Overview of the Firm
BAAM, a Delaware limited partnership, is a leading multi-asset investing provider and primarily
provides investment advisory services to private investment funds (collectively, the “BAAM
Funds”) that predominantly engage in multi-manager investment programs. Many BAAM Funds
are commonly referred to in the industry as funds of hedge funds. Other BAAM Funds engage in
direct investing as part of their investment program. BAAM also advises clients / accounts,
typically on a non-discretionary basis, regarding such clients’ investment portfolio (together with
BAAM Funds, the “BAAM Clients”).
BAAM was founded in 1990 as part of Blackstone Inc. (NYSE: BX) (“Blackstone”), which is
the ultimate parent of BAAM. Blackstone is a leading alternative investment manager with
investment programs and services concentrating in the private equity, real estate, debt / credit
and secondaries businesses, as well as the multi-asset investing business. BAAM shares
employees and facilities with Blackstone Strategic Alliance Advisors L.L.C. (“BSAA”),
Blackstone Alternative Solutions L.L.C. (“BAS”), and Blackstone Alternative Investment
Advisors LLC (“BAIA”), each a registered investment adviser. Please s
ee Item 10 – Other
Financial Industry Activities and Affiliations for more information.
BAAM’s assets under management (“AUM”) were $53 billion as of December 31, 2023 Please
note that this is an unaudited estimate. In the case of assets managed by BAAM which are
sub-advised or allocated to Other BXMA Clients, such assets are included in the AUM for both
BAAM and the Other BXMA Advisers if BAAM is paid a fee on such assets.
Overview of Advisory Services
As investment adviser to BAAM’s Clients, BAAM:
Identifies and implements investment opportunities for BAAM Clients;
Participates in the monitoring of BAAM Clients’ investments;
Makes decisions on behalf of BAAM Clients to purchase and/or sell investments;
Engages in foreign currency hedging transactions and/or the hedging of certain market
exposures for certain BAAM Clients; and
Employs leverage for BAAM Clients in various forms (including via credit facilities,
derivative transactions, margin transactions and other credit arrangements): (a) when BAAM
believes that the use of leverage may enable the BAAM Clients to achieve a higher rate of
return, (b) to meet redemptions that would otherwise result in the premature liquidation of
investments, and/or (c) to finance investments or other costs and expenses in anticipation of
the receipt of equity capital from investors and/or realization proceeds from investments. The
use of leverage increases the risk of loss.
Typically, a BAAM Fund’s strategy generally is to allocate capital to a diversified group of
Underlying Managers that invest or trade in a wide variety of securities and other instruments,
including, but not limited to, equities and fixed income securities, currencies, commodities,
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futures contracts, options and other derivative instruments, all of which may be listed or unlisted,
rated or unrated, distressed or publicly or privately issued. From time to time, BAAM Funds also
invest in separate managed accounts with Underlying Managers (the funds and accounts
managed by Underlying Managers are referred to herein as the “Underlying Investment
Vehicles”). Subject to guidelines of particular Client Constituent Documents, BAAM Funds
invest in other BAAM Funds and Underlying Investment Vehicles managed by Other Blackstone
Advisers, Blackstone Affiliated Managers and Blackstone Interest Managers. For certain BAAM
Funds, BAAM may also invest some or all of the BAAM Fund’s capital directly in the securities
and other instruments described above.
In
General, BAAM Offers Three Types of Products:
1. Commingled Funds
“Commingled Funds” are BAAM Funds that are offered to multiple investors and invest
in multiple Underlying Investment Vehicles and/or BAAM Funds and in some cases
make direct investments (e.g., Blackstone’s Dislocation Funds, certain Customized Funds
and Advisory Clients). BAAM mandates the investment guidelines (e.g., risk factors,
leverage, concentration limits, etc.) and makes investment decisions in its sole
discretion. Generally, Commingled Funds also invest in other BAAM Funds, including in
certain circumstances a BAAM Fund which provides investment exposure to a single
Underlying Manager (referred to by BAAM as “Wrappers”), a group of Underlying
Managers concentrated in one investment thesis (referred to by BAAM as “Pods”) or
direct investments within the guidelines of the Client Constituent Documents. Where a
BAAM Fund invests in other BAAM Funds, generally there is only one level of fees
charged by BAAM.
Note: *A Commingled BAAM Fund may be an externally offered BAAM Fund or a BAAM Fund which is an
intermediary fund (e.g., pods, in some cases, wrappers) or makes direct investments which are typically only offered
to other BAAM Clients. A Commingled BAAM Fund may be in the form of an entity (e.g., Delaware limited
partnership, Cayman limited company, etc.) or a “Managed Account,” which is a fund managed and advised by
BAAM that contracts with third-party hedge fund managers to conduct day-to-day investment activities on behalf of
such Commingled Funds.
2. Customized Funds
A “Customized Fund” is where BAAM establishes a fund or account for a single investor
or limited number of related investors and such fund or account invests in Underlying
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Investment Vehicles and/or BAAM Funds and in some cases make direct investments.
Customized Funds generally have tailored investment guidelines and restrictions,
customized investment objectives and strategies, and customized reporting. The investor
is involved in establishing the investment guidelines and terms of the Customized Fund,
although generally BAAM maintains discretion to make investment decisions. Certain
Customized Funds are structured as managed accounts. Where a Customized Fund
invests in another BAAM Fund, generally there is only one level of fees charged by
BAAM. Under limited circumstances, Other Blackstone Advisers charge fees on assets
invested with such advisers by a Customized Fund.
Note: *A Customized BAAM Fund may be in the form of a managed account.
3. Advisory Clients
On a limited basis, BAAM provides investment advisory services regarding a Client’s
hedge fund portfolio, and in certain instances other investments (an “Advisory Client”).
Advisory Clients typically maintain discretion over their portfolios (i.e., the right to make
all investment decisions).
BAAM Funds, Customized Funds and Advisory Clients constitute BAAM’s Clients.
Investors in BAAM Funds (“Investors”) are not deemed to be BAAM Clients but are
entitled to the rights and benefits described in the applicable Confidential Offering
Memorandum, Limited Partnership Agreements, Investment Management Agreements
and other applicable constituent fund documents (the “Client Constituent Documents”).
Investors invested in the Customized Funds and Advisory Clients generally are subject to
a significantly higher minimum investment threshold than Investors invested in the
Commingled Funds due to the customized investment mandates and individualized nature
of other services provided.
BAAM typically engages third party service providers, such as custodians, administrators
and/or auditors, on behalf of the BAAM Clients other than for Advisory Clients or certain
Customized Funds structured as managed accounts.
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