Michael Hintze

Michael Hintze was born in China, grew up in Australia, and studied mathematics and engineering at the University of Sydney before earning an MBA from Harvard Business School. He worked at Citibank, Goldman Sachs, and Credit Suisse First Boston, developing expertise in fixed income, derivatives, and structured products. He founded CQS (originally called Caius Investment Management) in London in 1999. CQS built a distinctive investment approach combining credit analysis, convertible bonds, asset-backed securities, and structured credit products. The fund demonstrated exceptional risk management during the 2008 financial crisis — limiting losses in a period when many credit-focused funds suffered catastrophic drawdowns — which helped attract substantial institutional capital in subsequent years. At peak CQS managed over $20 billion in assets, making it one of the largest credit-focused hedge funds globally and the largest in London. Hintze is known for his scientific approach to investing — applying mathematical rigor to credit analysis and risk management — and as a significant philanthropist, donating to arts, education, and Catholic charities in the UK.