Ares Management Business Summary

Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES) is a premier global alternative investment manager that generates revenue through a high-density model of recurring management fees, performance-based carried interest, and principal investment income. The firm’s operations are organized into five core segments: Credit, Real Estate, Private Equity, Infrastructure, and Secondaries. As of early 2026, the Credit Group remains the firm's primary growth engine, managing over $400 billion in assets and capitalizing on the secular shift toward private debt and direct lending. Ares competes directly with alternative asset behemoths such as Blackstone, Apollo Global Management, KKR, and Blue Owl Capital. Within this competitive set, Ares distinguishes itself as a dominant specialist in the private credit market, further bolstered by strategic expansions into systematic credit via its BlueCove acquisition and international real estate through its integration of GLP Capital Partners. The firm was established in 1997 by a founding team with deep roots in leveraged finance, including Antony Ressler, Michael Arougheti, David Kaplan, John Kissick, and Bennett Rosenthal. The current leadership is anchored by Co-Founder and CEO Michael Arougheti and Executive Chairman Antony Ressler, supported by Co-Presidents Kipp deVeer and Blair Jacobson, who oversee the firm’s global expansion and ambitious $750 billion AUM target. Other key executives include Michael McFerran, serving as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, and Ryan Berry, the Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer. Ares’ governance is strengthened by a distinguished board of directors, including independent members like Michael Lynton, Chairman of Snap Inc., and Dr. Judy D. Olian. As a publicly traded entity, the corporation maintains significant institutional backing from major asset managers like Vanguard and BlackRock, underscoring its systemic importance in the global alternative investment ecosystem.