- 1. Background
FARRELL
Michael
Founder of Annaly Capital Management
Organization: Annaly Capital Management
Profession: Founder
Biography
Michael A.J. Farrell built Annaly Capital Management Inc. into the world’s largest mortgage real estate investment trust. He passed away in October of 2012 after being diagnosed with cancer.
Background
Farrell, who graduated high school at 16 with plans to become a commercial artist, instead went to Wall Street, beginning at E.F. Hutton & Co. in 1971. After stints at Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch & Co., he started Annaly in 1997 and increased assets to about $128.3 billion at the end of June, turning the firm into one of the largest buyers of home loan debt backed by the U.S. He branched out with separate companies that buy non-agency bonds and commercial real estate securities.