SkyBridge Alternatives Conference
| SALT | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Conference |
| Dates | May |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location(s) | New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Inaugurated | 2009 |
| Founders | Anthony Scaramucci |
| Sponsor | SkyBridge Capital[1] |
| Website | salt |
The SkyBridge Alternatives Conference (often stylized SALT or SALT iConnections) is an annual hedge fund conference sponsored by SkyBridge Capital that started in 2009. The world's largest hedge fund conference, it is considered by The New York Times to be "one of Wall Street's most prominent gatherings"[2] and by Reuters to be a flagship conference for Wall Street.[3] Traditionally held in Las Vegas, Nevada, the conference moved to New York City in 2021.[3][4] The conference is known for hosting talks by "high-profile market experts, politicians and show business personalities".[5]
History
[edit]Founded in 2009 by Anthony Scaramucci, SALT has evolved into a three-day conference[6] that initially caused his rise to fame.[7] The inaugural conference took place in May 2009 in the ballroom of the Encore Las Vegas.[8]
The 2012 conference featured a performance by Maroon 5 and speeches by Al Gore and Sarah Palin.[9] That same year saw the launch of SALT Singapore,[10] which was later rebranded SALT Asia. By 2014, SALT Asia was reported to attract approximately half as many attendees as its larger Las Vegas counterpart.[11]
In 2017, the attempted[6] sale of SkyBridge Capital to HNA Group resulted in the SALT conference being spun off into its own entity[12] and Scaramucci's divestiture to join then-President Donald Trump's administration.[13] Eleven days after his hiring, he was fired by Trump and returned to SALT.[3] The proposed sale, which caused a hiatus in 2018,[14] did not complete, with HNA Group withdrawing its bid.[6]
Starting with the 2019 conference, the conference's focus shifted from being predominantly hedge fund focused to attracting wider audiences. It features world leaders, after-hours parties, and a concert. The 2019 conference included a performance by John Fogerty.[6] Speaking with Reuters in 2019, which noted how the conference was more subdued than in previous years without a party atmosphere, Scaramucci stated "What we are trying to do is very sober".[15] The conference experienced its second-highest attendance that year, with attendees interviewed by Reuters appreicating "the faster-paced program" and "subdued tone", which they felt "was more appropriate for the current times"[15]
The 2023 conference featured an interview with Dr. Garry Nolan about Unidentified flying objects which was hosted by SALT managing partner Alex Klokus.[16][17] Klokus hosted another object discussion with retired Lieutenant colonel Karl Nell, a former member of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, at the 2024 conference.[18][19]
Attendance
[edit]The largest hedge fund conference in the world,[20] SALT was referred to by journalist Lawrence Delevingne in 2014 as "the Super Bowl of hedge funds".[11][21] As of 2018, SALT has averaged 1,800 attendees and hosted former US Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ Kokalitcheva, Kia (September 19, 2022). "Crypto gets top billing at SkyBridge SALT event amid market 'winter'". Axios. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
- ^ de la Merced, Michael J. (2017-01-17). "Trump Aide Scaramucci Sells Investment Business to Chinese Consortium". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ a b c Herbst-Bayliss, Svea (September 15, 2021). "Flagship Wall St conference sees record attendance, run on steak". Reuters. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
- ^ Velati, Alyson. "That's hot: Paris Hilton and Steve Cohen expected at Anthony Scaramucci's SALT, as hedge funds celebrate their comeback at one of the industry's biggest conferences". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ Cox, Jeff (2017-01-17). "Trump adviser Scaramucci sells his hedge fund business". CNBC. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ a b c d Levy, Rachael. "Hedge Funds No Longer Stars of Their Flashiest Conference". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ Abu Omar, Abeer (2024-02-29). "Scaramucci's SkyBridge Jumps 16% This Year as Bitcoin Rallies - BNN Bloomberg". BNN Bloomberg. Bloomberg News. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ Scaramucci, Anthony (October 24, 2016). "How Anthony Scaramucci 'Hopped Over the Rabbit Hole'". Fortune. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ Pressler, Jessica (2012-05-04). "How Anthony Scaramucci Attracts Clients -- New York Magazine - Nymag". New York Magazine. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ Yamazaki, Tomoko (October 16, 2012). "Scaramucci to Raise Hedge-Fund Bets in Asia With SALT". Bloomberg. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
- ^ a b Delevingne, Lawrence (2014-03-18). "Hedge fund showcase event SALT looks to exit Singapore". CNBC. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ Stevenson, Alexandra (2017-05-19). "Anthony Scaramucci, Hedge Fund Showman, Finds Himself in Limbo". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ Beilfuss, Lisa. "SkyBridge Capital Founder, an Adviser to Donald Trump, to Exit Business". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ a b Herbst-Bayliss, Svea; Delevingne, Lawrence (January 24, 2018). "Scaramucci hits pause button on Las Vegas hedge fund party". Reuters. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
- ^ a b Herbst-Bayliss, Svea (May 9, 2019). "Scaramucci celebrates hedge funds in Vegas at SALT with less glitz". Reuters. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
- ^ "Stanford Professor Says Aliens Are '100%' Living Among Us | 98.1 The Breeze". The Morning Breeze w/ Carolyn McArdle & Cort Johnson. Retrieved 2024-05-17.
- ^ Chung, Frank (May 20, 2023). "Stanford professor says aliens are '100 per cent' on earth, US is 'reverse-engineering downed UFOs'". News.com.au. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
- ^ Whiteside, Steph; Coulthart, Ross (2024-05-30). "Aliens are interacting with humans: Ret. Army Col". NewsNation. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ "Excoronel de EE UU: «La inteligencia extraterrestre existe e interactúa con la humanidad»". El Nacional (in Spanish). May 31, 2024. Archived from the original on May 31, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
- ^ Fortado, Lindsay (July 26, 2017). "'Relax, Scaramucci isn't touching your money'". The Financial Times. Retrieved 2024-06-02.
- ^ Stevenson, Alexandra (2016-06-17). "A Who's Who of Financiers Is Expected at Trump's New York Fund-Raiser". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-06-02.