Mihaela Butu was born in Chisinau, Moldova in 1984. She obtained her first degree in International Relations and European Studies from the University of Bucharest in Romania. In 2012, she graduated from the Goethe University, in Frankfurt with a BSc in Economics and Business Administration. She gathered her professional experience in cultural and educational fields through internships at the Romanian National Commission for UNESCO, and the Institute of Educational Science in Bucharest, and in finance-related fields through internships in the areas of Investment Banking/ M&A and Asset Management in Frankfurt. First, Mihaela became fascinated by the hedge fund industry when she participated in a seminar at the University of Frankfurt. There, she could examine hedge fund regulation in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Her strong interest in hedge funds and their operations encouraged her to explore more about this industry, and the hedge fund activism.