David Rubenstein

David Rubenstein co-founded The Carlyle Group in 1987 in Washington DC, deliberately building a firm that leveraged proximity to government and defense contracts. He served as domestic policy adviser to President Carter before entering private equity. Carlyle grew to manage over $400 billion across buyouts, real estate, credit, and infrastructure. Rubenstein became known for his philanthropic work — signing the Giving Pledge, donating to the Smithsonian and national monuments — and for conducting interview series with global business and government leaders. He hosts interview programs on Bloomberg. Rubenstein's interview series, broadcast on Bloomberg Television and podcasts, has become one of the most widely followed programs in institutional finance, with conversations spanning investment philosophy, leadership, and economic history that have been viewed by millions of professionals globally.