Blackstone

Founded in 1985 by Peter Peterson and Stephen Schwarzman, Blackstone began as a mergers and acquisitions advisory boutique before expanding into a merchant banking model. The firm achieved early success by raising its first private equity fund in the wake of the 1987 stock market crash and has since grown into a global powerhouse across multiple asset classes.

The firm is primarily focused on private equity, real estate, credit, and hedge fund solutions. Its private equity business is one of the world's largest investors in leveraged buyouts, while its real estate division is a prolific acquirer of commercial property. Blackstone also maintains significant operations in infrastructure, secondaries, growth equity, and insurance solutions.

Historically, Blackstone is known for completing some of the largest leveraged buyouts in history, including the acquisitions of Hilton Hotels and EQ Office. The firm became a public entity in 2007 with one of the largest U.S. IPOs of that era. Today, it manages over a trillion dollars in assets for institutional and individual investors globally.