Running Money
Hedge Fund Honchos, Monster Markets and My Hunt for the Big Score
No Homa
KOWLOON, HONG KONG -- EARLY 1996
The doors of the marble-lined elevator opened on the 32nd floor. I
walked out, looking for a receptionist to direct me to William
Kaye, a money manager I was set to meet at 10:00 A.M. Back in 1986, Kaye ran the deal arbitrage desk at PaineWebber. Now, 10
years later, he is running money out of Hong Kong, and I was trying
to get him to invest in our fund or point me to others in Asia
who might be interested.
But something wasn't right. There was no receptionist, just a
giant room filled with Chinese men and women bustling about,
jabbering away, passing pieces of yellow and red and orange plastic
around the room. Boxes filled with wires and screws and nuts
and bolts were on every table. Against the wall, a stack of shrinkwrapped
boxes looked ready to ship out. This was all very odd for
a classy office building in Kowloon. I made eye contact with a
woman scurrying by.
"William Kaye?" I asked.
"No homa."
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