London’s prosperous tribe of hedge fund managers trumped their New York rivals on Friday night after turning the annual ARK charity dinner into the richest ever single evening fund-raising event.
The fabulous ball at Marlborough House, where 1,000 guests were serenaded by Sir Elton John, is believed to have raised well over £17.5m – outstripping the record $31.9m (£17.2m) pledged by US hedge fund members at their Robin Hood Foundation event last year.
“I am simply overwhelmed by people’s generosity,” said Arki Busson, the chairman of the EIM hedge fund business and the founder of ARK.
“Every year it just gets better for the thousands of children whose lives we can save and improve. Elton John is a superstar and a wonderful supporter.”
There was frenzied bidding at the tables of leading hedge fund names including EIM, Louis Bacon, Paul Tudor Jones and Marshall Wace.
