Former Viking Global Investors CIO Launches New Hedge Fund
Ning Jin, the former Chief Investment Officer at Viking Global Investors, is set to launch a new long-short equity fund named Avantyr Capital later this year. The fund, which is actively building its team, has the potential to manage up to $1 billion in assets, according to Jin’s communications with potential investors.
Jin, who served as CIO at Viking Global Investors, a firm managing $51 billion in assets, departed from the company in August 2024 after a 17-year tenure. He had been co-CIO in 2017 before becoming the sole investment head in 2019.
The name Avantyr Capital draws inspiration from the Italian word “avanti,” meaning forward or ahead. Jin shared details about the fund’s potential capacity at Morgan Stanley’s annual Breakers conference in West Palm Beach, though he did not specify a fundraising target.
As part of the team-building process, Jin has already recruited two key individuals for his investment team. Alex Mendez, a former Viking analyst and portfolio manager at TOMS Capital Investment Management, has joined Avantyr. Additionally, Sunjay Mishra, previously director of research at Tourbillon Capital, has been hired.
Viking Global Investors has a history of being a launchpad for investors starting their firms. Other notable Viking alumni who have launched successful funds include D1 founder Dan Sundheim, former CIO Ben Jacobs, and former analyst Grant Wonders.
The launch of Avantyr Capital marks another significant development in the hedge fund industry, as experienced professionals continue to branch out and establish their ventures.
