Derek Pilecki, CFA, Portfolio Manager, Gator Capital Management

Financials expert weighs in on the biggest risks facing banks, private credit, the Fed, fintech innovation, and more

Recently I interviewed a former client and hedge fund manager Derek Pilecki, CFA, who runs Gator Gapital Management in Tampa, FL.

Here is the conversation.

Derek had many great takes during our conversation that are relevant to those whose work is impacted by or will impact banks, particularly small and mid-cap banks. He weighed in on fintech, private credit, the biggest risks facing banks, where opportunities are for banks, the Fed, and much more. Derek has grown his firm organically through outstanding investment performance, writing detailed and consistent investment letters, and having a contrarian, value-oriented approach in a complex, fragmented, misunderstood, but large industry - financials. He IS NOT just a bank stock analyst like most financials sector fund managers and has great perspectives on alternative asset managers, insurance, and the capital markets.

Here is his bio from his website.

In 2008, Derek Pilecki founded Gator Capital Management. He currently manages a long/short financials strategy, long-only financials strategy, and various other individual portfolios. Derek has managed a private fund for 11 years. He launched one mutual fund and took over management of another mutual fund.

From 2002 through 2008, Derek was a member of the Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) Growth Equity Team (Co-Chair of the Investment Committee for the Growth Team and a Portfolio Manager).

Prior to GSAM, Derek was an Analyst at Clover Capital Management in Rochester, NY and Burridge Growth Partners in Chicago, IL. He covered the Financials sector at both firms. Before entering graduate school, Derek worked at Fannie Mae providing interest rate risk analysis for the company’s mortgage investment portfolio.

Derek holds an MBA with honors in Finance and Accounting from the University of Chicago and a BA in Economics from Duke University. He is also a CFA® charterholder.