William Conway, Jr.

William Conway, Jr.

"With Daniel D'Aniello and David Rubenstein founded Carlyle Group 1987; used politically connected advisers—including former President George H.W. Bush and former British prime minister John Major—to buy defense-oriented companies, turn them around, sell for big profits. Vilified in Michael Moore's 2004 movie, Fahrenheit 9/11, for investing Bin Laden family money; rehabbing image since. Cut ties with lightning-rod advisers; brought on ex-IBM chief Louis Gerstner, former Time Inc. editor in chief Norman Pearlstine. Diversified portfolio. Today firm manages $78 billion across 55 buyout, leveraged finance, real estate, venture capital funds. Big deals: with partners, bought pipeline outfit Kinder Morgan for $22 billion last year; paid Ford Motor $15 billion for rental-car firm Hertz in 2005. Dartmouth grad earned M.B.A. at U. of Chicago. Took job at First National Bank of Chicago, became chief financial officer at MCI. Runs Carlyle's investment committee."

His father is William Conway