William Ackman on Middle East geopolitics
From Bill Ackman Milken Conference 2026-MAY-04 Monday · · TorontoWealthGroup
“I think the Middle East has been reset in a very positive way, right? It's not been good to be a terrorist in the last couple of years, right? Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, Iran, you know, the greatest enemies of democracy and the United States have been set back in a dramatic way. I think the Abraham Accords are going to expand meaningfully. I think Iran has shown itself to not just be an enemy of the United States and Israel, right? The first thing they did is they attacked all the other Gulf countries. So I think a peace dividend emerges from this.”
On , William Ackman, CEO & Portfolio Manager at Pershing Square, spoke about Middle East geopolitics during Bill Ackman Milken Conference 2026-MAY-04 Monday on TorontoWealthGroup.
About William Ackman
In late April and early May 2026, Bill Ackman oversaw the dual IPO of Pershing Square USA (PSUS), a new closed-end fund, and Pershing Square Inc. (PS), the alternative asset management company. The offering raised $5 billion, which Ackman described as the sixth-largest IPO in the prior decade and the largest closed-end fund offering in U.S. history. He stated that the capital would be deployed within weeks, calling it a "great time to put the capital to work." Ackman emphasized that the fund would differ from typical closed-end funds by offering lower fees, better governance, quarterly earnings calls, and investor days, and he characterized it as "the rebirth of the closed-end investment company universe." He also noted that retail investors received larger allocations than usual, which he said contributed to early trading volatility. Ackman discussed his investment philosophy in several interviews, stating that the most important factor in his approach is "business quality" and the durability of a company's growth. He said that founder-led companies are particularly attractive because their leaders have long-term stakes in the business. On the topic of artificial intelligence, Ackman described it as both the "greatest time to build a business" and a "major threat to portfolios," adding that every company is now an AI company and that boards are prioritizing the topic. He expressed a bullish view on the market, saying that stocks are "fairly valued" and that he sees "cuts ahead" for interest rates. Ackman also commented on his activist campaign involving Universal Music Group, stating that the company needs a "reset" and that his proposal includes a move from Amsterdam to a U.S. listing, a new board led by Mike Ovitz, and a more aggressive buyback program. He said succession at Pershing Square is already in place.