Ray Dalio – The Man Who Built a Billion Dollar Empire
Ray Dalio is not only one of the greatest investors of all time, but also the founder of the “principles-based investing” school. With a fortune of $16.5 billion and a career associated with the world’s largest hedge fund – Bridgewater Associates – Dalio has proven that discipline, transparency and independent thinking are the key factors leading to sustainable success in the financial world.
Starting from a small office in New York
Bridgewater Associates was founded in 1975, when Dalio was still working from his two-bedroom apartment. From humble beginnings, Bridgewater has grown into a global investment empire with hundreds of billions of dollars in assets under management. Bridgewater's success comes from its global macro strategy, the “Pure Alpha” and “All Weather” models, built on rigorous investment algorithms and processes.
Principles are the compass
Unlike traditional investors, Dalio is famous for operating Bridgewater based on a set of principles he has formulated throughout his career. These principles were later compiled in the book "Principles: Life & Work", becoming one of the classic documents on management and investment thinking.
He believes that facing the truth and being completely transparent internally is the key to building an effective organization. At Bridgewater, all meetings are recorded, and every individual has the right to argue based on data - a model that is likened to "honest radar culture".
Global vision and crisis warning
In addition to his role as an investor, Ray Dalio is also a global strategic thinker. He frequently shares his views on debt cycles, inflation, and geopolitics. In recent years, Dalio has repeatedly warned of the risk of a crisis.