Thomas Ricketts
President, Chief Investment Officer, Portfolio Manager at Evolutionary Tree Capital Management, LLC
About
Thomas Ricketts, CFA, is President and Chief Investment Officer at Evolutionary Tree Capital Management, LLC, an innovation-focused boutique investment firm based in Washington, DC. In his role, he oversees all aspects of the firm including portfolio management, research, and client engagement, with a mission to connect clients to leading innovative businesses with the potential for significant long-term wealth creation.
Ricketts draws on over 25 years of investment experience, having previously served as Senior Portfolio Manager for Sands Capital’s flagship Select Growth strategy, a concentrated large-cap growth equity portfolio exceeding $20 billion in assets. Throughout his career, he has developed deep expertise in growth equity investing, focusing on sectors such as healthcare, technology, and consumer industries, and is known for his ability to identify high-quality, sustainable growth businesses.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, and completed the Advanced Certificate for Executives at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Ricketts is recognized for building and leading high-performing research teams, driving organizational growth from startup to multi-billion dollar AUM, and his strategic leadership in identifying evolutionary investment opportunities.
Career History
| Organization | Role | Date Range | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evolutionary Tree Capital Management | President, Chief Investment Officer, Portfolio Manager | Aug 2017 to Present | • Founder and President. Mr. Ricketts, CFA, oversees management of an investment boutique specializing in innovation-focused, concentrated-growth portfolios. • CIO, Portfolio Manager and Research Anal... |
| Sands Capital Management | Sr. Portfolio Manager, Member of Directing Research Team, Executive Managing Director | Jan 2008 to Jun 2016 | Sr. Portfolio Manager (2008-2015) • Co-PM and decision-maker on flagship US large-cap concentrated growth strategy with peak assets of approximately $20 billion • This was Mr. Ricketts' primary role a... |
| Sands Capital | Global Life Sciences Sector Head | Jan 2004 to Jan 2011 | • Built out the firm's Global Life Science team, led multi-analyst team, and set research priorities • Conducted research on numerous biotechnology, medical technology, and other healthcare-related co... |
| Sands Capital Management | Research Analyst, Portfolio Manager | Jan 2001 to Jan 2004 | • Generalist analyst with emphasis on Life Sciences, Technology and Consumer Sectors • Significant involvement in prospecting and client retention |
| Sands Capital Management | Research Analyst | Jan 1997 to Jan 2001 | • Generalist analyst with emphasis on Life Sciences, Technology and Consumer Sectors • Involved in deepening our research processes and assisting in consulting/prospect outreach |
| Sands Capital Management | Assistant to the President | Jan 1994 to Jan 1997 | • CFA Designation 1997 • Assistant to the Founder, Frank Sands, Sr. • Broad involvement in both research and business support during early/start-up phase of the firm |
Education
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
ACE Certificate Sloan School of Management
2016 — 2017
University of Virginia
Others at Evolutionary Tree Capital Management, LLC (2)
| Name | Role | Location |
|---|---|---|
 | Senior Research Analyst and Associate Portfolio Manager | Washington, DC , United States |
D Daniel Ayre | Research Analyst | Baltimore, MD , United States |