Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Mick McGuire?
Mick McGuire is an American investor best known as the founder and former Managing Partner of Marcato Capital Management, a San Francisco-based activist hedge fund he ran from 2010 until it wound down in late 2019. During that period he became one of the more prominent shareholder activists of the decade, building stakes in public companies and pushing for changes to strategy, capital allocation, or board composition. He currently leads Eastview Management, a private investment office.
What is Mick McGuire's background?
McGuire holds an AB in Economics from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Early in his career he was a partner at Pershing Square Capital Management, Bill Ackman's activist hedge fund, where he was one of a small group of senior professionals overseeing several billion dollars in investor capital and focused on consumer, retail, financial services, and business services investments. He is based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
What is Mick McGuire's career history?
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2005–2009: Partner at Pershing Square Capital Management, working alongside Bill Ackman on consumer, retail, financial services, and business services investments.
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2010: Founded Marcato Capital Management in San Francisco.
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2010–2019: Served as Managing Partner of Marcato, which grew to roughly $3.2 billion in assets at its peak (2015) and ran a series of high-profile activist and event-driven campaigns. In 2013, Institutional Investor named him "Emerging Hedge Fund Manager of the Year" and Absolute Return named Marcato "U.S. Equity Fund of the Year."
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End of 2019: Closed Marcato Capital Management and returned capital to outside investors.
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Present: Founder of Eastview Management, a private investment office.
Which industries does Mick McGuire usually invest in?
Marcato's activist campaigns spanned a range of sectors rather than a single industry, with recurring focus on consumer and retail, restaurants, financial services, and business services — a continuation of the sector focus from his time at Pershing Square. Notable examples include Buffalo Wild Wings (restaurants/retail), Sotheby's (auctions/luxury retail), Bank of New York Mellon (financial services), Deckers Brands (footwear/consumer), and NCR Corporation (technology/business services).
What is Mick McGuire best known for?
McGuire is best known for Marcato's 2016–2017 proxy fight against Buffalo Wild Wings, in which he pushed the company to franchise more of its company-owned restaurants and improve margins. The campaign led to the resignation of longtime CEO Sally Smith and, in late 2017, the company's sale to Arby's parent Inspire Brands for $157 per share.
What is Mick McGuire doing now?
Since winding down Marcato Capital Management in 2019, McGuire has led Eastview Management, described as a private investment office rather than a traditional activist hedge fund managing outside capital.