Early Life
Michael Hintze, AM, was born on July 27, 1953, in Harbin, China, to refugee parents who fled Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution. Following the rise of Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party, Hintze’s family emigrated to Australia. Raised primarily by his mother in Sydney, he was educated at St Leo’s College in Wahroonga. Hintze pursued higher education at the University of Sydney, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics in 1975 and a Bachelor of Engineering in 1977, residing at St John’s College and serving as a tutor at Sancta Sophia College. He furthered his education with a Master’s degree in Acoustics from the University of New South Wales, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and received honorary doctorates from both the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales.
After completing his education, Hintze served in the Australian Army for three years, attaining the rank of captain. He then worked as an electrical design engineer for Civil and Civic Pty Ltd. in Australia before transitioning to the financial sector.
Career
Financial Services
Hintze moved to New York City to train in financial services, where he held positions at Salomon Brothers and Credit Suisse First Boston. His career continued to flourish as he relocated to London and joined Goldman Sachs, ultimately serving as co-head of the UK Shares Product before departing the firm in 1995.
CQS
In 1999, Hintze founded his own asset management firm, CQS, which has become a leading player in the credit markets with assets under management reported at approximately $11 billion. Under Hintze’s leadership, the CQS Directional Opportunities Fund was recognized as the third top-performing large hedge fund by Bloomberg in 2012. CQS garnered numerous accolades, including awards for “Best Hedge Fund Manager Overall,” “Best Hedge Fund Manager in Credit,” and “Best Multi-Hedge Fund Manager” at the Financial News Awards for Excellence in Institutional Hedge Fund Management.
Hintze’s investment philosophy emphasizes that “every crisis is a trading opportunity,” and CQS has consistently sought out investments in distressed companies, particularly in sectors like retail and energy.
Professional Appointments
In addition to his role at CQS, Hintze has been appointed to several prestigious boards and government panels. He served on the Australian Treasury’s International Advisory Panel to support the Financial Systems Inquiry, was appointed by Pope Francis to the board of the Vatican Bank, and participated in the UK’s Fair and Effective Markets Review.
Farming
In 2007, Hintze established MH Premium Farms (MHPF), focusing on sustainable agriculture in Australia. By 2017, MHPF owned over twenty properties covering more than 70,000 hectares, specializing in fat lambs, wool, cattle, broadacre cropping, and irrigated crops.
Philanthropy
Together with his wife Dorothy, Hintze founded the Hintze Family Charitable Foundation, which has made significant contributions to the arts, education, and health sectors. Notable donations include:
Natural History Museum, London: £5 million for biodiversity programs, the largest single donation received in 133 years, leading to the renaming of the museum’s Central Hall to Hintze Hall.
Vatican: Funding for the restoration of Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Pauline Chapel.
Cultural Institutions: Major support for the refurbishment of the V&A’s Sculpture Galleries and contributions to the National Gallery and the British Museum.
Health Initiatives: Co-chairing the campaign for a new inpatient center at Clapham’s Trinity Hospice and supporting the Evelina Children’s Hospital.
Hintze has also played a vital role in educational philanthropy, establishing chairs at various universities, including the University of Sydney and the University of Oxford. His donations extend to Harvard University and Princeton University, where a professorship has been established in his wife’s maiden name.
Philanthropic Recognition
Hintze’s philanthropic efforts have earned him numerous accolades, including the Prince of Wales Medal for Arts Philanthropy in 2009. He is a trustee of several organizations, including the Institute of Economic Affairs and the University of Sydney Trust. Hintze was named to the Debrett’s 500 List in 2017 and featured on the Evening Standard’s “Progress 1000” list for his influential contributions.
Conservative Party Donations
Hintze has been an active supporter of the Conservative Party in the UK, revealing in 2006 that he was one of the anonymous patrons who had loaned money to the party. His total known donations and loans have amounted to around £4 million.
Honors and Recognition
Michael Hintze has received numerous honors for his contributions, including:
Knight Commander and later Knight Grand Cross of the Papal Order of St. Gregory.
Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2013.
Life Peerage in 2022, becoming Baron Hintze of Dunster in Somerset.
Personal Life
In July 1984, Hintze married Dorothy Krauklis, a U.S. citizen he met at Harvard. The couple has four children and resides in the United Kingdom. Hintze identifies as a Roman Catholic and continues to be actively involved in philanthropic and business endeavors, leaving a lasting legacy in both sectors.
