Robert Agostinelli, cofounder and chairman of Rhone Group, is a veteran global private equity investor known for cross-border dealmaking and long-term ownership in industrial and services businesses. After an early career in banking and finance, he helped build Rhone into a prominent international investment firm with a focus on complex, global situations and value creation through operational improvement. Agostinelli is also well known for philanthropy and policy engagement, supporting education, democracy initiatives, and transatlantic civic programs while maintaining influence across business and public affairs.

Richard Kayne, cofounder and CEO of Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, built one of the leading U.S. alternative investment firms focused on real assets, with deep expertise in energy infrastructure, real estate, and credit. Since founding Kayne Anderson in 1984, Kayne has guided the firm through multiple market cycles by emphasizing asset-backed investing, disciplined underwriting, and long-term partnerships with operators. Under his leadership, the platform expanded across private equity, direct lending, and public market strategies tied to essential infrastructure. Kayne’s career reflects a long-horizon approach to capital deployment in sectors where durability and cash flow matter most.

Riaz Valani, founder and CEO of Global Asset Capital, is an emerging market-focused investor known for building diversified portfolios across real estate, private equity, and global public markets. With a background in finance and cross-border investing, Valani has developed a reputation for identifying value in complex international environments, combining macro awareness with disciplined asset allocation. Through his firm and family office activities, he has participated in large-scale transactions and long-term holdings spanning multiple jurisdictions. Valani’s profile reflects quiet influence, global reach, and a patient capital approach.

Raymond J. Harbert, founder and CEO of Harbert Management Corporation, built a major alternative investment platform spanning private equity, real estate, infrastructure, and credit. After starting his career in banking and leveraged finance, Harbert founded his firm in 1993 and grew it into a global manager serving institutions and high-net-worth investors with long-term, diversified strategies. Known for disciplined capital allocation and a conservative, steady approach across market cycles, Harbert has also become a prominent philanthropist supporting education, medical research, and civic initiatives, particularly in the American South.

Randal Nardone, cofounder and co-CEO of Fortress Investment Group, helped build one of the most influential alternative asset managers by scaling institutional investing across credit, real estate, and special situations. After early experience at BlackRock and UBS, Nardone cofounded Fortress in 1998 and guided its evolution into a global platform managing tens of billions through market cycles. Under his leadership, Fortress became known for opportunistic, asset-based investing and disciplined risk management, culminating in its acquisition by SoftBank. Nardone remains a defining figure in modern alternative investing and private capital strategy.

Randal J. Kirk, biotech entrepreneur and investor, built his fortune by creating and scaling life-sciences companies focused on drug development, specialty pharmaceuticals, and healthcare innovation. Best known as the founder of Intrexon and as the driving force behind multiple public biotech ventures, Kirk has pursued an aggressive strategy of acquiring scientific platforms, recruiting top research talent, and commercializing high-value therapies. His long-term influence spans pharmaceuticals, genetics, and medical technology, reflecting a rare ability to combine capital markets skill with scientific ambition.

Ramzi Musallam, CEO of Veritas Capital, built one of the most powerful private equity platforms focused on mission-critical software, defense, healthcare, and government services. Since taking the helm in 2012, Musallam has scaled Veritas through a disciplined strategy of acquiring complex, data-rich businesses with long-term contracts and high barriers to entry, then driving transformation through operational modernization and technology upgrades. Known for high-conviction dealmaking and deep sector specialization, he has positioned Veritas as a leading buyer of strategic assets at the intersection of technology and national infrastructure.

Peter Briger Jr., co-CEO of Fortress Investment Group, is one of the most prominent investors in alternative assets, known for turning distressed credit and special situations into durable, large-scale platforms. After an early career at Goldman Sachs, where he became a partner and helped run the firm’s principal investment businesses, Briger joined Fortress in 2002 and helped shape its expansion into credit, real estate, and private equity. Under his leadership, Fortress became a major force in opportunistic investing, managing billions across market cycles through disciplined risk management and a dealmaker’s instinct for dislocation. Briger remains a defining figure in modern credit investing and private capital.

Orlando Bravo, cofounder and managing partner of Thoma Bravo, built one of the most powerful private equity franchises in software by applying a disciplined, repeatable playbook to mission-critical technology businesses. After early success investing in cybersecurity and enterprise software, Bravo scaled Thoma Bravo into a dominant global platform known for operational improvement, buy-and-build strategies, and long-term value creation. His focus on recurring revenue models and founder-aligned execution has reshaped how private equity approaches software at scale.

Neil Kadisha, cofounder of Omninet and a pioneering telecommunications entrepreneur, played a central role in building the early global internet backbone during the 1990s. Through Omninet, he helped deploy one of the world’s first international fiber-optic networks, enabling high-capacity data transmission across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East at a critical moment in internet expansion. After exiting the business, Kadisha shifted his focus to philanthropy and impact investing, supporting initiatives in health, education, conflict resolution, and peace-building through the Kadisha Family Foundation. His career bridges foundational internet infrastructure and long-term global social impact.

Mike Speiser, managing partner at Sutter Hill Ventures, is one of Silicon Valley’s most influential venture capitalists, known for backing category-defining enterprise software and infrastructure companies at their earliest stages. Since joining the storied firm in the late 1990s, Speiser has led or co-led investments in transformative businesses such as Snowflake, Pure Storage, and NVIDIA-backed platforms, helping founders scale from technical breakthroughs to global market leaders. Renowned for Sutter Hill’s concentrated, long-term approach, Speiser combines deep technical insight with board-level stewardship, making him a central figure in the evolution of modern enterprise technology.

Mike Bingle is a cofounder of Silver Lake, the technology-focused private equity firm that helped define large-scale investing in software, semiconductors, and digital infrastructure. In the firm’s early years, Bingle played a key role in shaping Silver Lake’s thesis-driven approach to backing category-defining technology companies, laying the groundwork for what would become one of the most powerful platforms in global private equity. Silver Lake’s model—deep sector expertise combined with long-term capital—went on to influence an entire generation of technology investors.

Michael Rees, co-CEO of Blue Owl Capital, helped build one of the fastest-growing alternative asset managers by combining strategic credit, private equity, and direct lending platforms into a unified scale investment franchise. Since launching the firm’s predecessor units and ultimately merging with Owl Rock and Dyal Capital, Rees has expanded Blue Owl into a multibillion-dollar public powerhouse serving institutional clients worldwide. Known for disciplined capital deployment and tailored solutions across private markets, he has positioned Blue Owl as a leading voice in credit and private investing in the post-crisis era’s evolving financial ecosystem.

Michael Milken, financier and philanthropist, is widely recognized as the pioneer of the modern high-yield bond market, reshaping corporate finance and enabling a wave of entrepreneurial growth in the 1980s. After a controversial career at Drexel Burnham Lambert and subsequent legal challenges, Milken redirected his focus toward global health, medical research, and education—founding research institutions, spearheading public-health initiatives, and establishing major philanthropic programs through the Milken Institute. His enduring influence spans financial innovation and large-scale social impact, making him one of the most consequential—and debated—figures in modern business history.

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.

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.

Lawrence Golub, founder and CEO of Golub Capital, built one of the largest private credit firms in the United States, specializing in direct lending to middle-market companies and providing financing for private equity buyouts. Since launching the firm in 1994, he has overseen the growth of a multibillion-dollar platform known for consistent performance, deep sponsor relationships, and disciplined risk management. Golub Capital has become a key player in leveraged finance, rivaling major banks in unitranche and senior loan markets. Beyond business, Golub is active in philanthropy, public policy, and education, serving on nonprofit boards and donating to health and academic institutions.

Justin Ishbia, founder and managing partner of Shore Capital Partners, has built one of the fastest-growing private equity firms in the lower middle market, backing healthcare, business services, and food companies through a disciplined strategy of operational improvement and platform roll-ups. Under his leadership, Shore has completed hundreds of acquisitions and created scaled national platforms across dental, veterinary, behavioral health, and specialty manufacturing, while consistently generating strong returns. A former practicing attorney with a sharp eye for founder-led businesses, Ishbia is also a major investor in sports as co-owner of the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury alongside his brother, Mat Ishbia. His combination of analytical rigor, deal intensity, and strategic focus has made him a rising force in private equity.

Christian Dumolin, chairman and co-ceo of Koramic Investment Group, is one of Belgium’s most respected industrial and investment leaders, known for transforming a traditional brick-manufacturing company into a diversified European holding with interests spanning real estate, manufacturing, financial services, and private equity. After joining the family business in the 1970s, he led its international expansion, later steering Koramic into a broad investment platform focused on long-term value creation and operational excellence. Dumolin has served on numerous corporate boards, becoming a key figure in Belgium’s entrepreneurial landscape, while his philanthropic work in culture, education, and regional development underscores his influence beyond business.

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.