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George Chirakis is an Australian finance executive with over 20 years of experience in asset management. He served as CEO of Ophir Asset Management from 2019 to 2024, where he tripled funds under management. In January 2025, he joined Scarcity Partners as a partner focused on private equity fundraising.
George Chirakis built his professional foundation through dual credentials in law and commerce. He earned a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) from the University of Adelaide. This combination gave him both analytical rigor and legal thinking skills that would prove valuable throughout his finance career.
His first role was with Kelly & Co. Lawyers Pty Ltd in Adelaide, where he worked from 2000 to 2004. The firm, which was later acquired by HWL Ebsworth Lawyers in 2014, provided legal services with a non-traditional approach. This early experience in corporate law exposed Chirakis to business structures and commercial decision-making.
Later in his career, he pursued an MBA with Distinction from the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) at UNSW Business School. This advanced degree positioned him for senior leadership roles in the investment sector.
Chirakis transitioned from law to finance through a position at FIL Investments International (Fidelity International) in 2004. Based in the UK, the firm manages assets globally and provides him with exposure to international markets. He spent six years there, developing expertise in investment advisory and asset management services. This role ended in August 2010.
He then joined AMP Capital Investors Ltd, one of Australia’s largest asset management firms. AMP Capital, part of the AMP Group, founded in 1849, manages superannuation funds and infrastructure investments across multiple countries. Chirakis spent eight years there, from 2010 to 2019.
At AMP Capital, Chirakis held the position of Head of SMSF & Self-Managed Wealth. This role focused on self-managed superannuation funds and high-net-worth investors who prefer direct control over their investments. He built relationships with institutional clients and gained deep knowledge of Australia’s retirement savings system. His work involved distribution strategy, product development, and sales across different investor segments.
In February 2019, Chirakis joined Ophir Asset Management as an Investment Director. Ophir is an independent asset management firm headquartered in Sydney, co-founded by Andrew Mitchell and Steven Ng in 2012. The firm specializes in small and mid-cap Australian and global equities, serving institutional superannuation funds, family offices, and private wealth groups.
Six months after joining, Chirakis was promoted to Chief Executive Officer in August 2019. His tenure as CEO lasted until November 2024—nearly six years of leadership during a growth period for the firm.
Under his direction, Ophir expanded significantly. The firm launched new investment products and refined its distribution networks to reach more investors. Most notably, Chirakis tripled the firm’s funds under management during his time as CEO. He focused on attracting institutional investors while maintaining strong relationships with existing clients.
His leadership extended beyond investment strategy. He oversaw non-investment functions, including operations, marketing, and client services. This comprehensive approach helped position Ophir as a credible player in the competitive boutique fund management space.
Chirakis departed Ophir in November 2024. Brendan Carrig, who joined from Macquarie Group, where he spent 11 years as an associate director and small-cap analyst, replaced him as CEO.
In January 2025, Chirakis joined Scarcity Partners as a partner. The firm describes itself as a GP-staking specialist private equity manager. GP-staking involves taking equity stakes in investment and asset management firms at the General Partner level—a model relatively new to Australia and the Asia-Pacific region.
His role focuses on two main areas. First, he drives capital-raising initiatives for Scarcity Partners itself, drawing on his experience securing commitments from private wealth and high-net-worth investors. Second, he supports the growth of Scarcity’s portfolio companies by helping them scale their operations and distribution capabilities.
He works alongside Matthew Webb, one of Scarcity’s founding partners. The firm’s portfolio includes stakes in investment managers such as Pinnacle, Hyperion, and Paradice. Recent investments include a 20% stake in January Capital, a Singapore-based firm focused on Asia-Pacific technology companies, and a 35% stake in private credit manager Dinimus.
Adrian Whittingham, Managing Partner at Scarcity Partners, noted that Chirakis brings valuable experience in building distribution teams and maintaining industry relationships. These capabilities directly support Scarcity’s model of helping investment managers grow their businesses.
Chirakis has spent two decades working in investment management, sales, and distribution. His career arc shows consistent focus on connecting investment products with appropriate investors—whether institutional clients, wealth advisers, or high-net-worth individuals.
His track record centers on capital raising and distribution strategy. At Ophir, he demonstrated the ability to grow assets under management through targeted marketing and relationship building. His experience spans both retail and institutional channels across Australia and the UK.
The shift to Scarcity Partners represents a move into private equity and GP-staking—a sector gaining traction as wholesale investors increase allocations to private markets. His background in growing investment firms from the inside makes him well-suited to help other managers scale their operations.
Chirakis operates primarily within the Australian financial services industry, though his experience at Fidelity International and current focus on Asia-Pacific markets give him a broader regional perspective. His legal training, combined with finance expertise and operational leadership experience, creates a distinctive professional profile in Australia’s asset management sector.
