Wellington Management announces strategic expansion of alternative investment resources

BOSTON, 15 February 2022 — Wellington Management (“Wellington”) today announced the strategic expansion of its Alternative Investments platform through the hiring of the investment team of Shelter Haven Capital Management (“Shelter Haven”), a market neutral, long/short equity manager that primarily focuses on small and mid-cap companies in the technology, media, telecom and consumer sectors. The terms of the expansion are not being disclosed.

Shelter Haven was founded in 2017 by Jerry Kochanski, an experienced alternatives portfolio manager, and currently oversees approximately US$350 million in client assets across separate accounts and commingled funds. Shelter Haven’s team of five investment professionals includes Hedge Fund Analysts Ross Hammer and Michael Yuan, and Research Associates Julia Karl and Alan Zhang, who will all be joining Mr. Kochanski at Wellington on 1 March.

“This exciting development represents a unique opportunity for Wellington to expand our alternatives capabilities with an experienced investment team and an established client base,” said Christopher Kirk, Senior Managing Director, Wellington Alternative Investments. “The market neutral strategy also aligns well with our alternatives priorities and demand from our clients.”

The Shelter Haven team will continue to manage the same market neutral, highly idiosyncratic investment strategy at Wellington. The strategy focuses on delivering returns that are uncorrelated with market betas, an approach that fits well with Wellington’s plans to expand its long/short platform and build out its suite of multi-strategy investment products and custom alternative solutions to meet increasing client demand for liquid alternatives.

“I am looking forward to returning to Wellington where I began my investment career in 2003 and served as an equity analyst until 2008,” noted Mr. Kochanski. “Joining Wellington offers current and future clients the opportunity to access a breadth of capabilities, and benefit from the firm’s substantial global research, operational, risk, legal and compliance infrastructure.”

The Shelter Haven investment team will maintain an investment office in Summit, N.J.

Jerry Kochanski, Vice President, Portfolio Manager
Mr. Kochanski is the founder and portfolio manager of Shelter Haven Capital Management. Previously, he was a portfolio manager at Millennium Management (2013 – 2017), where he managed a global fund focused on the TMT and consumer industries. Prior experience includes managing director at MAK Capital (2012 – 2013); partner and senior analyst at Pennant Capital Management (2009 – 2011); and equity analyst at the Wellington Management on the Concentrated Value team (2003 – 2008). Mr. Kochanski earned an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business and a BS, summa cum laude, in accounting from La Salle University.

Ross Hammer, Vice President, Hedge Fund Analyst
Mr. Hammer is a partner and senior analyst at Shelter Haven Capital Management. Previously, he was a partner and senior analyst focused on Technology, Materials, Chemicals and Energy sectors at Pennant Capital Management. Previously, Mr. Hammer was a private equity analyst at Olympus Partners and investment banking analyst at Banc of America Securities. He earned an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business and a BA, cum laude, in Economics from Harvard College.

Michael Yuan, Vice President, Hedge Fund Analyst
Mr. Yuan is an analyst at Shelter Haven Capital Management. Previously, he was an analyst at Millennium Management covering media and leisure sectors, an associate at Tiger Infrastructure Partners and an analyst at Gleacher & Company. Mr. Yuan graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology with a BS in Economics from the Wharton School and a BS in Computer Science from the School of Engineering.

Julia Karl, Research Associate
Ms. Karl is an associate analyst at Shelter Haven Capital Management. Previously, she was a sell-side senior associate at Jefferies covering infrastructure software, a sell-side associate at William Blair & Company covering infrastructure software, storage, and networking, and an electrical engineer at Raytheon. Ms. Karl earned an MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Cornell University and a BS in Engineering from Harvey Mudd College.

Alan Zhang, Research Associate
Mr. Zhang is a junior analyst at Shelter Haven Capital Management. Previously, he was at Millennium Partners supporting coverage of investment ideas in the consumer and industrials sector. Mr. Zhang started his career as an investment banking analyst at Jefferies covering aerospace, defense and government services. He earned a BS in Applied Mathematics and Finance from William and Mary.

About Wellington Management
Tracing its history to 1928, Wellington Management is one of the world’s largest independent investment management firms, serving as a trusted adviser to over 2,200 clients in more than 60 countries. The firm manages more than US$1.4 trillion for pensions, endowments and foundations, insurers, family offices, fund sponsors, global wealth managers, and other clients. As a private partnership whose only business is investment management, the firm is able to align its long-term views and interests with those of its clients. The firm offers comprehensive investment management capabilities that span nearly all segments of the global capital markets, including equity, fixed income, multi-asset, sustainable investing and alternative strategies. With more than 800 investment professionals located in offices around the world, Wellington pairs deep multi-disciplinary research resources with independent investment teams operating in an entrepreneurial “boutique” environment. For more information about the firm, please visit www.wellington.com.