Welcome to Charter Oak Advisors
Charter Oak is an opportunistic, concentrated, value-oriented investment firm. We seek to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns across through a long-term and flexible investment mandate.
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Charter Oak follows a disciplined investment process that aims to identify unique opportunities as a result of significant changes — either positive or negative — at the corporate or industry level.
We believe that pricing inefficiencies or catalysts that possess the proper margin of safety can create attractive entry points for investment and outsized opportunity for excess return. We employ a collaborative, team-oriented culture grounded in rigorous research and analysis to formulate investment ideas and develop robust theses. Charter Oak evaluates, adjusts, and manages risk supported by a balance between qualitative and quantitative metrics.
The firm is employee-owned and based in New York, NY. We look beyond short-term conventional thinking to pursue asymmetric opportunities spanning public markets.
The firm's Co-Founders and Managing Partners, Heath Watkin and Brad Walker, each possess more than 20 years of investment experience and have proven track records of investing capital across global capital markets, including event driven special situations.
Our goal is to deliver superior outcomes for our investors and generate strong risk-adjusted returns over multiple market cycles.
The firm is employee-owned and based in New York, NY. We look beyond short-term conventional thinking to pursue asymmetric opportunities spanning public markets.
The firm's Co-Founders and Managing Partners, Heath Watkin and Brad Walker, each possess more than 20 years of investment experience and have proven track records of investing capital across global capital markets, including event driven special situations.
Our goal is to deliver superior outcomes for our investors and generate strong risk-adjusted returns over multiple market cycles.
7
20
+
$
550
M
3
*Firmwide AUM and AUA as of 3/1/24.
Our Team
Heath Watkin
Co-Founder / Managing Partner
Mr. Watkin is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Charter Oak Advisors.
Prior to Charter Oak, Mr. Watkin was the President and Chief Investment Officer of TRB Advisors LP, the direct investment vehicle of Timothy Barakett's family office. Previously, Mr. Watkin was a Managing Director at Atticus Capital ($22b AUM, founded by Timothy Barakett), where he focused on special situations and deep value investments. Mr. Watkin serves as an observer on the Athletic Brewing Company Board. Mr. Watkin holds a B.S.E. degree in engineering and finance from Princeton University, Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He received his M.B.A with high distinction as a Baker Scholar from the Harvard Business School.
Prior to Charter Oak, Mr. Watkin was the President and Chief Investment Officer of TRB Advisors LP, the direct investment vehicle of Timothy Barakett's family office. Previously, Mr. Watkin was a Managing Director at Atticus Capital ($22b AUM, founded by Timothy Barakett), where he focused on special situations and deep value investments. Mr. Watkin serves as an observer on the Athletic Brewing Company Board. Mr. Watkin holds a B.S.E. degree in engineering and finance from Princeton University, Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He received his M.B.A with high distinction as a Baker Scholar from the Harvard Business School.
Brad Walker
Co-Founder / Managing Partner
Mr. Walker is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Charter Oak Advisors.
Prior to Charter Oak, Mr. Walker was a founding partner and Director of Research of Sachem Head Capital Management (~$5b AUM) where he focused on event driven and activist investments. Prior to Sachem Head, Mr. Walker was a Portfolio Manager at Point 72 and Director of Research at Atwater Capital. Mr. Walker started his public investing career as an analyst at Atticus Capital ($22b AUM). Prior to Atticus, Mr. Walker was a private equity analyst at JP Morgan Partners. Mr. Walker graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Biology from the College of Arts and Sciences and a B.S. in Finance from the Wharton School.
Prior to Charter Oak, Mr. Walker was a founding partner and Director of Research of Sachem Head Capital Management (~$5b AUM) where he focused on event driven and activist investments. Prior to Sachem Head, Mr. Walker was a Portfolio Manager at Point 72 and Director of Research at Atwater Capital. Mr. Walker started his public investing career as an analyst at Atticus Capital ($22b AUM). Prior to Atticus, Mr. Walker was a private equity analyst at JP Morgan Partners. Mr. Walker graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Biology from the College of Arts and Sciences and a B.S. in Finance from the Wharton School.
Nancy Jacobson Paley
Founding Partner /
Chief Operating Officer
Chief Operating Officer
Nancy Jacobson Paley is a Founding Partner and Chief Operating Officer.
Prior to Charter Oak, Ms. Paley was a Managing Director & COO of a $2T division of Blackrock. Previously, she held similar leadership roles at $40B equities firm Epoch Investment Partners and at special situations firm Octavian Advisors, affiliated with Reservoir Capital. She began her career at McKinsey & Company and also worked at Lehman Brothers and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Nancy graduated from Yale, Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and received her JD from Yale Law School.
Prior to Charter Oak, Ms. Paley was a Managing Director & COO of a $2T division of Blackrock. Previously, she held similar leadership roles at $40B equities firm Epoch Investment Partners and at special situations firm Octavian Advisors, affiliated with Reservoir Capital. She began her career at McKinsey & Company and also worked at Lehman Brothers and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Nancy graduated from Yale, Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and received her JD from Yale Law School.
Keith Lin
Partner / Managing Director
Keith Lin is a Partner and Managing Director of Charter Oak Advisors.
Prior to Charter Oak, Mr. Lin was a Managing Director of Hitchwood Capital Management, where he focused on concentrated equities and special situation investments. Prior to Hitchwood, Mr. Lin was a private equity associate at Thomas H. Lee Partners LP. Previously, Mr. Lin was an investment banking analyst at Credit Suisse. Mr. Lin graduated with distinction from Cornell University with a B.S. in Policy Analysis & Management. He received his M.B.A from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Prior to Charter Oak, Mr. Lin was a Managing Director of Hitchwood Capital Management, where he focused on concentrated equities and special situation investments. Prior to Hitchwood, Mr. Lin was a private equity associate at Thomas H. Lee Partners LP. Previously, Mr. Lin was an investment banking analyst at Credit Suisse. Mr. Lin graduated with distinction from Cornell University with a B.S. in Policy Analysis & Management. He received his M.B.A from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Alistair Meadows
Partner / Managing Director
Alistair Meadows is a Partner and Managing Director of Charter Oak Advisors.
Prior to Charter Oak, Mr. Meadows was an assistant portfolio manager at AB Arya Partners where he focused on energy and energy transition investments. Prior to Arya, Mr. Meadows worked at Leucadia Asset Management, Perella Weinberg and Citadel in similar roles. He began his finance career at Goldman Sachs as an associate in the investment banking division. Mr. Meadows received his JD/MBA from Columbia University where he was a Stone Scholar and Dean’s List and his BA from the University of Pennsylvania.
Prior to Charter Oak, Mr. Meadows was an assistant portfolio manager at AB Arya Partners where he focused on energy and energy transition investments. Prior to Arya, Mr. Meadows worked at Leucadia Asset Management, Perella Weinberg and Citadel in similar roles. He began his finance career at Goldman Sachs as an associate in the investment banking division. Mr. Meadows received his JD/MBA from Columbia University where he was a Stone Scholar and Dean’s List and his BA from the University of Pennsylvania.
Paul Cho
Partner / Managing Director
Paul Cho is a Partner and Managing Director of Charter Oak Advisors.
Prior to Charter Oak, Mr. Cho was a Partner and Senior Investment Analyst at Standard General L.P. where he focused on special situations in both credit and equity. He was formerly a portfolio manager at the LeFrak Organization. Prior to that, Mr. Cho was an investment analyst at Steadfast Financial LLC from 2002 to 2006 and an investment banking associate at Morgan Stanley, which he joined in 1998. Mr. Cho holds an A.B. in Economics from Princeton University, Phi Beta Kappa.
Prior to Charter Oak, Mr. Cho was a Partner and Senior Investment Analyst at Standard General L.P. where he focused on special situations in both credit and equity. He was formerly a portfolio manager at the LeFrak Organization. Prior to that, Mr. Cho was an investment analyst at Steadfast Financial LLC from 2002 to 2006 and an investment banking associate at Morgan Stanley, which he joined in 1998. Mr. Cho holds an A.B. in Economics from Princeton University, Phi Beta Kappa.
Michael Veetal
Vice President of Finance
Michael Veetal is the Vice President of Finance of Charter Oak Advisors.
Prior to joining Charter Oak, Mr. Veetal was a consultant at Impactive Capital (a $3B active impact investing firm) and Forty Four Holdings (a single-family investment office). Prior to that, Mr. Veetal spent 12 years at Blue Harbour Group, a $3.5B activist hedge fund, where he was Vice President and Controller and was responsible for accounting, finance, and operations activities of the firm. Prior to Blue Harbour, Mr. Veetal was Assistant Controller at Arience Capital Management, a $1.5B long/short equity hedge fund. Mr. Veetal began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in their capital markets audit and assurance practice where he served a variety of hedge fund and private equity clients. Mr. Veetal graduated with honors from Binghamton University School of Management with a B.S. in Accounting, and he is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York.
Prior to joining Charter Oak, Mr. Veetal was a consultant at Impactive Capital (a $3B active impact investing firm) and Forty Four Holdings (a single-family investment office). Prior to that, Mr. Veetal spent 12 years at Blue Harbour Group, a $3.5B activist hedge fund, where he was Vice President and Controller and was responsible for accounting, finance, and operations activities of the firm. Prior to Blue Harbour, Mr. Veetal was Assistant Controller at Arience Capital Management, a $1.5B long/short equity hedge fund. Mr. Veetal began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in their capital markets audit and assurance practice where he served a variety of hedge fund and private equity clients. Mr. Veetal graduated with honors from Binghamton University School of Management with a B.S. in Accounting, and he is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of New York.
Timothy R. Barakett
Advisor
Timothy R. Barakett is the Chairman and CEO of TRB Advisors LP, a private investment firm and family office. Prior to founding TRB in 2010, Mr. Barakett was the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Atticus Capital LP, a global investment management firm. Before founding Atticus in 1995, Mr. Barakett was a Managing Director at Junction Advisors, an investment management company specializing in risk arbitrage, and earlier in his career, he was a Senior Associate at Battery Ventures, a venture capital firm.
Mr. Barakett is Treasurer of Harvard University, a Fellow of the Harvard Corporation, and Chair of the Board of Harvard Management Company. Mr. Barakett also serves on the boards of Athletic Brewing Company, Commodore Capital, and Rethink Food NYC.
Mr. Barakett is an honorary trustee of the New York Public Library, where he previously served as a trustee. Mr. Barakett also previously served on the boards of The Dalton School, Mount Sinai Hospital, and Continuum Health Partners.
Mr. Barakett received a BA in economics from Harvard in 1987 and an MBA from the Harvard Business School in 1993.
Mr. Barakett is Treasurer of Harvard University, a Fellow of the Harvard Corporation, and Chair of the Board of Harvard Management Company. Mr. Barakett also serves on the boards of Athletic Brewing Company, Commodore Capital, and Rethink Food NYC.
Mr. Barakett is an honorary trustee of the New York Public Library, where he previously served as a trustee. Mr. Barakett also previously served on the boards of The Dalton School, Mount Sinai Hospital, and Continuum Health Partners.
Mr. Barakett received a BA in economics from Harvard in 1987 and an MBA from the Harvard Business School in 1993.
Our Team
All Team Members
Charter Oak’s approach includes finding compelling investment opportunities with positive climate externalities, across industry verticals. We focus on profitable companies with proven business models and multiple ways to win, exploring themes such as the energy transition, sustainability, and environmental regulation to identify investment candidates.
Charter Oak believes that regulatory changes are driving substantial global spend in climate-transition investments. Corporations are increasingly recognizing the need to adapt, while government-driven national energy security initiatives are likewise encouraging investment. Despite now being further into the energy transition with more economic visibility and demonstrated business models, valuations generally remain attractive, providing opportunities in high quality businesses with tailwinds and multiple ways to profit, focusing on good, profitable companies with positive climate externalities.
Charter Oak also believes that markets in regulated environmental instruments, and notably compliance carbon, play an important role in the climate transition and can be highly asymmetric, presenting attractive risk-reward opportunities for special situations investors.
Charter Oak focuses on public markets, which for investments in the climate space, provide liquidity and flexibility in the face of dynamic regulation. The public markets offer a less-binary option for this opportunity.
Charter Oak also believes that markets in regulated environmental instruments, and notably compliance carbon, play an important role in the climate transition and can be highly asymmetric, presenting attractive risk-reward opportunities for special situations investors.
Charter Oak focuses on public markets, which for investments in the climate space, provide liquidity and flexibility in the face of dynamic regulation. The public markets offer a less-binary option for this opportunity.
