Think you know Arpad Busson, 44-year-old financier, chairman of hedge-fund outfit EIM and boyfriend to Hollywood actress Uma Thurman? Think again, piker. True or false: Did he turn his first profit selling toothpicks door-to-door? Did he date former Charlie’s Angel Farrah Fawcett? Did he masquerade as an Italian prince on the French Rivièra? The answers to all this and much, much more are just a voyeuristic click away.

ARPAD BUSSON was 10 minutes late. As the 44-year-old financier (who is also actress Uma Thurman’s boyfriend) hobbled through the door of his Mayfair boardroom, it became apparent why.

“I’ve done my back in,” said Busson, in a hoarse French accent. The injury is an old one acquired on the ski slopes.

Born in France and educated “between France and Switzerland”, Busson skied as soon as he could walk. At the age of 13 he begged his mother to let him go professional — in downhill racing — but she wouldn’t allow it.

“I’m happy that I didn’t go professional,” he said, shifting his weight from one side to the other, trying to get comfortable.

Back pain is not the only problem for Busson, known to his friends as “Arki”. In a few weeks he will host the annual Ark gala dinner.

Absolute Return for Kids is the charitable foundation he set up six years ago for underprivileged children around the world and has raised about £60m. Its annual dinner has become a showcase event, attracting stars from Busson’s Hollywood contacts book and London’s wealthy hedge-fund community.

Last year, the event raised £27m. With the credit crisis having brought much of the industry back to earth, it is doubtful this year’s dinner at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich will match that total. In fact, this year’s invitation acknowledges these are “difficult times”.

Yet Busson is undeterred: “You always dream. Last year I hoped we would do £20m and this year I hope we do £15m.”

A Fiat 500 decorated by the artist Tracey Emin is expected to be the top auction lot at this year’s event, where in the past wealthy guests have paid £70,000 for a yoga session with Sting.

Other trinkets, including a pair of diamond earrings donated by the jeweller Graff, and an opportunity to name a 100-carat pear-shaped diamond, will also be auctioned to guests.

Busson may be best known for Ark, but he is still the hands-on chairman of EIM, his hedge-funds business.

He also has a high-profile private life, but he does not like to talk about that. As a result, a number of myths about him circulate on the internet. For the record, he says he did not make “his first profit” selling toothpicks door-to-door. Nor did he masquerade as an Italian prince on the French Rivièra, though he did date former Charlie’s Angel Farrah Fawcett.

Continue reading on TimesOnline.co.uk

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