Marc Rowan, cofounder and CEO of Apollo Global Management, is one of the most influential figures in alternative investing, helping build Apollo into a global powerhouse across private equity, credit, and real assets. After beginning his career at Drexel Burnham Lambert, Rowan co-launched Apollo in 1990, developing its reputation for contrarian investing, distressed opportunities, and disciplined capital allocation. As CEO, he has overseen Apollo’s evolution into a diversified asset manager with a strong emphasis on credit, insurance partnerships, and long-term yield strategies. Known for his analytical rigor and understated leadership, Rowan stands at the center of modern private markets.

Marc Lasry, cofounder and CEO of Avenue Capital Group, is one of the most recognized figures in distressed-debt investing, building a multibillion-dollar platform focused on undervalued and special-situation assets around the world. After early success at Amroc Investments, Lasry launched Avenue in 1995 with his sister Sonia, developing a global reputation for navigating complex restructurings and capitalizing on market dislocations. Beyond finance, he is known for his high-profile role in professional sports as former co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks, helping oversee the team’s rise to NBA championship status. Lasry’s mix of investment discipline, global perspective, and civic engagement has made him a defining voice in alternative assets.

Louis Bacon, founder of Moore Capital Management, is one of the most accomplished global macro hedge fund managers of his generation, known for combining rigorous risk control with deep geopolitical and economic insight. Since launching Moore in 1989, he delivered decades of strong returns through disciplined trading in currencies, commodities, rates, and equities, becoming a defining figure in the macro-trading world. Beyond finance, Bacon is a major conservation philanthropist, protecting vast tracts of land in the U.S. and the Caribbean through the Moore Charitable Foundation. His blend of trading mastery, discretion, and environmental stewardship has made him a singular presence in global finance.

Leonard Stern, chairman and CEO of Hartz Mountain Industries, transformed his family’s small pet-supply enterprise into one of the largest privately held real estate empires in the United States. After taking over the business in the 1950s, he expanded Hartz Mountain into a diversified powerhouse spanning industrial properties, office buildings, hotels, and residential developments concentrated in the New York–New Jersey region. Known for long-term strategy, disciplined capital deployment, and a deep commitment to family ownership, Stern also stands out as a major philanthropist—supporting education, entrepreneurship, and the arts, including significant contributions to NYU’s Stern School of Business, named in his honor.

Leonard Schleifer, cofounder and CEO of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, built one of the most successful biotech companies in the world by combining scientific rigor with long-term investment in research. A trained neurologist turned entrepreneur, he launched Regeneron in 1988 and steered it through decades of discovery to blockbuster drugs such as Eylea, Dupixent, and leading monoclonal antibody therapies. Under his leadership, Regeneron became known for its genetics platform, deep scientific culture, and partnerships that accelerated medical breakthroughs. Schleifer’s blend of clinical expertise, business discipline, and research focus has made him a defining figure in the modern biotechnology landscape.

Leon Cooperman, founder of Omega Advisors, is one of Wall Street’s most respected value investors, known for decades of disciplined stock-picking and outspoken market commentary. After a long career at Goldman Sachs, where he led the asset management division, Cooperman launched Omega in 1991 and produced strong returns through concentrated, research-driven investing in equities and credit. Though he has since converted Omega into a family office, he remains active in markets and philanthropy, donating hundreds of millions to education, medical research, and Jewish causes. Cooperman’s blend of candor, conviction, and lifelong commitment to investing has made him a defining figure in the hedge fund era.

Leon Black, cofounder of Apollo Global Management, is one of the most accomplished private equity investors of the modern era, known for opportunistic deals, distressed investing, and disciplined capital allocation. After a successful career at Drexel Burnham Lambert, Black launched Apollo in 1990 and built it into a multi-hundred-billion-dollar alternative asset powerhouse spanning private equity, credit, and real assets. His tenure included landmark acquisitions, contrarian bets, and a focus on complex, undervalued situations. Although he stepped down from Apollo’s leadership, Black continues to manage his family office and art collection, remaining an influential figure in finance and philanthropy.

Larry Fink, cofounder, chairman, and CEO of BlackRock, built the world’s largest asset manager by combining risk management discipline with vast global reach. Since launching the firm in 1988, he has grown BlackRock into a financial powerhouse overseeing trillions in assets through index funds, ETFs, and institutional mandates, anchored by the Aladdin risk analytics platform. Fink is one of the most influential figures in modern finance, shaping discussions around markets, corporate governance, and sustainability, while maintaining close relationships with governments and CEOs worldwide. His leadership has made BlackRock a central force in global capital allocation.

Karthik Sarma, founder of SRS Investment Management, is the hedge fund manager who turned a concentrated activist position in Avis Budget Group into one of the most spectacular investment wins of the past decade. After founding SRS in 2006, the former Tiger Cub built a reputation for deep, research-driven conviction, long time horizons, and strategic influence behind the scenes. His most famous trade—SRS’s stake in Avis—generated multibillion-dollar gains as the company’s market value surged, making Sarma one of the top-earning hedge fund managers in America. Known for his low profile, analytical intensity, and disciplined patience, he has become a defining figure in modern activist investing.

Julio Mario Santo Domingo III, heir to the Santo Domingo brewing and investment fortune, represents the third generation of one of Latin America’s most influential business families. With family wealth built on Bavaria, Colombia’s largest brewer, and later expanded through a landmark merger with SABMiller and its acquisition by AB InBev, he now oversees a wide-ranging international portfolio alongside his relatives. Known for his discretion, cultural interests, and cosmopolitan lifestyle, Santo Domingo III is also involved in philanthropic and creative projects, helping sustain the family’s legacy across business, the arts, and global investment markets.

Julian Baker, cofounder of Baker Bros. Advisors, is one of the most successful investors in the biotechnology industry, building a multibillion-dollar hedge fund focused on high-conviction positions in drug development and life sciences. Together with his brother Felix, he has backed breakthrough therapeutics and major biotech companies including Seagen, Incyte, and Alexion, often taking large, long-term positions and working closely with management teams. Known for rigorous scientific analysis, patience, and a deep understanding of clinical risk, Baker has become a central figure in biotech capital markets, influencing the trajectory of drug innovation while maintaining one of the top track records in the sector.

Joseph Lubin, cofounder of Ethereum and founder of ConsenSys, is one of the most influential builders in the blockchain ecosystem, helping shape the technological and organizational foundations of Web3. After working in software engineering and finance, Lubin joined Vitalik Buterin in launching Ethereum, the decentralized platform that enabled smart contracts and sparked an entire generation of blockchain innovation. Through ConsenSys, he created a global venture studio and software company responsible for critical infrastructure such as MetaMask and Infura, powering millions of developers and users worldwide. Known for his vision of decentralized networks and digital sovereignty, Lubin remains one of Web3’s most enduring evangelists and architects.

Joseph Edelman, founder and CEO of Perceptive Advisors, is one of the most successful and influential biotech hedge fund managers of the modern era. Since launching the firm in 1999, he has built Perceptive into a multibillion-dollar powerhouse specializing in life sciences, backing breakthrough companies across biotechnology, medical devices, and healthcare innovation. Known for his deep scientific understanding, high-conviction portfolio strategy, and early identification of transformative therapies, Edelman has consistently ranked among the top performers in healthcare investing. His disciplined, research-driven approach has made Perceptive a critical source of capital for emerging biotech and a defining force in the global life sciences ecosystem.

Joseph Chetrit, founder of the Chetrit Group, is one of New York’s most enigmatic and influential real estate investors, known for executing some of the city’s largest and most complex property deals with minimal public profile. After building an early fortune in textiles, Chetrit shifted into real estate in the 1990s, assembling a multibillion-dollar portfolio that includes office towers, residential conversions, hotels, and landmark properties across Manhattan, Miami, Los Angeles, and beyond. His firm has been involved in major transactions such as the Sears Tower sale, the Chelsea Hotel redevelopment, and large-scale waterfront projects. Chetrit’s combination of discretion, scale, and contrarian timing has made him a defining—if quietly spoken—force in American real estate.

Joseph Bae, co-CEO of KKR, is one of the most powerful private equity leaders of his generation, having played a central role in transforming the firm from a classic buyout shop into a diversified global investment powerhouse. Joining KKR in 1996, he spearheaded the firm’s expansion across Asia—building its offices, teams, and flagship funds—before taking on broader leadership of global private equity, growth, credit, and infrastructure platforms. As co-CEO, Bae oversees hundreds of billions in assets and helps set the strategic direction of one of the world’s most influential alternative asset managers. Known for his global mindset, disciplined dealmaking, and talent-building leadership, he remains a defining voice in the evolution of modern private equity.

Jonathan Gray, president and chief operating officer of Blackstone, is one of the most influential investors in modern finance, credited with building the firm’s real estate arm into the world’s largest private property platform. Joining Blackstone in 1992, he pioneered the company’s massive expansion into opportunistic real estate, logistics, hospitality, and large-scale global acquisitions, including the Hilton Hotels deal—one of the most profitable private equity investments in history. As COO, Gray now helps steer Blackstone’s multi-trillion-dollar asset management strategy across private equity, credit, infrastructure, and insurance. Known for his analytical discipline, bold dealmaking, and philanthropic leadership in cancer research, Gray is a central architect of the firm’s rise to global dominance.

Jon Stryker, architect, philanthropist, and heir to the Stryker medical-technology fortune, has built one of the most influential private foundations advancing social justice and conservation worldwide. As founder and board president of the Arcus Foundation, he has directed hundreds of millions toward LGBTQ+ rights, racial equity, and primate wildlife protection, establishing Arcus as a leading global grantmaker in both human rights and biodiversity. Trained as an architect, Stryker has also financed major cultural, educational, and civic projects through organizations like the New College Institute and the John Stryker Institute for Gender and Sexuality. His work reflects a distinctive combination of design thinking, impact philanthropy, and values-driven legacy building.

John Paulson, founder of Paulson & Co., is one of the most storied figures in modern hedge fund history, best known for his legendary 2007 bet against subprime mortgages that generated profits of more than $15 billion and made him a symbol of prescient, contrarian investing. After building his firm on merger arbitrage and event-driven strategies, Paulson’s success in the financial crisis cemented his reputation as a master of timing and risk management. In recent years, he has shifted toward private investments and family-office operations while becoming a major philanthropist across healthcare, education, and the arts. Paulson’s rise from modest beginnings to one of the wealthiest hedge fund investors underscores the enduring power of disciplined conviction in global markets.

John Griffin, founder of Blue Ridge Capital, became one of the most respected hedge fund managers of his generation through his disciplined long/short equity strategy and reputation for deep fundamental research. A protégé of legendary investor Julian Robertson at Tiger Management, Griffin launched Blue Ridge in 1996 and built it into a multi-billion-dollar “Tiger Cub” fund known for concentrated bets on high-quality growth companies and sharp downside hedging. After closing the fund in 2017 to devote himself to philanthropy, he became CEO of Blue Ridge Foundation and a leading donor to education and medical research, combining investment principles with data-driven social impact initiatives.

John Foley, cofounder and former CEO of Peloton, turned a home-fitness concept into a global connected workout phenomenon by merging high-end hardware with subscription media. After launching Peloton in 2012 through Kickstarter, Foley pushed a bold bet on streaming-based fitness communities, leading the company through rapid growth, a blockbuster IPO, and a surge in demand during the pandemic. Known for visionary product design and premium branding, he later stepped down amid supply-chain and post-pandemic challenges but remains a defining figure in the evolution of consumer wellness technology. Through subsequent ventures in textiles and wellness, Foley continues to pursue innovation at the intersection of lifestyle, brand, and retail.