Who Owns Ares Management?
Ares Management is the flagship brand of Ares Management Corporation (NYSE: ARES), the Los Angeles alternative asset manager founded in 1997 by Tony Ressler, Michael Arougheti, and partners. It manages over 600 billion dollars and operates the largest direct lending platform in private credit, spanning credit, private equity, real estate, and infrastructure.
Parent Company
Founded
1997
Status
Publicly Traded
Headquarters
Who Owns Ares Management?
- Parent Company: Ares Management Corporation
- Ownership Type: Brand division
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: NYSE: ARES
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Ares Management | Ares Management Corporation | Brand division |
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History of Ares Management
- Founded: 1997
- Founders: Tony Ressler, Michael Arougheti, David Kaplan, Bennett Rosenthal, Antony Ressler
Ares was founded in 1997 when the Apollo Advisors credit team, led by Ressler, Arougheti, and colleagues, spun out to build a dedicated credit platform. The founding premise was that private debt, then a niche, would become a core institutional allocation.
The bet compounded: Ares built the largest direct lending franchise in the market, added private equity, real estate, and infrastructure groups, and went public in 2014. Acquisitions including American Capital's BDC portfolio in 2017 and later wealth-platform deals expanded its retail reach.
The post-2020 private credit boom turned Ares's specialty into the industry's center of gravity. AUM more than tripled to over 600 billion dollars, and the firm now leads market share tables in US and European direct lending while pushing into Asia and private wealth channels.
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About Ares Management Corporation
What does Ares Management own?
Ares manages investment funds rather than owning operating companies. Its vehicles hold loans, real estate, infrastructure assets, and private equity positions across thousands of investments. It sponsors non-traded funds including AREIT and AIREIT.
Is Ares Management publicly traded?
Yes. Ares Management Corporation trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker ARES. The company went public in May 2014.
Who founded Ares Management?
Ares was founded in 1997 in Los Angeles by Tony Ressler, Mike Arougheti, David Kaplan, John Kissick, and Bennett Rosenthal, a team with roots in Apollo Global Management and Merrill Lynch leveraged finance.
Where is Ares Management headquartered?
The firm is headquartered in Los Angeles, California, and operates more than 60 offices across North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East.
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How much does Ares Management manage?
Ares reported approximately $690.6 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2026, with $416.4 billion in fee-paying AUM and $233.9 billion in perpetual capital.
Who owns Ares Management?
Ares is a public company owned by institutional and retail shareholders. Co-founders, led by executive chairman Tony Ressler, retain significant stakes, and CEO Mike Arougheti leads day-to-day operations.
What happened to Black Creek Industrial REIT?
Ares acquired Black Creek Group's US real estate advisory and distribution business in July 2021. Black Creek Industrial REIT IV was renamed Ares Industrial Real Estate Income Trust, and Black Creek Diversified Property Fund became Ares Real Estate Income Trust.
- Founded: 1997
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: NYSE: ARES
- Revenue: Management and related fees on $690.6 billion AUM (Q3 2026)
- Employees: approximately 4,400
Where Is Ares Management Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, USA
Ares Management Categories & Tags
Brands Owned by Ares Management Corporation
Finance FintechAres Industrial Real Estate Income Trust (AIREIT)
Owned by Ares Management Corporation
Non-traded industrial NAV REIT managed by Ares Management, formerly Black Creek Industrial REIT IV, focused on US distribution warehouses and logistics properties.
reitnon-traded-reitindustrial-real-estate
Finance FintechAres Real Estate Income Trust (AREIT)
Owned by Ares Management Corporation
Non-traded diversified NAV REIT managed by Ares Management, tracing its lineage to the 2005 Dividend Capital funds and holding roughly $4 billion in net asset value.
reitnon-traded-reitreal-estate
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Ares Management Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Number one direct lending franchise globally
- +Over 600 billion dollars AUM with credit-led growth
- +Strong fundraising across institutional and wealth channels
- +S&P 500 constituent with public currency
- +Deep sponsor relationships sustain origination
Considerations
- -Credit concentration exposes it to a lending downturn
- -Lacks an insurance-capital captive like Apollo's Athene
- -Wealth-channel buildout trails Blackstone's
- -Fee compression as private credit competition intensifies
- -BDC structures face retail-investor scrutiny
Frequently Asked Questions About Ares Management
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Sources & Further Reading
Competitors to Ares Management
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackrock | USA | 2024 | Market leader | Global | All-ages | |
| Blue Owl Capital | USA | 2021 | Market leader | Global | All-ages | |
| Kkr | USA | 2004 | Market leader | Global | All-ages | |
| Apollo Global Management | USA | 1990 | Market leader | Global | All-ages | |
| Franklin Templeton | USA | 2008 | Mass market | United states | All Genders |
Learn More About Competitors
Finance FintechBlackRock Private Credit
Owned by BlackRock Inc.
BlackRock Private Credit is the private debt platform of BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, scaled up through the 2024 HPS Investment Partners acquisition into a top-tier direct lender.
asset-managementprivate-creditdirect-lending
Finance FintechBlue Owl Capital
Owned by Blue Owl Capital Inc.
Blue Owl Capital is the flagship brand of the NYSE-listed alternative manager built around direct lending and GP stakes, managing over 300 billion dollars across credit, real assets, and GP strategic capital.
asset-managementprivate-creditdirect-lending
Finance FintechKKR Credit
Owned by KKR & Co. Inc.
KKR Credit is the credit investing brand of KKR & Co., the publicly traded alternatives giant, spanning private credit, direct lending, and asset-backed finance across hundreds of billions in assets.
asset-managementprivate-creditdirect-lending
Finance FintechApollo Global Management
Owned by Apollo Global Management, Inc.
Apollo Global Management is the flagship brand of the publicly traded alternative asset manager overseeing roughly 900 billion dollars across credit, equity, and real assets, anchored by its Athene retirement platform.
asset-managementprivate-creditprivate-equity
Finance FintechBenefit Street Partners
Owned by Franklin Templeton, Inc.
New York private credit manager founded in 2008 by Tom Gahan, a specialist alternatives manager of Franklin Templeton focused on middle-market lending.
private-creditalternativesasset-management
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: Ares Management competes with 5 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
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Independent Alternatives to Ares Management
Looking for brands with different ownership structures? These similar brands are not owned by Ares Management Corporation, giving you alternative choices that support different corporate structures.
Finance FintechBlue Owl Capital
Owned by Blue Owl Capital Inc.
Blue Owl Capital is the flagship brand of the NYSE-listed alternative manager built around direct lending and GP stakes, managing over 300 billion dollars across credit, real assets, and GP strategic capital.
asset-managementprivate-creditdirect-lending
Publicly Traded
Blue Owl Capital operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Finance FintechApollo Global Management
Owned by Apollo Global Management, Inc.
Apollo Global Management is the flagship brand of the publicly traded alternative asset manager overseeing roughly 900 billion dollars across credit, equity, and real assets, anchored by its Athene retirement platform.
asset-managementprivate-creditprivate-equity
Publicly Traded
Apollo Global Management operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Finance FintechBarings
Owned by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual)
Global asset management firm headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and subsidiary of MassMutual, managing investments across fixed income, real estate, and private markets.
asset-managementinvestmentsfixed-income
Privately Owned
Barings is privately owned, unlike Ares Management which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Finance FintechCVC Capital Partners
Owned by CVC Capital Partners plc
Global private markets investment brand managing 205 billion euros across private equity, credit, secondaries, and infrastructure funds.
private-equityprivate-marketsasset-management
Privately Owned
CVC Capital Partners is privately owned, unlike Ares Management which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Finance FintechFidelity ETFs
Owned by Fidelity Investments
Fidelity Investments' exchange-traded fund family of about 84 US-listed funds holding roughly $186 billion, spanning index, active, and digital asset products.
etfindex-fundsfidelity
Privately Owned
Fidelity ETFs is privately owned, unlike Ares Management which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Finance FintechKKR
Owned by KKR & Co. Inc.
Flagship brand of KKR & Co. Inc., the global investment firm, covering its private equity, credit, and real assets investment platforms.
private-equityinvestment-managementalternatives
Publicly Traded
KKR operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Ares Management Corporation Stock Information
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