top of page

Lord Michael Hintze,
Kt., AM, GCSG

Sir Michael Hintze

Founder & Owner

Lord Hintze is the founder, Executive Chairman and a Director and Senior Portfolio Manager of CQS, a London-headquartered global multi-strategy asset management firm, with offices in Hong Kong and New York.

MH Premium Farms (MHPF) was established in 2007. It has grown into a diversified agricultural business and has acquired a wide ranging portfolio of properties throughout Australia. In establishing MHPF, commercial expertise was brought in to change existing ideas about conglomerate farming.

Career
Michael began his career working as an Electrical Design Engineer for Civil and Civic Pty Ltd in Australia, during this time he also served in the Australian Regular Army in the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, progressing to the rank of Captain. Michael began his career in finance in 1982 with Salomon Brothers, New York, following which he held a number of senior roles at Goldman Sachs and CSFB, prior to establishing CQS in 1999.

Philanthropy
Michael has significant philanthropic interests and to consolidate these, the Hintze Family Charitable Foundation was established in 2005. Since inception, over 200 charities have received funding from the Foundation. Major donations in Australia have included funding at the University of Sydney for the construction of a new residential wing at St John’s College, the establishment of the chair of International Security at the University of Sydney and contributions towards the Maclean Museum and the Charles Perkins Centre, which focuses on turning medical research into viable treatments. Funding has also been provided to the University of New South Wales (UNSW) for a new lecture theatre. Other initiatives supported by Michael include the Ken Rosewall Regional Project providing free weekly tennis lessons to primary school children in regional and rural areas across Australia. 
 
Michael was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Gregory and subsequently a Knight Grand Cross by the Pope. He has also been honoured as “Australian of the Year” in the UK. Michael and his wife Dorothy have received the Prince of Wales Award for Arts Philanthropy and he has been made a Member of the Order of Australia for services to the community through philanthropic contributions supporting the arts, health and education. In June 2013, Michael was awarded a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his philanthropic services to the arts. In 2022 Michael was appointed to the House of Lords in recognition of his contributions in business and philanthropy.

Other Appointments
Michael served on the International Advisory Panel for the Australian government’s Financial Services Inquiry and as a Member of the Market Practitioners’ Panel of the UK’s Fair and Effective Markets Review. He presently serves as a Member of the Vatican Bank Board and sits on the Audit Committee of the Duchy of Cornwall.

Education
Michael holds a BSc in Physics and Pure Mathematics and a BEng in Electrical Engineering both from the University of Sydney. He holds an MSc in Acoustics from the University of New South Wales, an MBA from Harvard Business School and received a DBA (honoris) from the University of New South Wales.

bottom of page