Paul Merage, cofounder of Chef America Inc., built one of the most iconic consumer food brands in the U.S. by transforming a simple frozen snack into a mass-market staple. Alongside his brother David, Merage created Hot Pockets in the 1980s, pioneering the handheld frozen-meal category and scaling distribution nationwide through grocery and convenience channels. The success of Chef America culminated in its multibillion-dollar sale to Nestlé, marking one of the most successful exits in packaged foods. Since then, Merage has focused on private investing, real estate, and philanthropy, particularly in education and community development.

Nicholas J. Pritzker, managing partner and cofounder of Tao Capital Partners, represents the next generation of the Pritzker family’s investment legacy, focusing on long-term, impact-oriented private investing. Through Tao Capital, he backs companies across technology, healthcare, sustainable consumer brands, and environmental solutions, emphasizing durable growth, values-driven leadership, and positive social outcomes. Distinct from the family’s hospitality roots, Pritzker has carved out an independent path as an investor aligned with ESG principles, while also engaging deeply in philanthropy supporting climate action, democracy, and community development.

Josh Harris, cofounder of Apollo Global Management, is one of the most accomplished investors of his generation, helping build Apollo into a global alternative-asset powerhouse managing hundreds of billions across private equity, credit, and real assets. After three decades of shaping Apollo’s hallmark value-oriented, contrarian investment strategy, Harris expanded his influence into professional sports as cofounder of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, owning the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, and, most recently, the Washington Commanders. Known for his analytical discipline, long-term strategy, and philanthropic commitments in education and community development, Harris has become a defining figure in both modern finance and major-league sports ownership.

Joseph Liemandt, founder of Trilogy and ESW Capital, is one of the most discreet yet influential figures in enterprise software, building a vast portfolio of companies by acquiring and optimizing underperforming software assets. After becoming a young tech millionaire with Trilogy in the 1990s, he shifted to a buy-and-build strategy through ESW Capital, assembling hundreds of enterprise software businesses and implementing data-driven, remote-first operational models long before they became mainstream. Known for his anonymity, contrarian discipline, and rigorous process engineering, Liemandt has quietly shaped the economics of enterprise software while amassing one of the sector’s most substantial private fortunes.

Alexandre Behring is a Brazilian billionaire investor, co-founder of 3G Capital, and a key architect behind some of the largest corporate mergers in modern history. Known for his partnership with Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, Behring played a central role in transformative deals involving Heinz, Kraft, Burger King, and Anheuser-Busch InBev.