D aniel D'Aniello is an American billionaire and one of the three co-founders of The Carlyle Group, one of the world's largest and most influential private equity firms. With a background in finance at companies like TWA and Marriott, he teamed up with William E. Conway Jr. and David Rubenstein to found Carlyle in Washington, D.C. in 1987.

Carlyle grew from a small boutique firm into a global investment giant, known for its deep connections in Washington and its successful buyouts across a wide range of industries, particularly in aerospace and defense. D'Aniello served for many years as the firm's chairman and was a key architect of its investment strategy and operations. He and his co-founders took the company public in 2012 and have since transitioned to the role of co-chairmen emeriti. He is a major philanthropist, particularly to his alma mater, Syracuse University, and is the chairman of the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank.