Howard S. Marks is an American investor, the self-made billionaire Co-founder and Co-Chairman of Oaktree Capital Management (NYSE: OAK), one of the world's largest distressed-debt investors. His career is rooted in elite finance and a philosophical commitment to contrarian investment and risk analysis.

Marks holds a B.S. in Economics cum laude from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Booth School of Business of the University of Chicago. His career began in finance, where he pioneered credit investing in 1978 and later organized the first distressed-debt fund in 1988 at Citicorp Investment Management. His unique approach is defined by his influential memos to investors, which are widely read across the investment community and explore topics like risk, cycles, and contrarian thinking.

Howard Marks co-founded Oaktree Capital Management in 1995, building it into a global investment company with a portfolio in credit, private equity, real assets, and listed equities. His strategic genius was focusing on the distressed debt sector, specializing in buying the debt of financially struggling companies and leveraging the subsequent recovery for massive returns. Oaktree became the largest distressed-debt investor in the world.

Under his leadership as Co-Chairman, Oaktree grew to manage over $100 billion in assets. He is the author of the best-selling investment book, The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor. Marks is highly regarded for his ability to translate complex financial concepts into clear, philosophical investment strategies. His wealth is tied to the long-term, high-yield returns generated by distressed debt and alternative investment strategies.

• Oaktree Capital Management (Co-founder & Co-Chairman): The core asset, a global leader in distressed debt, high yield bonds, and alternative investment strategies. It is the largest distressed-debt investor in the world.
• Investment Memos: He is famous for his philosophical memos to investors, which influence investment thinking globally.
• Literary Milestone: Author of The Most Important Thing.
• Academic Background: He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a degree from Wharton (UPenn).

Howard Marks's social impact is structural, stemming from Oaktree's role in providing essential capital for the restructuring of financially struggling corporations, contributing to corporate stability and preventing massive job losses. His written works influence the governance and ethical conduct of the global investment community.

His personal philanthropy supports various educational and community initiatives. His career is a testament to the profitability of contrarian investment—taking calculated risks in highly undervalued, complex markets.

Howard Marks maintains the professional, composed style of a financial executive. His attire is consistently bespoke, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic is one of stability and immense financial authority, reflecting his mastery of complex debt markets.

Residing in Los Angeles, California, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to investment philosophy, risk analysis, and the profitable management of distressed debt and alternative assets.