Ares Management Corp (ARES)

Ares is a global alternative investment manager founded in 1997, with $622.5 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2025, up from $94.0 billion a decade earlier. It offers a range of investment strategies built on a disciplined, credit-oriented investment philosophy that seeks strong risk-adjusted returns through market cycles. It operates as an integrated platform in which its investment groups share research, sourcing and market intelligence, with research capabilities across more than 55 industries. It does not use a centralized investment committee; each group's committees have overlapping membership.

The firm is organized into four investment groups. Credit is the largest, with $406.9 billion of AUM and over 305 funds. It covers liquid credit, alternative credit, direct lending (U.S., European and APAC), and opportunistic credit, and is one of the largest self-originating direct lenders in the U.S. Real Assets manages equity and debt strategies in real estate (core/core-plus, value-add and opportunistic, across the Americas, Europe and APAC) and infrastructure (core and value-add equity, plus debt across digital, transport, energy and utility sectors). Real Assets includes GCP International, acquired on March 1, 2025, which added logistics and digital infrastructure capabilities. Secondaries acquires interests in private equity, real estate, infrastructure and credit funds and builds structured solutions for investors. Private Equity invests in corporate and APAC private equity and works with management teams to grow businesses. Other businesses include Ares Insurance Solutions, SPAC-related strategic investments, a venture capital business focused on growth-stage and applied AI companies, and investments in certain structured financing vehicles.

Ares serves over 2,850 direct institutional relationships and a significant retail investor base through publicly traded funds, sub-advised accounts and perpetual wealth vehicles. In 2025 it raised $113.2 billion of gross new capital commitments across more than 190 investment vehicles: $77.4 billion directly from over 540 institutional investors (over 235 of them new to Ares) and $35.8 billion through intermediaries. By group, Credit raised $66.9 billion, Real Assets $24.0 billion, Secondaries $12.9 billion and Private Equity $2.3 billion. About 79% of direct institutional fundraising came from existing investors. Ares invested $145.8 billion during 2025, of which $69.1 billion came from drawdown funds.

The firm has over 4,250 employees, including over 1,650 investment professionals and over 2,550 operations management professionals, in over 55 offices across more than 25 countries. Its investment professionals work from local markets to source deals, and an Operating Committee and a Partners Committee help oversee strategy and operations. It integrates ESG factors through a responsible investment program. Philanthropic efforts include the Ares Charitable Foundation and the Ares in Motion volunteer program. The text does not identify the company's headquarters, suppliers or named competitors.