Pursuits
Goodbye Hedge Funds, Hello Moomins as Financier Eyes Theme Park
- Derivatives pioneer Robert Hirst plans Moomin venue in Japan
- Sees better prospects for cute characters than hedge funds
Robert Hirst and Moomin.
Source: Robert HirstThis article is for subscribers only.
Three decades in Tokyo’s finance scene led Robert Hirst to this: opening a theme park starring Nordic hippo-like characters known as Moomins.
The veteran British financier who helped pioneer yen-dollar swaps at the height of Japan’s bubble economy has turned his back on hedge funds and is knee-deep in sketches of the mouthless, round-bellied adventurers created by Finland’s Tove Jansson in the 1930s. He plans to open his venue in the hills outside Tokyo next year. Moomins, he says, are perfect for the nation that reveres fictional characters such as Hello Kitty.