David Simon, chairman, CEO, and president of Simon Property Group, has led the company to become the largest shopping mall operator in the United States and a global leader in retail real estate. Taking over leadership in the mid-1990s, he steered the Indianapolis-based firm through major acquisitions, including the purchase of Taubman Centers, and successfully navigated challenges posed by e-commerce and shifting consumer trends. Under his guidance, Simon Property Group has maintained dominance with hundreds of malls and premium outlets, while Simon himself has earned a reputation as one of the most influential executives in American real estate.

Henry Swieca, billionaire investor and hedge fund manager, cofounded Highbridge Capital Management in 1992, transforming it into one of the world’s leading alternative investment firms before selling a majority stake to JPMorgan Chase in 2004. After exiting Highbridge, he launched Talpion Fund Management, his family office, focusing on a broad range of investments across public and private markets. A child of Holocaust survivors, Swieca has coupled financial success with extensive philanthropy in education, Jewish causes, and healthcare, underscoring his reputation as both a disciplined investor and committed benefactor.

Henry Kravis, cofounder and co-executive chairman of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR), is a pioneer of the leveraged buyout industry and one of private equity’s most influential figures. Alongside Jerome Kohlberg and George Roberts, he helped establish KKR in 1976, building it into a global investment powerhouse managing hundreds of billions in assets. Kravis became a Wall Street icon through landmark deals such as the record-setting acquisition of RJR Nabisco, chronicled in Barbarians at the Gate. Known for his dealmaking acumen and philanthropic contributions, he has shaped both modern finance and charitable giving.

Antony “Tony” Ressler is a billionaire investor, co-founder of two private equity giants — Apollo Global Management (1990) and Ares Management (1997 )— and principal owner of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. A Georgetown-educated financier, he built an empire across credit, private equity, and real estate, and channels his wealth into philanthropy, education, and the arts.