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William Browder transitioned from a successful financier in Russia to a leading human rights activist, spearheading the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign.
Sir William Felix Browder, KCMG (born 23 April 1964) is an American-born British financier and political activist. He is the CEO and co-founder of Hermitage Capital Management, the investment advisor to the Hermitage Fund, which was formerly the largest foreign portfolio investor in Russia. The Hermitage Fund was founded in partnership with Republic National Bank, with $25 million in seed capital. The fund, and associated accounts, eventually grew to $4.5 billion of assets under management. In 1997, the Hermitage Fund was the best-performing fund in the world, up by 238%. Browder's primary investment strategy was shareholder rights activism. Browder took on large Russian companies such as Gazprom, Surgutneftegaz, Unified Energy Systems, and Sidanco. From 1995 to 2006, Hermitage Capital Management was one of the largest foreign investors in Russia, and Browder amassed millions through his management of the fund. In both 2006 and 2007, he earned an estimated £125–150 million.
Bill Browder on unweaving the global web of money laundering. Also talks about Russian Oligarchs, Red Notice, and Freezing Order in an interview.
The Hermitage Fund was founded in partnership with Republic National Bank, with $25 million in seed capital.
Financier-Turned–Human-Rights Activist Bill Browder to deliver Colgate University 2024 commencement address. In May 2024, he received the honorary degree doctor of letters from Colgate University and delivered the commencement address, urging the graduates to 'surround yourself with people, friends, and loved ones who share your values and visions.'
William Browder is an American-born British financier and political activist. He is the CEO of Hermitage Capital Management, the Head of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign, and an author. He earned an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 1989 and entered the financial sector.
Financier, human rights activist, and author Bill Browder, gave his views on current affairs in Russia, the US, and more at a literary event hosted by Cazenove Capital.
Browder's Battles: An Interview with the Anti-Corruption Campaigner. Bill Browder: I was once an investment fund manager. I ran something called the Hermitage Fund, and we became the largest foreign investment fund in Russia.
How Bill Browder Became Russia's Most Wanted Man. The hedge-fund manager has offered a fable for why the West should confront Putin.
William Browder is the Founder and CEO of Hermitage Capital Management, a leading global asset management firm.
Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice. This is a story about an accidental activist. Bill Browder started out his adult life as the Wall Street maverick whose instincts led him to Russia just after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Bill Browder discussed unweaving the global web of money laundering on CBS Sunday Morning.
William Browder delivered a TEDxBerlin talk titled 'How I figured out the Achilles heel of Vladimir Putin'.
William Browder appeared at The Aspen Institute to discuss 'Why Russia Hacked Our Election'. He also received the Aspen Institute Henry Crown Leadership Award in 2018.
William Felix Browder, born on April 23, 1964, in Princeton, New Jersey, cultivated a significant career in finance, culminating in his role as CEO and co-founder of Hermitage Capital Management. After graduating with a degree in economics from the University of Chicago and an MBA from Stanford University in 1989, Browder began his career in Eastern European practice at the Boston Consulting Group in London. He later worked for Maxwell Communication Corporation and managed Russian proprietary investments at Salomon Brothers. In 1996, he co-founded Hermitage Capital Management with Edmond Safra, investing an initial $25 million in Russia. The fund grew to manage $4.5 billion in assets, making it the largest foreign portfolio investor in Russia. Browder’s investment strategy involved shareholder rights activism, where he exposed corruption in Russian state-owned companies like Gazprom, Surgutneftegaz, and Unified Energy Systems. In 1999, he became a British citizen, having relinquished his U.S. citizenship in 1998.
His career took a significant turn in 2005 when he was denied entry to Russia and declared “a threat to national security” for his anti-corruption efforts. In 2007, Hermitage Capital’s Moscow offices were raided, and corporate registration documents were seized. His lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, investigated these actions and uncovered a $230 million tax fraud committed by Russian government officials. Magnitsky was subsequently arrested, imprisoned, and died in custody on November 16, 2009. This event profoundly impacted Browder, leading him to advocate for justice outside of Russia. He initiated a global campaign seeking targeted sanctions against human rights abusers and corrupt officials.
Browder’s efforts led to the passage of the Sergei Magnitsky Accountability Act in the United States in 2012, followed by the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act in 2016. Similar legislation has since been adopted in Canada, the United Kingdom, the Baltic states, the European Union, and Australia, with ongoing campaigns for its adoption in other countries like New Zealand and Japan. Beyond his activism, Browder has authored two books, “Red Notice” (2015) and “Freezing Order” (2022), detailing his experiences in Russia and his fight for justice. His work has earned him numerous accolades, including being named one of GQ’s Men of the Year in 2017 and receiving the Lantos Human Rights Prize in 2019, recognizing his substantial contributions to human rights and anti-corruption advocacy.
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