Hedge Fund Rising Stars: Marina Mekhlis

In a September 2011 white paper, Rocaton Investment Advisors research specialist Marina Mekhlis made what many in the asset management industry point to as a compelling case for including long-short equity managers in equity allocations. Mekhlis, 29, contends that long-short managers can be better at capital preservation and benefit from the flexibility of their investment mandate — though she warns that hedge fund managers require ongoing due diligence to protect against style drift and ensure adherence to proper risk management policies. At Norwalk, Connecticut–­based investment consulting firm Rocaton, Mekhlis is responsible for evaluating hedge funds, funds of hedge funds and private equity firms. She has a BA in finance and economics from New York University and a JD from New York Law School. She joined Rocaton in the summer of 2010.