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STRONG WORK ETHIC

Rajaratnam, unlike most of the other superstar managers, is not U.S. born. He was born in Sri Lanka and educated in England, and came to the United States to attend the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce. He came as a student and stayed. He feels this background has had an influence on him. Because he didn't have a support system in the United States, he has never been complacent and has a strong work ethic. Nothing is taken for granted and he doesn't think life owes him anything.

Rajaratnam compares this business to getting a report card every day. "I am very focused and disciplined. You need a toughness. You need to take it personally, yet if you take it too personally, it could wear you down. It requires a lot of stamina. You could have the right analysis but be wrong on the market."

NEEDHAM CONNECTION

After graduating from Wharton, Rajaratnam worked at Needham & Company. In December 1991, at the age of 34, Rajaratnam became president of Needham. After a few months, he realized the job was not for him; he didn't want to manage people, and he needed other challenges. So with the company's permission, he started a hedge fund, Needham Emerging Growth Partnership, in March 1992 with $15 million. Most of the money was from technology company executives he knew. He ran the hedge fund and continued his duties as president of Needham.

By mid to late 1996, he knew he wanted to focus all his time on the hedge fund. By then, the hedge fund assets had grown to $250 million. He bought the fund from the company and renamed it Galleon. Galleon refers to the boats in the Spanish Armada that carried the gold while navigating rough waters. On January 2, 1997, when Galleon officially started, assets stood at $350 million. Throughout the office, a visitor will see ship models and ship prints of galleons.

Gary Rosenbach, Krishen Sud, and Ari Arjavalingam went with Rajaratnam.