Dax Vlassis

Dax Vlassis is Managing Partner and Director of Event-Driven Research at Gates Capital Management, Inc., a New York-based hedge fund. Since joining the firm in 1999, he has played a pivotal leadership role, specializing in the identification and analysis of event-driven investment opportunities across public markets. As a key partner, he actively collaborates in investment decision-making, portfolio construction, and overall firm strategy, with a focus on generating value through deep fundamental research and disciplined risk management.

Vlassis directs investment research in sectors characterized by stable, cash-generative business models and high transparency of cash flows. Gates Capital’s funds under his research oversight typically target industries such as industrials, building products, business services, and select consumer sectors, while avoiding highly cyclical and opaque areas like technology and energy exploration. The strategy emphasizes positions high in the capital structure—senior secured credit and equity—especially in companies experiencing significant corporate events such as restructurings, mergers, or market dislocations.

Prior to Gates Capital, Vlassis’s background includes collegiate athletics and a strong analytical base, having played college tennis at Rollins. His expertise in event-driven strategies has contributed to the long-term outperformance of the ECF Value Funds, which have achieved strong risk-adjusted returns through turbulent markets and complex event cycles. Vlassis maintains a reputation for rigorous due diligence and concentrated personal investment in the funds he manages, underscoring his alignment with client interests and dedication to prudent capital stewardship.