Leon Black is CEO and co-founder of Apollo Global Management LP, a LBO specialist fund, which manages more than 60 billion of dollars in assets mainly for institutional investors.

After a degree in philosophy and history obtained at Dartmouth College in 1973, Leon Black continues his studies and in 1975 he reached an MBA from Harvard Business School. In 1977 he joined the Drexel Burnham Lambert Incorporated, investment bank, where he worked as General Director, Director of Fusion & Acquisitions, and Co-director of the Corporate Finance Department.

During 13 years, Leon Black popularizes the LBO, and makes a name for oneself working with investor as Carl Icahn and T. Boone Pickens, by financing their hostile takeover bids. Drexel meets a catastrophic end, his director and mentor Michael Milken will end up in prison. Black escapes uninjured from this affair.

With capital recovered from Drexel, Leon Black founded in 1990 Apollo Management with Joshua Harris and Marc Rowan, as well managers of Drexel. He also founded Apollo Investment Corporation, and then a real estate’s branch called Area Property Partners.

Director of Rentals and Sirius Satellite Radio, Leon Black is also director of Dartmouth College, Museum of Modern Art and Mount Sinai Hospital. He is also member of National Advisory Committee of JP Morgan Chase and board member of Faster Cures.