Michael Arougheti

Michael Arougheti co-founded Ares Management in 1997 and serves as its CEO. Ares grew into one of the world's largest alternative asset managers by building scale across credit, private equity, real estate, and infrastructure. Ares is particularly known for its private credit capabilities, including its large BDC (business development company) platform. The firm's credit-first culture and disciplined approach to lending across the credit spectrum — from senior secured to subordinated debt — positioned it as a major beneficiary of the private credit expansion. Ares manages over $400 billion in assets. The firm's infrastructure platform has become a particularly fast-growing segment as institutional investors seek inflation-hedging assets with predictable cash flows, and Ares's global reach gives it deal sourcing advantages across geographies and asset types.