David Einhorn

David Einhorn is an American investor, hedge fund manager, and amateur poker player who is the founder and president of Greenlight Capital, a long-short value-oriented hedge fund. Einhorn graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Arts in government before beginning his career at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette and later at Siegler, Collery & Co. He established Greenlight Capital with $900,000 in startup capital, and over the following decade, the fund delivered annualized returns of approximately 26 percent. Einhorn serves as chairman of the boards of Greenlight Capital Re and Green Brick Partners.

Einhorn is known for his short-selling strategies and public investment calls. At the Sohn Investment Research Conference, he recommended shorting Allied Capital, citing concerns about the company's accounting practices, a position he detailed in his book "Fooling Some of the People All of the Time." He also shorted Lehman Brothers stock, arguing the firm had significant exposures to illiquid real estate investments. The collapse of Lehman Brothers during the financial crisis contributed to Einhorn's reputation as an investor willing to challenge established institutions. He was included in Time 100, highlighting his influence in the financial industry.

In addition to his work in finance, Einhorn is active in the poker community. He finished 18th in the World Series of Poker Main Event, donating his winnings of more than $650,000 to the Michael J. Fox Foundation. He later placed third in the World Series of Poker Big One for One Drop Tournament, winning $4,352,000, which he donated to City Year. Einhorn's live tournament poker winnings place him among the top players in New York and the United States, and he has discussed the similarities between probabilistic decision-making in poker and value investing.

Einhorn is also involved in philanthropy. He is a contributor and board member of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research and serves on the board of the Robin Hood Foundation. Through his foundation, Einhorn Collaborative, he donated $50 million to Cornell University to fund the David M. Einhorn Center for Community Engagement, supporting community-engaged learning. As a regular speaker at the Sohn Investment Conference and other financial forums, Einhorn addresses topics such as financial markets, corporate governance, and the intersection of finance and public accountability.