Qais Zaharia
Nomad Investment Partnership
A prominent figure in the Finance and Investing industry, Qais Zaharia founded and led Nomad Investment Partnership from 1995 to 2014, focusing on investments grounded in deep understanding and analysis. Drawing from personal experience, particularly the lessons learned from his father's failed stock market speculation, he championed the principle that true opportunities often arise from past losses. Under his leadership, Nomad Investment Partnership achieved a remarkable 15% annualized return over nearly two decades, while emphasizing the importance of discernment in investment choices. Zaharia's insights continue to resonate with entrepreneurs today, advocating for a disciplined approach to investment that prioritizes knowledge and awareness of market dynamics.
Core Principles
resilience
Opportunity often appears after a loss or perceived loss; stay alert and prepared to act when it does.
Qais Zaharia was laid off from his job in Hong Kong when his boss was fired. Desperate, he took a sell-side analyst role at Deutsche Bank that he initially hated. This led directly to meeting Nick Sleep and founding Nomad, one of history's greatest investment partnerships.
strategy
Make money on things you deeply understand, and avoid things you don't fully comprehend, regardless of their apparent opportunity.
Qais Zaharia's father made his fortune in machinery export but lost it speculating in stocks he didn't understand using leverage. This lesson shaped Nomad's philosophy: they only invested in businesses they had thoroughly researched and understood deeply.
“My father had made his money on things he understood and lost them on things he didn't understand.”
Stories
Qais Zaharia's father built a successful machinery export business but lost it all speculating in stocks he didn't understand using borrowed money. The failure became formative: Qais learned to only invest in things he comprehends deeply. This principle became core to Nomad's strategy.
Lesson: Make money on things you understand deeply; avoid things you don't understand, regardless of opportunity or leverage available.
Notable Quotes
“My father had made his money on things he understood and lost them on things he didn't understand.”
Explaining how his father's financial collapse shaped his investment philosophy
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Qais Zaharia's key business principles?▼
Qais Zaharia's core principles include: Opportunity often appears after a loss or perceived loss; stay alert and prepared to act when it does.. Make money on things you deeply understand, and avoid things you don't fully comprehend, regardless of their apparent opportunity.. Founder Almanac has cataloged 2 total principles from Qais's career.
What can entrepreneurs learn from Qais Zaharia?▼
Key lessons from Qais Zaharia include: Make money on things you understand deeply; avoid things you don't understand, regardless of opportunity or leverage available.. Explore 1 stories and 0 frameworks from Qais's experience.
What is Qais Zaharia known for in business?▼
A prominent figure in the Finance and Investing industry, Qais Zaharia founded and led Nomad Investment Partnership from 1995 to 2014, focusing on investments grounded in deep understanding and analysis. Drawing from personal experience, particularly the lessons learned from his father's failed stock market speculation, he championed the principle that true opportunities often arise from past losses. Under his leadership, Nomad Investment Partnership achieved a remarkable 15% annualized return over nearly two decades, while emphasizing the importance of discernment in investment choices. Zaharia's insights continue to resonate with entrepreneurs today, advocating for a disciplined approach to investment that prioritizes knowledge and awareness of market dynamics.
More Finance & Investing Founders
Want Qais's advice on your business?
Our AI has studied Qais Zaharia's biography, principles, and decision-making frameworks. Ask any business question.
Start a conversation