People

Michael Kao

Michael Kao

Formal First Name
Michael
Location

Michael Kao is the Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager of Kao Family Office. He started the family office in 2019 following 17 years of running an opportunistic, value-driven investment strategy at Akanthos Capital Management. With more than 25 years of experience in the investment industry, Kao has analyzed, devised, and implemented trading strategies in a convertible and capital structure arbitrage, merger arbitrage, standalone, and option strategies. He also focused on firm-wide portfolio hedges using index options, interest rate instruments, currency options, and commodity options.

Professional Experience


Academic History

  • Kao began his career in the commodities unit at Goldman Sachs, engaging in index arbitrage, proprietary trading strategies in over 30 underlying future and options markets.
  • He has devised and implemented investment strategies spanning multiple asset classes and markets since 1992. 
  • He enjoys blogging about the markets and economy on Twitter @UrbanKaoboy.
  • He has appeared as a guest on Real Vision and 2021 Real Vision Festival of Learning.