Marc Rowan

Marc Rowan
Born	Marc Jeffrey Rowan 1962
Birthplace	United States
Nationality	American
Occupation	Investor, business executive
Known for	Co-founder and CEO, Apollo Global Management
Education	University of Pennsylvania (BS, MBA)
Spouse(s)	Carolyn Pleva
Children	4
Website	[https://www.apollo.com/about-apollo/our-people/marc-rowan Official site]

Marc Jeffrey Rowan (born 1962) is an American billionaire businessman, investor, and philanthropist who serves as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Apollo Global Management, the global alternative asset management firm he co-founded in 1990 alongside Josh Harris and Leon Black. Over more than three decades, Rowan has helped build Apollo into one of the world's largest alternative investment firms, overseeing a business that spans private equity, credit, and retirement services. He assumed the role of CEO in 2021, succeeding Leon Black, and has since guided the firm through a period of significant expansion and strategic transformation. Beyond his corporate leadership, Rowan has become a prominent figure in American public life through his philanthropic activities, his engagement with higher education policy, and his involvement in political affairs. He is a major donor to the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, where he serves as chair of the Board of Advisors, and has drawn significant attention for his activism regarding antisemitism on university campuses. In January 2026, he was appointed by President Donald Trump to serve on governing bodies overseeing matters related to the Gaza Strip and the Middle East.

Early Life

Marc Jeffrey Rowan was born in 1962 in the United States. He was raised in a Jewish family. Details about his parents and upbringing have remained largely private, though obituary records for family members have been published in The New York Times and other newspapers.

Rowan grew up with an interest in business and finance that would ultimately lead him to pursue studies at one of the nation's most prestigious business schools. His early life experiences, including his Jewish heritage, would later inform his philanthropic focus on Jewish communal organizations and educational institutions in Israel, as well as his outspoken stance on antisemitism in higher education.

Education

Rowan attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned both a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Wharton School. His time at Wharton proved formative both professionally and personally; it was at the university that he developed relationships that would shape his career in finance. Wharton, long regarded as a leading center for business education, provided Rowan with the analytical foundation and network that he would leverage in the founding of Apollo Global Management.

Rowan has maintained a close relationship with Wharton throughout his career. In 2018, he donated $50 million to the school to endow professorships, one of the largest gifts in the institution's history at the time. He subsequently became chair of the Wharton Board of Advisors, a position he has used to influence the direction of the school and, more broadly, to engage in debates about the mission and governance of American universities.

Career

Founding of Apollo Global Management

In 1990, Rowan co-founded Apollo Global Management alongside Leon Black and Josh Harris. The firm was established as a private equity company focused on leveraged buyouts, distressed debt, and other alternative investment strategies. From its inception, Apollo pursued a credit-oriented investment approach that differentiated it from many of its peers in the private equity industry. The firm's founding came during a period of significant upheaval in the financial industry, following the collapse of Drexel Burnham Lambert, where several of Apollo's founders had previously worked.

Rowan played a central role in building Apollo's investment platform, with a particular focus on the firm's credit and insurance businesses. Over the years, Apollo grew from a relatively small private equity operation into one of the world's largest alternative asset managers, with hundreds of billions of dollars in assets under management.

Leadership at Apollo

For most of Apollo's history, Leon Black served as the firm's chairman and CEO, while Rowan and Harris held senior leadership positions. Rowan served as a senior managing director and was instrumental in developing Apollo's credit business, which became one of the firm's most profitable and distinctive operations.

In February 2021, Apollo announced that Rowan would become the firm's CEO, succeeding Leon Black, who stepped down from the role amid scrutiny over his financial ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The transition marked a significant moment in Apollo's history, as Rowan took the helm of a firm managing a vast portfolio of assets across private equity, credit, real estate, and insurance.

Under Rowan's leadership, Apollo has continued to expand its operations and pursue new strategic directions. Rowan has emphasized the firm's role in retirement services through its ownership of Athene Holding, an insurance and retirement services company, and has pushed Apollo into new markets and asset classes. His leadership style has been characterized by a focus on institutional growth and the convergence of traditional asset management with insurance and retirement solutions.

Investment Philosophy and Business Strategy

Rowan has articulated a vision for Apollo that extends beyond traditional private equity. He has spoken publicly about the firm's strategy of providing capital solutions across the risk spectrum, from investment-grade credit to equity, and has positioned Apollo as a firm that bridges the gap between public and private markets.

In a February 2026 interview with Bloomberg, Rowan discussed his views on Japan's economic prospects, stating that he saw a "new swagger" in Japan's economic outlook after three decades of stagnation marked by deflation and crumbling equity values. The comments reflected Rowan's global investment perspective and Apollo's interest in international markets.

In February 2026, Apollo released a letter to clients and partners from Rowan, underscoring his direct communication approach with investors and stakeholders.

Jeffrey Epstein Controversy

The relationship between Apollo's leadership and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein has been a subject of scrutiny and media reporting. Leon Black stepped down as Apollo's CEO in 2021 following revelations about his extensive financial ties to Epstein.

In February 2026, the Financial Times reported that top Apollo executives, including Rowan, had held discussions with Epstein regarding the firm's tax arrangements. In response, Apollo issued a statement in February 2026 asserting that Rowan had "neither a business nor personal relationship" with Epstein. The contrasting accounts between the Financial Times reporting and Apollo's official denial have remained a matter of public record and ongoing media attention.

Philanthropy and Higher Education Activism

University of Pennsylvania and Antisemitism Advocacy

Rowan has been one of the most prominent and active donors to the University of Pennsylvania and its Wharton School. His $50 million donation to Wharton in 2018 for the creation of endowed professorships was among the largest gifts the school had received. He serves as chair of the Wharton Board of Advisors.

In the fall of 2023, following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, Rowan emerged as a leading critic of what he characterized as the University of Pennsylvania's inadequate response to antisemitism on campus. He called on fellow donors to close their checkbooks to the university, a move that attracted national attention and put significant pressure on the institution's leadership.

Rowan's campaign against the university's leadership intensified in December 2023, when he co-hosted a fundraiser with fellow billionaire Ronald Lauder for Virginia Foxx, the chairwoman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, who had led congressional scrutiny of university leaders over their handling of antisemitism on campus.

The controversy contributed to the resignation of University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill in December 2023, following her widely criticized testimony before Congress about antisemitism on campus.

In October 2025, The New York Times reported that Rowan had played a role in developing conservative ideas behind the Trump administration's proposed "compact" for universities, which sought to impose conditions on institutions of higher education related to free speech, governance, and other matters.

Jewish Communal and Israeli Organizations

Rowan has been involved in several Jewish communal and Israeli educational organizations. He has served in a leadership capacity with the UJA-Federation of New York, one of the largest local Jewish philanthropic organizations in the United States. He has also served on the board of the Youth Renewal Fund and DARCA, organizations focused on education in Israel.

Political Activity

Rowan has been a political donor and has engaged in political activities at the national level. He was among the billionaires who donated to Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign.

In January 2026, President Trump appointed Rowan to two governing bodies overseeing the Gaza Strip and the Middle East, including what was described as a "Board of Peace." The appointment reflected Rowan's growing involvement in public policy and international affairs, building on his longstanding engagement with Israeli educational institutions and Jewish communal organizations. The Daily Pennsylvanian described Rowan as a Wharton Board of Advisors chair and billionaire Penn alumnus in its reporting on the appointment.

Personal Life

Marc Rowan is married to Carolyn Pleva, and the couple has four children. The family resides in New York. In 2013, Rowan purchased a residence at 927 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan for approximately $26 million, a transaction that drew attention due to the property's Brutalist architectural style, which was described as unusual for the Upper East Side neighborhood.

Rowan has spoken publicly about issues related to his Jewish identity and has been active in Jewish communal life. His engagement with antisemitism on university campuses, his philanthropy directed toward Israeli educational organizations, and his appointment to Middle East governing bodies by President Trump all reflect the intersection of his personal identity and public activities.

Legacy

Marc Rowan's legacy is closely tied to the growth and evolution of Apollo Global Management, which he co-founded and has led as CEO since 2021. Under the leadership of its three co-founders, Apollo grew from a startup private equity firm in 1990 into one of the largest alternative asset management firms in the world, reshaping the landscape of private credit and retirement services along the way.

Beyond finance, Rowan has become a significant figure in the national conversation about antisemitism on American university campuses. His decision in 2023 to publicly challenge the University of Pennsylvania's leadership and call on donors to withhold contributions represented an assertion of donor influence over university governance that generated extensive debate about the roles and responsibilities of major benefactors in higher education. His subsequent involvement in shaping the Trump administration's approach to universities further extended his influence from the financial sector into education policy.

His appointment to Middle East governing bodies by President Trump in 2026 marked a further expansion of Rowan's public role from business and philanthropy into geopolitics and international affairs. As Apollo continues to evolve under his leadership, and as his public policy engagements deepen, Rowan's influence across multiple domains of American life — finance, education, philanthropy, and politics — continues to grow.