Powerful Female Hedge Funders In The World

This isn't new - as of last year, the number of working women had surpassed those of men. 

Yet in the hedge fund world, that precedent is still light years away. According to Hedge Fund Research, women only manage about 3% of the $1.6 trillion invested in hedge funds.

That should change soon -- it's been statistically proven that women make better alternative investment fund managers than men. A Hedge Fund Research study showed that female-run funds lost less money during the financial crisis (that can be attributed to women taking less risk). Portfolios overseen by a women also generated better returns over three to five year periods studied. In addition, the number of female traders is growing. Spread betting provider City Index (CI) says the men:women ratio of their clients is now 10:1. In 2001 it was only 56:1. That boost in female firepower at the trader level could mean more females entering the hedge fund industry or starting their own. 

But, this is also an industry where it has basically been scientifically proven that men will raise more money to manage than women. A Washington University in St. Louis study in 2010 found that people were willing to invest three-times as much money in a fund run by a male rather than one overseen by a female. 
So who are these female titans that are daring to stand among men and make waves? We rounded up some of the best.

Renee Haugerud

Name: Renee Haugerud Hedge Fund: Founder of Galtere Ltd.
Year Founded: 1998
Strategy: Global macro
AUM: $1 billion (Her fund started with only $5 million in assets.)
Performance: 12.5% annualized since 1999 (in 2011)
Background: She used to be a commodities trader.
Fun fact: Haugerud's from a rural town in Minnesota, where she used to serve meals to jail inmates because her dad was the town sheriff.
Location: New York

Elena Ambrosiadou

Name:  Elena Ambrosiadou Hedge Fund: Founder of IKOS Asset Management
Year Founded: 1992
Strategy: Systematic, quantitative focusing on currencies
AUM: $2.5 billion (she manages $1.2 billion in her FX fund)
Performance: Her fund is expected to generate 30% return this year. 
Background: She studied chemical engineering at university.
Fun fact: She owns the Maltese Falcon, one of the largest luxury yachts in the world.
Location: New York (though Ambrosiadou is Greek)

Geraldine Sundstrom

Name: Geraldine Sundstrom
Hedge Fund: Portfolio Manager at Brevan Howard
Year Joined: 2007 
Strategy: Global macro focusing on emerging markets
AUM: $2.5 billion (in Sundstrom's fund)
Performance: Unknown, but a WSJ article said her macro fund didn't do so well earlier this year.
Background: She used to be a banker at Citi, but has been in investment management for a while.
Fun fact: Her fund generated positive returns in 2008 despite market volatility and the financial crisis. 
Location: London

Pamela Lawrence

Name: Pamela Lawrence
Hedge Fund: Co-Founder of Restoration Capital Management
Year Founded: 2001
Strategy: Event-driven, focusing on distressed companies
AUM: $385 million (in 2010)
Performance: Unknown
Background: She's been investing in distressed debt for over 25 years.
Fun fact: She founded Restoration Capital Management with Ivona Smith, the two previously worked together at Tribeca Investments and Whippoorwill Associates.
Location: Greenwich, CT

Brigette Roberts

Name: Brigette Roberts Hedge Fund: Founder of YYC Capital Management
Year Founded: 2009
Strategy: Long/short equity with a focus on healthcare companies
AUM: *unknown, but she managed a $350 million healthcare portfolio while working at Daniel Loeb's Third Point
Performance: Up 6% YTD
Background: Roberts is a doctor by training, she received her medical degree from NYU but only did one year of her residency.
Fun fact: She's on Fortune's "40 Under 40: One's to Watch" list this year. 
Location: New York

Leda Braga

Name: Leda Braga
Hedge Fund: President of BlueCrest Capital Management
Year Joined: 2001
Strategy: Quantitative
AUM: $8 billion (in Braga's own BlueTrend Fund)
Performance: Up 12% YTD
Background: Braga has a Ph.D. in engineering and worked at JP Morgan before starting at BlueCrest.
Fun fact: She holds the title of female fund manager with the most assets under management for her own portfolio.
Location: London (though Braga is Greek)

Galia Velimukhametova

Name: Galia Velimukhametova 
Hedge Fund: Portfolio Manager at Man GLG
Year Joined: 2008 
Strategy: Event-driven focusing on distressed credit
AUM: *unknown, but her European Distressed Fund launched with $300 million AUM
Performance: Unknown, but TrustNet reports 10.2% annualized returns over last 2.6 years
Background: Used to be a trader at JP Morgan.
Fun fact: She was honored at a 100 Women in Hedge Funds gala this year, which was attended by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (William and Kate).
Location: London

Meridee Moore

Name: Meridee Moore 
Hedge Fund: Founder of Watershed Asset Management
Year Founded: 2002
Strategy: Event-driven focusing on distressed debt
AUM: $2 billion
Performance: Unknown
Background: Used to work for Tom Steyer's Farallon, the largest hedge fund on the west coast - the fund seeded Watershed by offering Moore the first investment.
Fun fact: She has a law degree from Yale.
Location: San Fracisco

Sonia Gardener

Name: Sonia Gardener
Hedge Fund: Co-Founder of Avenue Capital Group
Year Founded: 1995 (Avenue Capital)
Strategy: Event-driven focusing on distressed debt 
AUM: $14.6 billion
Performance: Unknown
Background: She's worked in investing for the last 23 years.
Fun fact: She also founded Amroc Investments before Avenue Capital, and was a senior portfolio manager there.
Location: New York

Mina Gerowin

Name: Mina Gerowin
Hedge Fund: Managing Director at Paulson & Co. Europe
Year Joined: 2007
Strategy: Merger-arbitrage and event-driven
AUM: *unknown, but Paulson & Co. has $32.5 billion AUM, one of the largest in America
Performance: Unknown
Background: Used to be a lawyer, but has been in investing for a while.
Fun fact: She was the first female banker hired at Lazard in the mid 1980s.
Location: London