William Conway

William Conway co-founded The Carlyle Group in 1987 with David Rubenstein, Dan D'Aniello, and Richard Darman, starting with approximately $5 million in capital. Conway served as the chief investment officer and has overseen Carlyle's investment activities throughout its history. Carlyle became particularly known for its connections to government and defense sectors — not surprising given its Washington DC origins and the prominence of political figures among its advisors and investors (though it has made a point of diversifying well beyond this reputation). Major investments include Hertz, Booz Allen Hamilton (which Carlyle took public), Freescale Semiconductor, and the healthcare company Pharmaceutical Product Development. Conway has been personally philanthropic, donating hundreds of millions to causes including healthcare and education through personal gifts rather than the firm's activities.