Early Life and Education
Daniel Och was born on January 27, 1961, to a Jewish family. He grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey, and attended the Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union (now Golda Och Academy). Och then pursued higher education, earning a bachelor's degree in economics with a concentration in finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Rise to Success
Och began his career at Goldman Sachs in 1982, working in the Risk Arbitrage Department. He quickly advanced, becoming head of proprietary trading in the Equities Division and co-head of U.S. Equities Trading. After an 11-year tenure at Goldman Sachs, Och founded Och-Ziff Capital Management Group in 1994 with a $100 million investment from the Ziff brothers. Och-Ziff completed an initial public offering in 2007, listing on the New York Stock Exchange. Although the company's stock has declined since its IPO, Och's acumen propelled him to the forefront of the hedge fund industry.
Key Business Strategies
Och-Ziff Capital Management's success was built on a multi-strategy approach to investments. The firm employed global investment strategies, including long/short equity, special situations, and arbitrage. Under Och's leadership, the firm expanded to include credit and real estate strategies. After stepping down as chairman in 2019, the firm rebranded as Sculptor Capital Management. Och now runs his family office, Willoughby Capital, a growth equity investor.
Philanthropy
Daniel Och is actively involved in philanthropy, primarily through the Jane and Daniel Och Family Foundation. He is the vice chair of the Robin Hood Foundation. Och's philanthropic efforts have included significant donations to New York-Presbyterian Hospital, with the Spine Hospital named in his and his wife's honor. He also contributed to the establishment of The Och Initiative for Women in Finance at the University of Michigan. Och has donated more than $500 million to his charitable foundation.
