Ares Management Corp (ARES)

Ares Management is a leading global alternative investment manager with $622.5 billion in assets under management, over 4,250 employees, and a presence across more than 55 offices in over 25 countries. Founded in 1997, the firm serves more than 2,850 direct institutional relationships alongside a substantial retail investor base through publicly-traded funds, sub-advised accounts, and perpetual wealth vehicles. Ares operates through four complementary investment groups—Credit, Real Assets, Secondaries, and Private Equity—each considered a market leader based on AUM and performance, supplemented by other businesses including Ares Insurance Solutions, SPAC-related strategic investments, a venture capital business focused on growth-stage and AI companies, and structured financing initiatives.

The firm's AUM has grown from $94.0 billion a decade ago to $622.5 billion, reflecting five- and ten-year CAGRs of 26% and 21%, respectively. Ares attributes its performance to comprehensive multi-asset class expertise, differentiated market intelligence across more than 55 industries, a consistent credit-oriented investment approach, robust deal sourcing, talented professionals, and a collaborative culture supported by an Operating Committee and Partners Committee rather than a centralized investment committee. The Credit Group is the firm's largest segment, with $406.9 billion in AUM across more than 305 funds, encompassing liquid credit ($53.1 billion), alternative credit ($48.1 billion), opportunistic credit ($19.8 billion), and direct lending ($274.3 billion, including U.S. direct lending at $189.6 billion, European direct lending at $84.7 billion, and APAC credit at $11.5 billion).

The Real Assets Group manages equity and debt strategies across real estate and infrastructure, including a digital infrastructure capability strengthened by the March 2025 acquisition of GCP International (excluding Greater China operations) from GLP Capital Partners, which expanded logistics and digital infrastructure capabilities and geographic reach. The Secondaries Group invests across private equity, real estate, infrastructure, and credit secondary markets, while the Private Equity Group partners with management teams to drive organic and inorganic growth. In 2025, Ares raised $113.2 billion in gross new capital commitments across more than 190 vehicles, with 79% of direct institutional fundraising coming from existing investors, and deployed $145.8 billion globally, including $69.1 billion through drawdown funds.

The firm emphasizes human capital development through talent management, mentoring, DEI initiatives, health and wellness benefits, and workplace flexibility programs, and integrates ESG considerations into its investment process via a formal Responsible Investment Policy. Philanthropic efforts are led by the Ares Charitable Foundation, established in 2021 to support economic mobility initiatives, alongside carried-interest donation commitments tied to select funds and the Ares in Motion global community engagement program launched in 2012.