James Laurence Melcher (November 5, 1939 – April 17, 2023) was an American hedge fund manager and Olympic fencer.
He competed in the individual and team épée events at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany.
However, he continued fencing at the Fencers Club in his free time, and took lessons for several years from Hall of Famer Michel Alaux.
[5] His competitive fencing career largely ended in 1974 when he developed chronic fatigue syndrome, from which he had since recovered.
[5] Melcher maintained that for both investing and fencing, one needs "a high level of self-control, particularly control over emotional reactions".
[9][10] Melcher named the firm after the 'balestra', a fencing move involving a sudden leap forward, but which also sometimes "dictates a strategic retreat.
[11] Balestra was named Macro Global Hedge Fund of the Year by Absolute Return Magazine in 2008.