was best known for its long-short strategy, the practice of complementing stock purchases with corresponding short positions. The strategy is considered risky by some, but its practitioners argue it is an effective way to boost returns.

Most value funds only invest in an asset when it is considered undervalued, while overvalued funds are ignored. However, Griffin believes that overvalued assets can also be shorted to make returns. The long-short strategy worked extremely well for Griffin in the run-up to the Great Recession. In 2007, Blue Ridge generated a net return of 65% and Griffin reportedly pocketed more than $620 million. The fund reached its height in assets under management (AUM) in 2013 at $9 billion.

In terms of a lasting investment influence, John Griffin is revered for his rigid and thorough fundamental research, which includes a laundry list of variables to analyze. His long-short strategies are a testament to his determination to find returns regardless of market conditions.

Passing on Knowledge

Griffin's opinion is highly valued. He has been known to headline hedge fund and value symposiums, often bringing along other Tiger cubs to speak to large audiences of eager investors, and present a series of "top reads" for mimicking investors across four broad categories: behavioral finance, analytics, economic indicators, and historical parallels.

Over the years, Griffin has also acted as a visiting professor at the University of Virginia and an adjunct professor of finance at Columbia Business School. His students include head fund managers Roberto Mignone and David Greenspan.

Wealth and Philanthropy

There are no reliable estimates of John Griffin's net worth after his monstrous 2005 and 2007 earnings. His hedge fund managed more than $6 billion in assets before closing at the end of 2017. It is unknown how much of that belongs to Griffin or how much income he earned along the way. Griffin closed the fund, citing the industry as being a “humbling business.”

The wealth and knowledge Griffin amassed appear to have been put to good use. He created or served on several foundations to help nonprofits and investors, including the Blue Ridge Foundation, the Tiger Foundation, the Robin Hood Foundation, and the Julian. H. Robertson Foundation. 

Inner City Poverty and Education

Griffin is particularly focused on inner-city poverty in his hometown of New York City. He is the founding chair and a board member of iMentor, a relationship development program for students in low-income areas.

John and his wife, Amy, founded the John & Amy Griffin Foundation to further his mission of fighting poverty in New York. He also serves as a board member for the Blue Ridge Foundation of New York, with a mirroring mission.

The Griffins have also gifted millions to their alma mater, the University of Virginia, and contributed to K-12 education reforms.

The Bottom Line

John Griffin, the founder of former hedge fund Blue Ridge Capital, is an aggressive value investor, who rarely tolerates sitting on the sidelines. Mentored by billionaire hedge fund manager Julian Robertson, Griffin earned his seat as one of America's most successful hedge fund managers, overseeing $9 billion in assets at the peak of Blue Ridge Capital's operations.

Post Blue Ridge, John Griffin remains committed to his passion: combating inner-city poverty and promoting quality education. Turning purpose into action, he shares his expertise in the academic arena, inspiring future generations of financial professionals.