Michael Arougheti | $1B+
Get in touch with Michael Arougheti | Michael Arougheti, cofounder and CEO of Ares Management, is one of the most influential figures in global alternative investing, having helped build Ares into a multi-hundred-billion-dollar asset management powerhouse. After beginning his career in leveraged finance at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, Arougheti cofounded Ares in 1997 with a focus on credit markets—long before private credit became a dominant asset class. Under his leadership, Ares expanded across private equity, real estate, infrastructure, and secondaries, establishing itself as a core capital partner to corporations and institutions worldwide. Known for his strategic foresight, disciplined risk management, and ability to scale complex investment platforms, Arougheti has been central to shaping the modern private credit and alternatives landscape.
Michael Arougheti is the CEO and cofounder of credit-oriented alternative investment firm Ares Management, which manages $419 billion in assets.
Arougheti arrived at Ares in 2004 to help create and grow its private credit business and took over as CEO from Antony Ressler in 2018.
Ares' largest business is its direct lending segment, which makes loans to private middle-market companies in the U.S. and Europe.
The firm also has funds in several other asset classes, including private equity, real estate and infrastructure.
Arougheti graduated from Yale and worked at Kidder, Peabody & Co., Indosuez Capital and Royal Bank of Canada before joining Ares.
Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES) is a leading global alternative investment manager founded in 1997 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California.[1][2] As of September 30, 2025, the firm manages over $596 billion in assets under management across complementary primary and secondary investment solutions in credit, real assets, private equity, infrastructure, and secondaries.[3] With approximately 4,200 employees operating from more than 60 offices worldwide, Ares emphasizes flexible capital solutions and risk-adjusted returns through collaboration among its investment groups.[1]
Co-founded by a team of investment professionals including Antony P. Ressler (Executive Chairman), Michael Arougheti (CEO), Bennett J. Rosenthal (Co-Head of Global Private Equity), and David B. Kaplan (Partner and Co-Head of Global Private Equity), the firm initially focused on credit strategies such as leveraged loans and high-yield bonds.[4] Key milestones include the 2004 initial public offering of its business development company, Ares Capital Corporation (NASDAQ: ARCC), expansions into Europe in 2007, and acquisitions like Energy Investors Funds in 2015 and SSG Capital Holdings in 2020 to bolster infrastructure and Asia-Pacific capabilities.[5] Ares Management itself completed its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in May 2014, marking its transition to a publicly traded entity.[5][6]
The company's platform is diversified, with credit representing the largest segment at $391.5 billion in AUM, followed by real assets at $132.4 billion, private equity at $25.1 billion, secondaries at $38.4 billion, and other businesses at $8.4 billion.[1] This structure enables Ares to serve institutional investors, high-net-worth individuals, and retail clients through strategies that include direct lending, real estate investments, and infrastructure debt.[1] In recent years, Ares has achieved significant growth, reporting a 28% year-over-year increase in AUM to $596 billion in Q3 2025, driven by record fundraising and strong inflows across its groups.[7]
History
Founding and Early Years
Ares Management was founded in 1997 in Los Angeles, California, by Antony Ressler, Michael Arougheti, David Kaplan, John H. Kissick, and Bennett Rosenthal, a team of seasoned investment professionals drawn from the alternative asset industry.[8][9] The co-founders brought extensive expertise in credit and private equity, with Ressler having previously co-founded Apollo Global Management in 1990, where he focused on distressed debt strategies.[8] This collective experience laid the groundwork for Ares' emphasis on opportunistic investments in challenging market conditions.[10]
From its inception, Ares concentrated on credit-oriented strategies, including the origination and management of leveraged loans, senior loans, high-yield bonds, mezzanine debt, and other distressed credit opportunities, alongside private equity investments targeted at U.S. middle-market companies.[5][9] This focus addressed the capital needs of smaller firms navigating leveraged finance markets, where traditional bank lending was often limited, allowing Ares to capitalize on illiquid and higher-yield assets.[11]
Ares emerged as a spin-off from Apollo Global Management, enabling the founders to build an independent platform that leveraged their prior success in distressed debt and alternative investments while operating autonomously.[12][13] The early organizational structure emphasized a collaborative approach among the co-founders, with dedicated teams for credit and private equity to pursue integrated investment opportunities across the capital structure.[9]
A key early milestone was the launch of Ares' initial funds in the late 1990s, which targeted U.S. middle-market direct lending and private equity, establishing the firm's track record in providing flexible financing solutions to growth-oriented companies.[5][9] These funds quickly demonstrated the viability of Ares' strategy, attracting institutional capital and setting the stage for disciplined expansion within its core focus areas.[9]
Expansion and Public Listing
In 2004, Ares Management launched Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC), a publicly traded business development company (BDC) on the NASDAQ, dedicated to providing direct lending solutions to middle-market companies.[5] This move marked a pivotal step in scaling its credit operations by accessing public markets for permanent capital, enabling broader deployment of direct lending strategies. In 2007, the firm established its European direct lending platform, initiating international expansion and positioning Ares as an early non-bank lender in the region with a focus on flexible financing across market cycles.[5][14]
Throughout the mid-2000s, Ares diversified its investment offerings to capitalize on evolving market opportunities. Building on its foundational expertise in high-yield bonds and leveraged loans from its 1997 inception, the firm expanded into structured credit strategies, which encompassed asset-backed and specialty finance instruments, enhancing its illiquid credit capabilities.[5] By the late 2000s, Ares had developed a real estate debt platform, originating loans for commercial properties and bridging financing gaps in a post-financial crisis environment, thereby broadening its alternative asset management footprint.[15]
Preceding its public listing, Ares accelerated global growth by opening key international offices and building its workforce. In 2007, the firm established its London office to support European credit and private equity activities, followed by the 2010 opening of its Shanghai office to tap into Asia's burgeoning private equity and growth capital markets.[16] By 2014, these efforts had expanded the employee base to approximately 700 professionals across more than 15 offices worldwide, reflecting robust operational scaling.[17]
In May 2014, Ares Management completed its initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol ARES, selling 11.4 million common units at $19 each and raising approximately $217 million in net proceeds.[18] The IPO provided fresh capital to fuel further platform development, including talent acquisition and geographic expansion, while transitioning the firm to a publicly traded structure that enhanced liquidity for investors and supported long-term growth in its multi-strategy alternative investment business.[19]
Major Acquisitions and Recent Developments
In 2015, Ares acquired Energy Investors Funds (EIF), a leading U.S. infrastructure and power sector asset manager, bolstering its infrastructure capabilities.[5]
In 2020, Ares Management completed the acquisition of a majority interest in SSG Capital Holdings Limited, a Hong Kong-based alternative investment manager specializing in private credit and special situations strategies across Asia, thereby integrating structured credit expertise into its platform and adding approximately $6 billion in assets under management.[20][21]
In 2016, Ares formed a joint venture with CION Investments to create CION Ares Management LLC, which advises the CION Ares Diversified Credit Fund and provides tailored credit solutions for insurance and other institutional clients, enhancing its insurance-focused asset management capabilities.[22][23] In 2021, the acquisition of Black Creek Group's U.S. real estate investment advisory and distribution business bolstered Ares' real estate debt and equity platforms, adding specialized expertise in commercial real estate strategies.[5]
In 2022, Ares acquired AMP Infrastructure Debt, expanding its infrastructure debt investment capabilities.[5]
In 2023, Ares acquired a minority stake in BlueCove, a European private debt manager focused on infrastructure and real assets, intensifying its infrastructure initiatives with targeted investments in energy transition projects and digital infrastructure and laying the groundwork for further expansion in sustainable and technology-driven sectors.[24] In October 2025, Ares completed the acquisition of the remaining stake in BlueCove, forming Ares Systematic Credit and adding approximately $5.5 billion in assets under management as of that date.[25]
A significant milestone occurred in March 2025 when Ares closed its acquisition of GCP International from GLP, a global real estate platform with expertise in logistics, data centers, and commercial properties across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, thereby scaling its real assets business to over $115 billion and solidifying its leadership in international commercial real estate.[26][27]
Recent developments include the 2023 strategic investment of $100 million in Vinci Partners, a Brazilian alternative asset manager, to accelerate operations in Latin America and establish a stronger South American presence, contributing to Ares' global network of over 60 offices worldwide as of September 2025.[28][1] These moves have supported Ares' overall assets under management growth to $596 billion as of September 30, 2025.[1]
Business Operations
Credit Group
The Ares Credit Group serves as the largest segment within Ares Management, specializing in a broad array of credit strategies that emphasize value-oriented investing through rigorous bottom-up research. This group manages approximately $391.5 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2025, focusing on both illiquid and liquid credit opportunities to provide attractive risk-adjusted returns for institutional and retail investors.[29]
Core strategies of the Credit Group revolve around direct lending to middle-market companies, participation in syndicated loans, and investments in asset-backed credit instruments. Direct lending involves originating senior secured loans to support corporate growth, acquisitions, and refinancings, often targeting companies with stable cash flows and limited access to traditional bank financing. Syndicated loans enable the group to underwrite larger transactions alongside other lenders, providing scalable exposure to leveraged finance markets. Asset-backed credit strategies include investments in collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS), and other structured products, leveraging diversification to mitigate credit risk.[29][30][31]
Key products within the Credit Group include the U.S. Direct Lending platform, primarily executed through Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC), a publicly traded business development company that originates first-lien senior secured loans to U.S. middle-market firms. In Europe, the group offers direct lending via commingled funds and separately managed accounts, emphasizing self-originated debt in mid-market and large-cap companies across defensive sectors. High-yield bond funds form a cornerstone of the liquid credit offerings, investing in diversified portfolios of corporate bonds from issuers in North America and Europe to capture yield premiums in the high-yield market.[32][33][31]
The portfolio composition prioritizes senior secured loans, which typically account for the majority of exposures, supplemented by mezzanine debt and selective non-control equity to enhance returns. Diversification spans industries such as healthcare services, information technology, business services, consumer products, and food and beverage, reducing sector-specific risks while maintaining a focus on resilient, cash-generative businesses. This approach has enabled the group to build a robust portfolio, with over €75 billion invested in more than 420 European transactions since 2007 alone.[33][32][34]
The Credit Group's global reach extends across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific, supported by a network of offices in key financial centers including New York, London, Frankfurt, Paris, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Madrid, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. In Asia, operations were bolstered by the 2020 acquisition of a majority interest in SSG Capital Holdings, integrating specialized pan-Asian multi-strategy credit capabilities. Secondary market trading provides essential liquidity, particularly for syndicated loans and high-yield bonds, allowing the group to actively manage positions and capitalize on market dislocations.[29][20]
Private Equity Group
The Private Equity Group of Ares Management focuses on control-oriented and significant influence investments primarily in U.S. and European middle-market companies, employing a flexible relative value approach to capitalize on growth buyouts, distressed opportunities, and special situations.[35] The flagship Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund targets high-quality businesses with strong fundamentals, aiming to acquire majority stakes or substantial minority positions to drive value creation over 5-7 year holding periods.[35] This strategy emphasizes proactive sourcing through industry relationships and sector expertise, with a proprietary Value Creation System that supports operational enhancements to exceed industry-average revenue and EBITDA growth.[35]
The group's sector focus is diversified across industrials, consumer products and services, healthcare, and technology, allowing for targeted investments in resilient, growth-oriented sectors while avoiding over-concentration in cyclical areas.[36] Typical investments involve buyouts, growth capital deployments, and special situations such as distressed turnarounds, with equity checks often in the middle-market range suited to companies generating $50-500 million in enterprise value.[35] As of 2025, the group has completed 172 investments, reflecting a broad portfolio of opportunities that underscore its emphasis on operational improvements and strategic partnerships post-acquisition.[37]
Performance objectives for the Private Equity Group center on delivering attractive risk-adjusted returns, with historical net internal rate of return (IRR) targets in the 15-20% range across funds like the Ares Corporate Opportunities series, supported by an 8% hurdle rate and 15-20% carried interest structure.[38] For instance, Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund VI has achieved a net IRR of 17.0% as of December 31, 2024.[38] The group manages approximately $25.1 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2025, enabling scaled deployments while maintaining a disciplined approach to capital allocation.[36] Ares' private equity efforts occasionally integrate with its credit capabilities for hybrid financing, enhancing deal structuring in complex transactions.[39]
Real Estate Group
The Ares Real Estate Group operates as a global platform offering comprehensive equity and debt investment strategies across commercial and residential properties, managing approximately $109.5 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2025.[40] This platform emphasizes diversified approaches to capitalize on market opportunities in sectors such as logistics, multifamily, office, and industrial properties, leveraging a team of over 700 investment and operating professionals across 44 offices worldwide.[40]
In its debt strategies, the group provides senior first mortgage loans, including fixed-rate options on stabilized properties with 5- to 10-year terms for predictable returns, as well as floating-rate bridge loans for transitional assets like those undergoing lease-up to enhance cash flow.[41] Mezzanine loans and subordinated debt target value-add and opportunistic scenarios, such as light repositioning or construction on office, multifamily, and industrial properties, offering higher yields despite subordinate repayment priority.[41] These strategies also include commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) within the broader real estate debt market in the U.S. and Europe, which totals $4.8 trillion in the U.S. and $6.7 trillion combined, positioning Ares to benefit from the $2 trillion in loan maturities in 2025 and 2026 amid a shift toward non-bank lenders due to post-2008 regulatory constraints on traditional banks.[41] The group's debt focus on floating-rate instruments has delivered double-digit returns in the current high-interest-rate environment, with active management addressing volatility in sectors like office refinancing.[41]
On the equity side, Ares pursues core-plus and opportunistic funds that invest in value-add opportunities across the U.S. and Europe, targeting cash-flowing assets, de-risked developments, and scalable portfolios in multifamily and logistics properties.[42] Value creation occurs through strategies such as asset repositioning, lease-up, re-tenanting, redevelopment, and complex recapitalizations, supported by vertically integrated teams that enhance operational efficiency.[42] As of September 30, 2025, the equity platform oversees $88.9 billion in AUM across more than 3,600 global properties, underscoring its scale in driving returns from transitional and high-growth real estate segments.[42]
Key investment vehicles include private commingled funds in the U.S. and Europe for both equity and debt, non-traded real estate investment trusts (REITs), and the publicly traded Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation (NYSE: ACRE), which focuses on originating and managing diversified commercial real estate debt portfolios.[40] These platforms enable targeted exposure to necessity-driven assets like self-storage, cold storage, student housing, and credit-lease office spaces, alongside hospitality and necessity-based retail.[40]
Ares positions its real estate operations amid e-commerce-driven demand for logistics and industrial properties, including data centers, while a 2025 acquisition of a Polish retail portfolio valued at over €300 million from Trei Real Estate enhances its global multifamily exposure.[43]
Infrastructure Group
The Infrastructure Group of Ares Management specializes in equity and debt investments targeting essential infrastructure assets, including utilities, renewables, transportation, and digital infrastructure such as fiber optics networks.[44] This approach emphasizes assets with stable, predictable cash flows derived from long-term contracts, regulated environments, and high barriers to entry, enabling consistent returns for investors.[44]
The group's investment strategies are divided into core infrastructure for generating stable yields through mature, income-focused assets and growth capital for supporting transitions, particularly in sustainable sectors like clean energy.[44] For instance, Ares has pursued opportunities in energy transition initiatives, including renewables and power generation, to capitalize on global decarbonization trends.[44] As of September 30, 2025, the Infrastructure Group managed approximately $22.9 billion in assets under management, reflecting significant growth driven by fundraising and deployments in these areas.[39]
Key portfolio examples highlight the group's diversified approach, such as investments in European renewables through a €2 billion acquisition of a 20% stake in Plenitude, Eni's renewables arm, completed in November 2025, which operates 4.8 GW of renewable energy capacity across more than 15 countries.[45] In the U.S., the group has expanded into data centers to support the rising demand for digital infrastructure, including financing and equity stakes in facilities powering AI and cloud computing, with over $14 billion deployed across more than 350 assets and companies globally.[44][46] These investments often overlap briefly with real estate in property-adjacent infrastructure, such as energy supply for commercial developments.[44]
Ares maintains a strong global presence in Europe and North America, where it leverages local expertise to align investments with ESG trends, particularly sustainability in energy and digital sectors.[44] The team's approximately 40 professionals, with an average of 22 years of experience, focus on essential services that support societal needs while delivering resilient performance amid economic shifts.[44] This regional emphasis has enabled the group to build a portfolio exceeding 50,000 MW in generation and transmission capacity, underscoring its scale in critical infrastructure.[44]
Leadership and Governance
Executive Leadership
Antony Ressler serves as Co-Founder, Executive Chairman, and a Director of Ares Management Corporation, where he has been involved since the firm's inception in 1997.[47] His early career included a prominent role in the high-yield bond department at Drexel Burnham Lambert during the 1980s, contributing to his expertise in alternative investments.[48] Ressler holds a B.S.F.S. from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and an M.B.A. from Columbia University Graduate School of Business, and he participates in several Ares investment committees, including those for private equity, credit, and sports, media, and entertainment.[47]
Michael Arougheti is Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and a Director of Ares Management Corporation, having joined in 2004 and overseeing the firm's credit and real estate investment activities.[49] Prior to Ares, Arougheti worked at Royal Bank of Canada as Managing Partner of the Principal Finance Group from 2001 to 2004, and earlier at Indosuez Capital as a Principal starting in 1994, along with roles at Kidder, Peabody & Co. in mergers and acquisitions.[49] He earned a B.A. in Ethics, Politics, and Economics, cum laude, from Yale University and serves on key committees such as the Ares Operating Committee and the Credit Group's Pathfinder Investment Committee.[49] In February 2025, Kipp deVeer and Blair Jacobson were appointed as Co-Presidents of Ares Management.[50]
Bennett Rosenthal is a Co-Founder, Director, Partner, and Chairman of the Ares Private Equity Group, having joined in 1998 from Merrill Lynch & Co., where he was a Managing Director in the Global Leveraged Finance Group.[51] Rosenthal, who holds a B.S. in Economics summa cum laude and an M.B.A. with distinction from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, contributes to multiple investment committees across private equity and credit strategies.[51] His leadership has shaped the private equity platform's focus on corporate opportunities, energy, and extended value investments.[51]
David B. Kaplan is a Co-Founder, Director, and Partner at Ares Management Corporation, with involvement since 2003, and serves on investment committees for private equity and the Credit Group's Opportunistic Credit strategy.[52] Before joining Ares, Kaplan was a Senior Partner at Apollo Management, L.P. from 1991 to 2000 and a Senior Principal at Shelter Capital Partners from 2000 to 2003, following investment banking experience at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette.[52] He earned a B.B.A. in Finance with high distinction from the University of Michigan and co-chairs Ares Acquisition Corporation II.[52]
Jarrod Phillips has been Partner and Chief Financial Officer of Ares Management Corporation since 2021, after joining the firm in 2016 as Chief Accounting Officer.[53] Previously, Phillips was a Partner at Deloitte & Touche LLP, specializing in financial services and asset management, and holds a B.S. in Accounting from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, along with an inactive CPA license in California.[53] He serves on the Ares Operating and Enterprise Risk Committees, supporting the firm's financial strategy and oversight.[53]
The founding executives of Ares Management, including Ressler, Rosenthal, and Kaplan, have maintained long tenures averaging over 25 years, guiding the firm's evolution from its 1997 establishment focused on credit investments to a global alternative asset manager with more than $596 billion in assets under management as of late 2025.[1] Their strategic direction has driven diversified growth across credit, private equity, real estate, and infrastructure platforms.[5]
Board of Directors
Ares Management Corporation's Board of Directors comprises 13 members as of April 2025, with a majority classified as independent directors to ensure robust oversight of the company's operations and strategic direction.[54]
Among the independent directors are Paul G. Joubert, a founding partner of Edge Advisors LLC and former partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP with extensive audit and financial expertise, and Michael Lynton, former Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment and current Chairman of Snap Inc., bringing deep experience in corporate governance and media.[54]
The board operates through key standing committees that address critical governance functions, including the Audit Committee, chaired by Paul G. Joubert and focused on financial reporting, internal controls, compliance, and enterprise risk oversight; the Compensation Committee, chaired by Michael Lynton and responsible for reviewing executive compensation structures to align with shareholder interests and performance goals; and the Nominating and Governance Committee, chaired by Antony P. Ressler, which manages director nominations, board composition, and corporate governance policies.[54]
Members of the board bring a diverse blend of expertise in finance, law, technology, and industry leadership, drawn from backgrounds at major institutions such as PwC, Sony, and government roles; the board includes two women, comprising approximately 15% of its membership, along with representation from African American professionals.[54]
Financial Performance
Assets Under Management and Growth
Ares Management Corporation's assets under management (AUM) reached $596 billion as of September 30, 2025, marking a significant expansion from approximately $87 billion at the end of 2014.[55][56] This growth has been driven by a combination of robust fundraising efforts and strategic acquisitions that have broadened the firm's investment platforms across credit, private equity, real estate, and infrastructure.[57]
As of September 30, 2025, the firm's AUM breakdown included the Credit group at $391.5 billion, Real Assets at $132.4 billion, Private Equity at $25.1 billion, Secondaries at $38.4 billion, and other businesses at $8.4 billion.[58] This diversified structure underscores Ares' emphasis on alternative investments, where credit remains the largest contributor due to sustained demand for direct lending and structured credit solutions.[39]
Key drivers of AUM expansion include consistent annual inflows averaging $30-40 billion since 2020, fueled by strong relationships with institutional clients such as pension funds and sovereign wealth funds, as well as opportunities in secondary markets that enable efficient capital deployment.[59] These inflows have supported organic growth, with recent quarters showing accelerated fundraising, including over $30 billion raised in the third quarter of 2025 alone across various strategies.[57] Fee-paying assets under management reached $368 billion, up 28% year-over-year.[57]
A stable foundation for fee-related earnings is provided by perpetual capital vehicles, notably Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC), which generates recurring management fees and incentive income on a non-discretionary basis.[60] ARCC, as the largest publicly traded business development company, contributes significantly to the fee base, with its assets forming a key portion of the credit segment and enabling predictable earnings growth amid market volatility.[61]
Revenue, Profitability, and Stock Performance
Ares Management's revenue primarily derives from management fees, which accounted for approximately 59% of total revenue in the third quarter of 2025, totaling $971.8 million and reflecting a 28% increase year-over-year driven by growth in fee-paying assets under management.[58] Performance fees and incentive income contributed the remainder, with incentive fees reaching $100.7 million, more than doubling from the prior year due to realizations in private equity and credit funds.[62] Overall, the company's total revenue for Q3 2025 climbed 46.7% year-over-year to $1.66 billion, bolstered by strong fundraising and deployment activities across its investment groups.[63]
On profitability, Ares reported GAAP net income attributable to the company of $288.9 million in Q3 2025, up significantly from the prior year amid favorable market conditions and higher fee income.[57] Fee-related earnings, a key non-GAAP measure focusing on recurring fee income after compensation and general expenses, rose 39% to $471.2 million, with after-tax realized income per share at $1.19.[64] These results underscore the stability of Ares' fee-based model, where management fees accounted for approximately 59% of total revenue in the third quarter of 2025.[62]
As of November 15, 2025, Ares Management's Class A common stock (NYSE: ARES) traded at approximately $148 per share, marking a 15.6% year-to-date return including dividends.[65] The company maintains a forward dividend yield of approximately 2.91%, with a quarterly dividend of $1.12 per share declared for Q4 2025.[66] Since its initial public offering in 2014, Ares has delivered an annualized total shareholder return of about 20%, substantially outperforming the S&P 500's 13% over the same period, supported by consistent dividend growth and share price appreciation.[67]
Key financial ratios highlight Ares' operational efficiency, with management fee rates typically ranging from 0.8% to 1.0% of fee-paying assets under management, enabling scalable revenue growth.[58] The firm held approximately $150 billion in available capital at the end of Q3 2025, positioning it for future deployments in credit, private equity, and real assets amid favorable market dynamics.[57]
Controversies and Legal Issues
Regulatory Violations
In 2020, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Ares Management LLC with compliance failures related to the prevention of material nonpublic information (MNPI) misuse.[68] The firm agreed to settle the charges by paying a $1 million civil penalty without admitting or denying the findings.[69] Specifically, the SEC determined that Ares willfully violated Section 204A of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 by failing to adopt and implement policies and procedures designed to prevent the misuse of MNPI, and Section 206(4) of the Advisers Act along with Rule 206(4)-7 by maintaining inadequate written policies and procedures to prevent violations of the Advisers Act.[69]
The violations stemmed from events in 2016, when Ares invested client funds in a portfolio company where an Ares representative held a board seat and the deal team was involved in sensitive discussions.[69] Although Ares had established a restricted list that included the portfolio company's securities and policies prohibiting trades without compliance review, the firm failed to consistently enforce these measures.[69] Compliance staff did not adequately document inquiries regarding potential MNPI access by the board representative or deal team, leading to the purchase of over one million shares of the portfolio company's stock during open trading windows when MNPI risks were present.[69] The SEC noted that no clients were harmed by these breaches, but the lapses demonstrated systemic weaknesses in policy implementation.[68]
Following the settlement, Ares undertook remedial actions to strengthen its compliance framework.[69] In 2019, the firm retained an independent consultant to review and enhance its MNPI policies and procedures.[69] Ares also expanded its compliance team, standardized documentation and inquiry processes for restricted list items, and implemented additional training on MNPI handling for employees.[69] These steps were credited by the SEC as demonstrating cooperation during the investigation.[69]
Beyond the SEC action, Ares Management has faced minor regulatory issues related to wage and hour violations at various portfolio companies, resulting in aggregate penalties of approximately $16.5 million across 26 instances.[70] These penalties, primarily from U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division enforcement and state actions, pertain to labor law compliance lapses such as overtime pay and recordkeeping failures, but do not involve direct liability for the parent firm.[70]
Major Lawsuits
In 2021, Hudson Structured Capital Management Ltd., a credit fund co-founded by former Goldman Sachs partner John Millette, filed a lawsuit against Ares Management LLC and Wilmington Trust in New York state court, alleging improper handling of collateral in the default of an aircraft loan related to Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA.[71] The suit claimed that Ares directed Wilmington, as indenture trustee, to conduct a "sham" auction of 10 Boeing 737-800 aircraft—valued at up to $300 million—resulting in their sale to an Ares affiliate, VMO Aircraft Leasing Ltd., for $250 million, thereby depriving noteholders of fair value.[71] In January 2022, the court denied motions to dismiss filed by Ares and Wilmington, allowing the case to proceed on claims including breach of contract, fraud, and violations of New York Uniform Commercial Code Section 9-610.[72]
The case, centered on allegations of a rigged auction process during Norwegian Air's financial distress, remained active into 2023, with plaintiffs seeking damages exceeding $100 million for the alleged undervaluation and self-dealing.[73] As of late 2023, the litigation was advancing toward potential trial, highlighting disputes over trustee duties in structured aircraft financing amid airline bankruptcies.[73] No public resolution had been reported by November 2025, underscoring ongoing tensions in Ares' credit operations involving collateral sales.
In a separate matter, in April 2022, investor Glenn Krevlin sued Ares Corporate Opportunities Fund III and related entities, along with Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Jefferies LLC, in Delaware Chancery Court over a $497 million transaction facilitating Apollo Global Management's acquisition of grocery retailer Smart & Final Stores Inc., which Ares had previously controlled.[74] The complaint accused Ares affiliates and executives of breaching fiduciary duties by favoring Apollo's buyout, which undervalued the company and harmed minority investors through manipulated fairness opinions and conflicted advisory roles.[74] On February 3, 2025, the Delaware Court of Chancery dismissed the claims in their entirety, ruling that the plaintiff failed to adequately plead breaches of duty or aiding and abetting liability.[75] The plaintiff appealed the decision to the Delaware Supreme Court, with oral arguments held on October 22, 2025; as of November 2025, the appeal remains pending.[76]
These cases reflect a pattern in Ares Management's legal challenges, where disputes frequently arise from portfolio company distress situations, such as airline insolvencies or retail sector transactions, particularly concerning the valuation and disposition of collateral in leveraged credit arrangements.[71][75]
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