Early Life and Education
Marc Jeffrey Rowan was born in 1962 and raised on Long Island, New York, later moving to Hollywood, Florida. His father worked in auto-leasing, and his mother was a teacher and concert pianist. Rowan is of Jewish descent.
He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business with a BS and an MBA in Finance (W'84, WG '85). During his studies, his family faced financial difficulties, but the university allowed him to complete his education.
Rise to Success
Rowan began his career in the mergers and acquisitions department at Drexel Burnham Lambert. In 1990, following the collapse of Drexel Burnham Lambert, Rowan co-founded Apollo Global Management with Leon Black and Josh Harris. He played a key role in the development of Apollo's credit business. In 2021, Rowan became the CEO of Apollo Global Management. Under his leadership, the company has grown, with the firm now managing assets across credit, equity, and real assets.
Key Business Strategies
A key strategy under Rowan's leadership has been the expansion of Apollo into the private credit market. Apollo has also focused on building its retirement services and insurance-linked investments through partnerships.
Philanthropy
Rowan is actively involved in philanthropy, chairing the Board of UJA-Federation of New York, and supporting various Jewish causes and education initiatives. He has also been involved in the Civil Society Fellowship, a partnership of the Anti-Defamation League, and the Aspen Institute.