How Nicolas Sarkis Managed to Build AlphaOne Partners into a Highly Successful Asset Management Business

Nicolas Sarkis, the founder of AlphaOne Partners, is one example of a self-made entrepreneur on the intricate path of life in the investment field. His journey, from a graduate of leading French business school ESSEC, to the youngest associate to ever be hired by the renowned Goldman Sachs at the age of 21, reflects not only his individual perseverance but also the transformative power of having diverse experiences in finance.

Sarkis’s achievement of being selected by Bob Steel, the future undersecretary of the US Treasury, for a senior position at Goldman Sachs straight out of college reflects both his ambition and his passion for finance.

Goldman Sachs is an iconic institution in the global investment banking landscape and, as such, it attracts its fair share of driven graduates looking to make their mark in the financial world. Beyond its venerable century-long legacy, the firm stands apart by its rigorous hiring process that served as a crucible to test and shape the careers of many industry veterans. In fact, sometimes Goldman Sachs’ demanding standards have proven themselves insurmountable for even the most talented people, highlighting the highly exclusive and competitive nature of the company.

Goldman Sachs has a second-to-none testing process, one that Sarkis persevered through with 52 job interviews, and would give him the foundation necessary to hold multiple senior positions in the world of high finance. Through the upward journey that started when he was first hired by the firm in 1993, he embarked on a trajectory that would see him rise to the position of Vice President at Goldman Sachs within a short span of five years, and found himself in a senior management role at the firm’s London offices.

The years that passed at Goldman Sachs were a training ground for Sarkis. As head of the US Shares institutional sales and trading group, he fostered support between the firm and European institutions interested in the US stock market. His executive role in London also enabled him to discover how to develop optimal investment schemes and guide their implementation in turbulent, ever-changing financial settings.

For many in the financial sector, a position at Goldman Sachs is considered the pinnacle of success. Yet, Sarkis had other plans, especially as he became familiar with the work of iconic Yale Endowment fund’s fund CIO David Swensen, who passed away two years ago. Swensen is recognized as a thought leader on Wall Street and his unconventional approach to investment management enabled Yale to enjoy a compounded annual return of over 15% for more than 30 years. His investment best practices have become a blueprint for investment managers globally.

Sarkis observed that few, if any, large private investors were implementing Swensen’s methods, let alone had even heard about him. He then thought that this provided for an amazing business opportunity, especially at a time when conflicts of interest within large investment banks were looming large. At the end of 2005, Sarkis left his Goldman Sachs Vice President job, to start AlphaOne Partners LLP in London.

At AlphaOne, Sarkis and his team never compromised on the firm’s DNA: use a tried and tested investment process to build all-weather portfolios, avoid conflicts of interests, only invest in what they understand, manage risk efficiently and avoid herd-like mentality.

This apparently simple philosophy is what allowed Sarkis to avoid falling into Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme in 2008, one that engulfed many of the world’s most prestigious banks and investment advisors. Indeed, in the summer of that year, Sarkis had been approached by one of Madoff’s feeder funds in Europe who were soliciting an investment from AlphaOne. After having requested a meeting with Madoff himself, Sarkis was told that “Madoff was not meeting clients”. Rather than just acquiesce and move on, he cold-called Madoff and met him in New York a few weeks later. This encounter unearthed lots of unanswered questions which made Sarkis highly uncomfortable, and then led AlphaOne to issue a strong “do not invest with Madoff” recommendation to its investors. A few days after this recommendation was issued, Bernard Madoff was arrested for fraud.

With its philosophy to always “commit to excellence”, AlphaOne caters to investors from ultra-high network individuals to large international corporations and Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs). The high level of service and adaptability portrayed by this firm has been recognized by multiple organizations. Spear’s Magazine has awarded AlphaOne the Ultra High Net Worth Asset Management Firm of the Year Award for its major contributions in the field of investment. Additionally, AlphaOne has been ranked as a top investment advisor by the Wall Street Journal in lists such as the Wealth Bulletin investment management league table and the top wealth advisors list for the European edition. As the firm currently operates from London and Luxembourg, it has ambitious plans for expansion, with a strategic vision for furthering its influence across Europe and Asia in years to come.

About 10 years ago, Sarkis wrote a thought-provoking book on global finance entitled: “Fear and Greed: Investment Risks and Opportunity in a Turbulent World,” adding to the library of financial literature for students as well as experts in the industry. It examines investment strategies amidst the backdrop of financial crises and explores solutions for the changing market. The book received great reviews from top financial journalists worldwide and it was translated into Chinese by the University of Shanghai. Goldman Sachs and the Financial Times also honored Sarkis’ work, nominating the book for their Best Business Book of the Year Award.

Sarkis has always stayed deeply connected to his family roots. As the child of Lebanese immigrants who left during the 1970s civil war, Sarkis shares a name with his father, Dr. Nicolas Sarkis, a renowned Lebanese top global oil expert and one of OPEC’s founding fathers. He also has two older siblings who worked in top investment firms PAI Partners and Bain Capital. Sarkis often credits his strong family values for his success in business.

Sarkis’s journey from a young college graduate to a seasoned professional at Goldman Sachs, and to the founder of highly-successful investment management group AlphaOne Partners illustrates the different ways that careers in the finance industry can ebb and flow. Sarkis’s experiences at Goldman Sachs and AlphaOne show how individual journeys can change based on the trajectory that an entire industry takes, demonstrating the importance of recognizing trends and niches that have not been filled. With AlphaOne continuing its client-focused endeavors, the story of Nicolas Sarkis comes out as an inspiring narrative of entrepreneurship, innovation, and the tireless pursuit of investor-focused advocacy in the realm of investment management.