Herbert 'Herb' A. Allen Jr. is an American businessman, the billionaire former President and CEO of Allen & Company, the storied family-run boutique investment bank. Born in 1940, his family's fortune is rooted in investment banking and corporate buyouts; his father and uncle co-founded Allen & Company in 1922.

Allen Jr. graduated from Williams College in 1962 and immediately joined the family firm. His career is defined by his mastery of high-stakes mergers and acquisitions (M&A), specializing in the media, technology, and entertainment sectors, and his singular success in cultivating long-term, lucrative relationships with business leaders.

Herbert Allen Jr.'s strategic genius was his focus on the intersection of Wall Street and Hollywood. He famously purchased the film studio Columbia Pictures in 1973 and sold it to the Coca-Cola Company in 1982, joining the Coca-Cola board and cementing his financial network in the entertainment industry.

His greatest structural contribution is the founding of the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference in 1983. This annual, exclusive gathering of global business leaders, tech titans (Gates, Bezos, Musk, Zuckerberg), and media moguls (Murdoch) has become a hallmark of elite dealmaking and networking—often called a summer camp for billionaires. Allen & Company has advised, helped found, or invested in giants like Google, Discovery Communications, and News Corporation. His wealth is secured by the firm's immense success in boutique M&A and his ability to leverage his exclusive network for immense financial returns.

Herbert Allen Jr.'s social impact is structural, stemming from Allen & Company's role in shaping the modern media, telecom, and technology sectors through M&A. His founding of the Sun Valley Conference created a structural nexus for dealmaking and corporate networking among the global elite.

His personal philanthropy supports various cultural and educational institutions (including Williams College and the New York Public Television station). His career is a testament to the profitability and influence of mastering the private, high-stakes world of investment banking.

Herbert Allen Jr. maintains the professional, discreet style of a Wall Street power broker. His attire is consistently bespoke, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects his stability and influence, often blending into the exclusive environments of his business and social activities.

Residing in New York City and Idaho, his luxury is the immense security and anonymity derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to high-stakes M&A, cultivating elite networks, and the private management of his family's renowned boutique bank.