Ares Management
A global alternative investment manager focused on credit, private equity, real estate, and infrastructure.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Ares Management Corporation is a global alternative investment manager headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The firm was established in 1997 by a group of investment professionals including Antony Ressler, Michael Arougheti, David Kaplan, John H. Kissick, and Bennett Rosenthal. It developed from a credit-oriented investment platform into a diversified manager serving institutional investors, family offices, sovereign institutions, insurance companies, pension funds, wealth-management channels, and other eligible investors. Ares organizes its principal investment activities around credit, private equity, real estate, and infrastructure and power. Its credit business invests across liquid and illiquid corporate credit, direct lending, leveraged loans, high-yield bonds, special situations, and other non-investment-grade assets. This area has been an important part of the firm's identity and has made Ares one of the prominent participants in private credit and middle-market lending. Through affiliated platforms, the group provides financing for acquisitions, recapitalizations, leveraged buyouts, and other corporate needs. The private equity business generally targets middle-market companies and may pursue majority, shared-control, opportunistic, and growth investments. Ares has also developed investment capabilities in power and infrastructure, including assets connected with generation, transmission, and midstream activities. Its real-estate platform invests in public and private real-estate equity and debt across North America and Europe, using commingled funds, separately managed accounts, publicly traded vehicles, and other structures. The Asia-Pacific strategy associated with Ares SSG adds credit, private equity, and special-situations investing in the region. Ares expanded internationally in the 2000s, including through the creation of Ares Management Limited in the United Kingdom. It later added capabilities and geographic reach through acquisitions. The purchase of American Capital in 2017 materially broadened Ares's asset-management and direct-lending platform. Its acquisition of a controlling interest in SSG Capital Management in 2020 strengthened its Asia-Pacific presence, while the 2021 purchase of Black Creek Group's U.S. real-estate investment-advisory and distribution business expanded its real-estate platform. In 2024, Ares announced or completed further expansion through investments involving RSK Group and the acquisition of the international business of GLP Capital Partners, excluding its Greater China operations. Ares became a publicly traded company through an initial public offering in May 2014 and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ARES. The company continues to operate as a multi-strategy alternative asset manager rather than as a conventional retail financial-services brand. Its business model combines investment management fees, performance-related income, permanent-capital vehicles, institutional funds, and separately managed mandates. In addition to investment products, the broader Ares ecosystem includes affiliated and publicly traded vehicles such as Ares Capital Corporation and Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation. The firm has also made selected nontraditional investments, including a minority interest in the Miami Dolphins announced in 2024. The reference material describes Ares as having approximately $671.3 billion in assets under management and about 4,400 employees as of June 30, 2026; these figures are time-specific and should not be treated as current outside that reporting date.
History
Ares Management was established in 1997 by Antony Ressler, Michael Arougheti, David Kaplan, John H. Kissick, and Bennett Rosenthal. The firm initially developed around alternative investment activities, particularly credit and private equity, and subsequently broadened its platform to include real estate, infrastructure, and power investments. Its strategy has generally emphasized complex, illiquid, and non-investment-grade assets, as well as middle-market companies and financing transactions. The company expanded beyond the United States during the 2000s. A minority interest was acquired by the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority in May 2007; the investment did not provide the institution with voting or governance rights, according to the cited reference material. Ares established Ares Management Limited in the United Kingdom in 2006 to support its European capital-markets and investment-advisory operations. The British entity operates under Financial Conduct Authority authorization for certain advisory activities. Ares added permanent-capital and specialty-finance capabilities through Ares Capital Corporation, established in 2004. Ares Capital Corporation is a publicly traded, closed-end, non-diversified specialty-finance company regulated as a business development company under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940. Ares Capital Management LLC serves as its investment adviser. The wider organization also developed a real-estate platform that includes public and private investment vehicles and affiliated businesses. In May 2014, Ares Management completed its initial public offering and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The public listing provided a permanent corporate-capital structure while the firm's investment businesses continued to raise private funds and manage separate accounts. In April 2016, the firm closed its fifth global private-equity fund with approximately $7.85 billion in commitments, as reported in the reference material. A major transformation came through the acquisition of American Capital. Ares announced the transaction in 2016 and completed it in January 2017. The deal expanded Ares's credit, direct-lending, and asset-management capabilities and added scale to its presence in middle-market finance. Ares continued its international development in Asia through the acquisition of a controlling stake in Hong Kong-based SSG Capital Management. Announced in January 2020 and completed in July of that year, the business became known as Ares SSG and focused on credit, private equity, and special situations in the Asia-Pacific region. Real estate became another important expansion area. On July 1, 2021, Ares completed the acquisition of Black Creek Group's U.S. real-estate investment-advisory and distribution business. The transaction strengthened Ares's ability to manage and distribute U.S. real-estate strategies. In 2024, the firm continued to broaden its investment activities. Together with Searchlight Capital, it invested £500 million in preferred equity in RSK Group, a United Kingdom-based environmental, engineering, and technical-services group. In October 2024, Ares acquired the international business of GLP Capital Partners, excluding its Greater China business, in a transaction using both cash and Ares Class A common stock. Ares also entered a new type of asset ownership in December 2024 by acquiring a 10% interest in the Miami Dolphins. This followed approval of a framework permitting selected external investors to acquire minority stakes in National Football League franchises. In April 2026, the reference material states that Ares agreed to acquire Whitestone REIT in an approximately $1.7 billion all-cash transaction. The firm therefore combines a long-established alternative-investment heritage with a continually expanding multi-strategy platform. The cited Wikipedia material reports approximately $671.3 billion in assets under management and roughly 4,400 employees as of June 30, 2026; those figures are explicitly date-bound.
- 2026
Whitestone REIT acquisition agreement
[1]Ares agrees to acquire Whitestone REIT in an approximately $1.7 billion all-cash transaction, according to the supplied reference material.
- 2024
GLP Capital Partners international business is acquired
[1]Ares acquires GLP Capital Partners' international operations outside Greater China using cash and Ares Class A common stock.
- 2024
Miami Dolphins minority investment
[1]Ares acquires a 10% interest in the Miami Dolphins.
- 2021
Black Creek U.S. real-estate business joins Ares
[1]Ares completes the acquisition of Black Creek Group's U.S. real-estate investment-advisory and distribution business.
- 2020
Ares SSG is formed
[1]Ares completes its acquisition of a controlling interest in SSG Capital Management, which subsequently operates as Ares SSG.
- 2017
American Capital acquisition closes
[1]Ares completes its approximately $3.4 billion acquisition of American Capital.
- 2016
Fifth global private-equity fund closes
[1]Ares closes its fifth global private-equity fund with approximately $7.85 billion in capital raised.
- 2014
Initial public offering
[1]Ares Management completes its IPO and becomes listed on the New York Stock Exchange under ARES.
- 2007
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority takes a minority interest
[1]The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority acquires a minority interest in Ares without voting or governance rights, according to the cited reference.
- 2006
European platform is expanded
[1]Ares Management Limited is established in the United Kingdom to support European capital-markets and investment-advisory activities.
Products and positioning
Global, institutionally oriented alternative-asset manager with a strong private-credit franchise and broad capabilities across private equity, real estate, infrastructure, and special situations.
Credit and private debt
Ares Credit Group
Ares's credit platform manages liquid and illiquid credit strategies, including direct lending, leveraged finance, high-yield and other non-investment-grade credit, special situations, and related corporate-finance investments. Its activities span institutional funds, separately managed accounts, and permanent-capital structures. The group is particularly associated with financing middle-market companies and transactions such as acquisitions, recapitalizations, and leveraged buyouts.
Private equity
Ares Private Equity Group
The private-equity platform makes opportunistic investments in middle-market companies, including majority-control, shared-control, and growth-oriented transactions. It has managed commingled funds focused primarily on North America and, to a lesser extent, Europe, as well as China-focused growth strategies and co-investment vehicles. The platform seeks businesses where operational improvement, capital support, or strategic development can create value over an investment period.
Real-estate investment
Ares Real Estate Group
Ares Real Estate Group invests in public and private real-estate equity and debt across North America and Europe. Its structures include private-equity commingled funds, debt strategies, separately managed accounts, and publicly traded real-estate vehicles. The acquisition of Black Creek's U.S. real-estate advisory and distribution business expanded the group's domestic real-estate platform and distribution capabilities.
Infrastructure and power
Ares Infrastructure and Power
This platform invests in infrastructure and power-related assets, including businesses and projects connected with power generation, transmission, and midstream activities. It operates alongside Ares's private-equity capabilities and provides dedicated funds and co-investment structures for investors seeking exposure to essential assets and infrastructure-related operating companies.
Asia-Pacific alternative investments · 2020
Ares SSG
Ares SSG is the Asia-Pacific alternative-investment platform created after Ares acquired a controlling interest in SSG Capital Management. It invests across credit, private equity, and special situations in the region, with an emphasis on complex transactions and opportunities requiring local market expertise.
Business development company and specialty finance · 2004
Ares Capital Corporation
Ares Capital Corporation is a publicly traded closed-end, non-diversified specialty-finance company regulated as a business development company under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940. It provides financing to middle-market companies, including debt and related capital solutions for acquisitions, recapitalizations, leveraged buyouts, and general corporate purposes. Ares Capital Management LLC acts as its investment adviser.
Commercial real-estate finance
Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation
Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation is an affiliated publicly traded real-estate finance vehicle associated with Ares's broader real-estate platform. The vehicle provides exposure to commercial real-estate debt and related financing activities through a permanent-capital structure.
Controversies
2020
Ares agrees to $1 million SEC settlement
Ares agreed to pay $1 million to settle SEC charges related to compliance failures in documenting inquiries about material nonpublic information. The SEC said the firm violated compliance policies; Ares neither admitted nor denied the findings.
Brand decisions
2026
Agreement to acquire Whitestone REITM&ABackground
Ares sought to expand its real-estate ownership and operating platform through the acquisition of a shopping-center REIT focused on Arizona and Texas.
Action taken
Ares agreed to acquire Whitestone REIT in an all-cash transaction.
Aftermath
The reference material describes the transaction as approximately $1.7 billion; completion status is not established in the supplied material.
Announced transaction value. Approximately $1.7 billion (April 2026 agreement)
2024
Acquisition of GLP Capital Partners' international businessM&ABackground
Ares continued to expand its global real-assets and investment-management capabilities outside Greater China.
Action taken
Ares acquired GLP Capital Partners' international business, excluding Greater China, in a transaction combining cash and Ares Class A common stock.
Aftermath
The acquisition broadened Ares's international platform and real-assets capabilities.
Consideration. Approximately $3.7 billion in cash and $1.9 billion in Ares Class A common stock (October 2024 announcement)
2021
Acquisition of Black Creek's U.S. real-estate businessM&ABackground
Ares aimed to broaden its U.S. real-estate investment-advisory and distribution capabilities.
Action taken
Ares completed the acquisition of Black Creek Group's U.S. real-estate investment-advisory and distribution business.
Aftermath
The deal expanded the scale and distribution reach of Ares's U.S. real-estate platform.
2020
Acquisition of SSG Capital ManagementM&ABackground
Ares pursued greater scale and local investment capability in Asia-Pacific alternative assets.
Action taken
Ares acquired a controlling interest in Hong Kong-based SSG Capital Management; the transaction completed in July 2020 and the business became Ares SSG.
Aftermath
The transaction strengthened Ares's regional credit, private-equity, and special-situations platform.
2016
Agreement to acquire American CapitalM&ABackground
Ares sought to expand its credit, direct-lending, and asset-management capabilities through the purchase of American Capital.
Action taken
Ares announced an approximately $3.4 billion acquisition, which closed in January 2017.
Aftermath
The transaction increased the scale and breadth of Ares's middle-market credit and asset-management operations.
Transaction value. $3.4 billion announced transaction value (2016 announcement; January 2017 completion)
Recent events
SageSure secures $375 million credit facility[5]
Reported:
SageSure secured a $375 million senior credit facility from funds managed by Ares Management Corporation. The proceeds were designated to refinance SageSure's existing bank facility and support strategic growth initiatives.
- Unconfirmed
AEW acquires 60 Charlton Street[6]
Reported:
AEW Capital Management announced that it had acquired 60 Charlton Street in Hudson Square for $86.1 million. The building was recapitalized with a $60 million loan from a fund run by Ares Management.
Ares and Ontario Teachers acquire majority interest in TricorBraun[7]
TricorBraun announced completion of its stock purchase agreement, with funds managed by Ares Management Corporation and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board acquiring a majority interest in the company.
- Unconfirmed
Ares completes acquisition of controlling stake in SSG[8]
Reported:
Ares announced that its subsidiary Ares Holdings completed the previously disclosed acquisition of a controlling stake in SSG Capital Holdings and its operating subsidiaries.
Ares agrees to $1 million SEC settlement[4]
Ares agreed to pay $1 million to settle SEC charges related to compliance failures in documenting inquiries about material nonpublic information. The SEC said the firm violated compliance policies; Ares neither admitted nor denied the findings.
Centric Brands files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection[9]
Reported:
Centric Brands filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 18, 2020. The company said it would restructure and had reached an agreement with virtually all of its lenders for $435 million in debtor-in-possession financing.
Sources9 sources
- 1Ares Managementen.wikipedia.org
- 2Ares Management official websitearesmgmt.com
- 3Ares Management leadershiparesmgmt.com
- 4Ares agrees to $1 million SEC settlementinstitutionalinvestor.com
- 5SageSure获得3.75亿美元信贷额度prweb.com
- 6AEW 收购 60 Charlton Streetrew-online.com
- 7Ares与安大略教师退休金计划委员会取得TricorBraun多数股权tricorbraun.com
- 8锐盛投资完成收购群志资本控股权finance.sina.com.cn
- 9Centric Brands申请Chapter 11破产保护ibtimes.com
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