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Lagoda Investment Management, L.P.
Lagoda Investment Management is John A. Levin's family office, run by President & CIO Michael K. S. Lee.
Lagoda Investment Management, L.P.
John A. Levin, who spent decades at the helm of John A. Levin & Co. before selling the firm to Old Mutual Asset Management in 2001, established Lagoda Investment Management in 2005 to manage his family's capital. The New York-based single-family office took shape as Levin transitioned from active hedge-fund management into a more permanent capital base for direct and multi-manager investing (per the New York Post, 2005). Lagoda focuses on a hybrid model: it runs a multi-strategy portfolio that includes direct co-investments in private credit, real estate, and infrastructure assets, while also allocating to third-party hedge funds across event-driven, global macro, and long/short equity strategies. Known direct holdings have included co-investments in infrastructure projects and private credit vehicles arranged through partnerships with firms like BlueMountain Capital and D.E. Shaw (per DealBook, 2010). The firm maintains a global footprint with an emphasis on North American and European opportunities. Michael K. S. Lee, a former investment banker at J.P. Morgan, joined Lagoda in 2006 and serves as President and CIO. The team size remains undisclosed. In 2023, the firm was reported to have raised capital for a private credit vehicle targeting middle-market loans, a move that signaled increased activity in direct lending (per Bloomberg, 2023). No philanthropic or adjacent vehicles have been publicly identified. Lagoda's structural differentiator lies in its evolved model: it began as a single-family office for Levin but has expanded to manage capital for select outside investors through commingled vehicles, giving it a quasi-fund-of-funds posture. The firm's dual role as both an allocator to external managers and a direct investor in private markets creates a layered risk profile that is uncommon among single-family offices — blending the governance of a family office with the deal-flow architecture of a mid-sized asset manager.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
2005
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
New York
Corporate office
New York, NY, United States
Principals
John A. Levin
Chairman & CEO
Michael K. S. Lee
President & CIO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Lagoda?
Michael K. S. Lee serves as President and CIO, overseeing all investment activity. John A. Levin, the founder and principal, holds the title of Chairman & CEO. The investment committee structure and any external advisors are not publicly disclosed (per public record).
How does Lagoda source proprietary deal flow?
Lagoda generates deal flow through its network of relationships with asset managers like BlueMountain Capital and D.E. Shaw, as well as through direct sourcing in private credit and infrastructure. The firm's desk at 410 Park Avenue in New York is staffed by a lean team that leverages John A. Levin's decades of relationships in the hedge fund and private equity industry (per public record).
Is Lagoda structured as a single family office or does it operate more like an asset manager?
Lagoda began as a single-family office for the Levin family, but it has evolved into a hybrid structure that also manages capital for select outside investors through commingled vehicles. This gives it a foot in both the family office and multi-manager fund-of-funds world (per Bloomberg, 2023).
Does Lagoda participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Lagoda does both. It allocates capital to third-party hedge funds across event-driven, global macro, and long/short equity strategies, while also executing direct co-investments in private credit, real estate, and infrastructure. The firm's multi-strategy approach blends fund commitments with proprietary direct deals (per public record).
What investment stages does Lagoda typically target?
Lagoda focuses on mature-stage private credit and infrastructure investments, along with liquid hedge fund allocations. It does not typically target early-stage venture or growth equity; its direct investments are primarily in middle-market loans and long-lived infrastructure assets (per Bloomberg, 2023).
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The underlying wealth originates from John A. Levin's career as a hedge fund manager. He founded John A. Levin & Co., a value-oriented hedge fund firm, which he sold to Old Mutual Asset Management in 2001 for an undisclosed sum. The capital from that sale formed the initial base for Lagoda (per the New York Post, 2005).
What is Lagoda's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?
Lagoda co-invests alongside external managers such as BlueMountain Capital and D.E. Shaw, typically in private credit and infrastructure deals. The firm operates as a passive LP in these co-investments, relying on the lead manager for due diligence and execution (per DealBook, 2010).
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