Born in Washington D.C. in 1960, Antony 'Tony' Ressler is an American billionaire investor and the co-founder of two of the world's most dominant alternative asset management firms, Apollo Global Management and Ares Management. His intellectual foundation was rigorous: he earned a B.S.F.S. (Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service) from Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

After graduating, he began his career at the notorious investment bank Drexel Burnham Lambert, where he became a Senior Vice President in the high-yield bond department, gaining crucial experience in the high-stakes, leveraged world of corporate finance. This exposure to complex credit instruments and distressed debt became the cornerstone of his future, multi-billion dollar private equity career.

Antony Ressler’s career is defined by his ability to pivot from the collapse of one giant firm to the creation of two new ones. Following the demise of Drexel Burnham Lambert, Ressler, along with his brother-in-law Leon Black, co-founded the private equity firm Apollo Global Management in 1990. This move positioned him at the vanguard of the distressed investing movement.

In 1997, Ressler left Apollo to co-found Ares Management Corporation with John H. Kissick and Bennett Rosenthal. Under his leadership as Executive Chairman, Ares Management grew into a leading global alternative asset management firm with hundreds of billions of dollars in assets under management, specializing in credit, private equity, real estate, and secondary solutions. In 2015, Ressler made his most high-profile consumer acquisition, leading the group that bought the Atlanta Hawks NBA team, cementing his status as a key investor who bridges finance, sports, and philanthropy.

Antony Ressler’s philanthropy is highly structured and focused on two core areas: education and children’s welfare/arts. He views his financial success as a platform for civic reform, particularly in Los Angeles and Atlanta.

• Education: He is a founder and former Chairman of the Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools, which has grown to operate dozens of free public middle and high schools in L.A.'s poorest communities, aiming to provide high-quality education in historically underperforming areas.
• Arts and Health: He serves as Co-Chair of the Board of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), making him a central figure in the L.A. art world. He also co-founded The Painted Turtle Camp, which serves children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses, a deeply personal and compassionate project.

Antony Ressler embodies the refined, powerful style of a top-tier private equity founder who commands global capital. His attire is consistently bespoke, favoring sharp, conservative business suits that reflect his D.C. and Wall Street roots. His presentation is professional, authoritative, and focused, suitable for both the investment world and the high-profile environment of NBA ownership.

His lifestyle is centered on Los Angeles (where Ares is headquartered) and Atlanta (where the Hawks operate). He is married to actress Jami Gertz, creating a powerful crossover couple in finance and entertainment. His luxury is expressed through his co-chairmanship of LACMA, giving him immense cultural influence, and his ownership of a major professional sports team. His life is one of intense strategic focus, balancing the high-stakes world of finance with high-impact civic and cultural leadership.