Perpetual Thinking at Rockefeller University

Tom Lenehan is the Deputy Chief Investment Officer of The Rockefeller University, where he helps lead the management of the University’s $2 billion endowment. Rockefeller University is a unique duck – with a focused mission of improving the understanding of life for the benefit of humanity. Founded in 1901, it was the first institution in the country devoted exclusively to biomedical research.

In this episode we start with Tom’s roots in Cleveland and a look at what makes a die hard Cleveland sports fan. We track his career, from a start at Goldman Sachs to work at premier private equity firms, and a transition from principal investor to allocator for just the right reason. Turning to investing, Tom discusses fundamental questions about asset allocation for an endowment and describes how a great story can help gain access to top tier venture firms. His insights give managers and allocators alike a window into the thought process of some of the most desired pools of capital.