Why Ares Management: Interviews, Careers, & Portfolio

Ares Management Overview

Ares Management is one of the leading alternative investment managers in the world which offers its clients complementary secondary and primary investment solutions across private equity, infrastructure asset classes, real estate, and credit.

The firm’s subsidiaries include:

• Ares Capital Corporation – provides funding to middle market acquisitions, LBO, and recapitalizations.
• Ares Capital Management LLC – SEC-registered investment adviser which is the primary investment adviser at Ares Capital Corp.
• Ares Management Ltd. – expansion of the Ares business platform into Europe which is focused on Ares European capital market operations.

Ares Management was founded by Bennett Rosenthal, John H. Kissick, David Kaplan, Michael Arougheti, and Antony Ressler in 1997. Now, the firm is based in Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Ares Management completed its IPO and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange as NYSE:ARES in 2014.

Ares Management AUM

As of September 30, 2023, Ares Management has approximately $395 billion of assets under management according to the firm’s publicly available data.

Ares Management Interview Process & Questions

Interviews at Ares Management (or similar firms) can be different for everyone, but here’s a general idea:

• You might go through 4-6 rounds of interviews.
• Initial interviews are usually done by junior folks or the HR team, while the later ones involve more senior people.
• The whole process usually takes a few weeks, unless it’s “on-cycle” or “on-campus” recruiting.

In Ares Management interviews, be ready for a mix of questions. They’ll ask fit questions, behavioral questions, and technical/investment-related questions.

If you’re getting ready for interviews and could use some help, take a look at my Growth Equity Interview Guide.

Why Ares Management

“Why this firm” is a common question in interviews. Interviewers want to know if you have a good reason for picking their company, rather than just applying to any investment firm with job openings.

If you’ve talked to people who used to or still work there, now’s the right time to mention them. Share how they’ve left a positive impression on you.

Listen to interviews with the company’s founders, leaders, and investors. This helps you understand more about them and come up with an answer to “why this company” that’s meaningful and stands out.

Check out this CNBC Money Movers interview with Ares CEO Michael Arougheti:

More Interviews

• Blair Jacobson, Co-Head of Ares European Credit, speaks to Bloomberg’s Dani Burger and Manus Cranny about the state of private credit in Europe
• Michael Arougheti, Ares Management Co-Founder, joins ‘Squawk on the Street’ to discuss opportunities in private credit

Ares Management Case Study

Companies such as Ares Management want candidates who have technical know-how and can communicate well. To assess these important qualities, they often use case studies. That’s why it’s a good idea to get ready for case studies since they’re a common part of interviews.

Typically, case studies at companies like Ares Management involve tasks like financial modeling and making investment recommendations. But for junior positions, you might also encounter a cold-calling case study.

If you’re unsure how to best prepare for case studies, my Growth Equity Interview Guide can help.

Ares Management Salary & Compensation

According to Glassdoor, the estimated annual salary for Analysts at Ares Management is $117K while for Associates, it’s $149K per year. The numbers may differ based on your qualifications, experience level, and how well you perform.

Analyst

Associate

Ares Management Careers, Jobs, & Internships

If you like to see open positions at Ares Management, go to our job board where we also feature open roles for other similar firms.

Ares Management Portfolio & Investments

According to Crunchbase, Ares Management has already made 79 investments across 25 funds. Some of the firm’s notable deals include Brsk, Virgin Voyages, and Chelsea Football Club

Notable Transaction: Inter Miami CF

Inter Miami CF is a professional soccer club based in Florida. This American club began playing in the MLS Eastern Conference during the 2020 season.

They received international attention because of club co-owner and president David Beckham and again in 2023 when Lionel Messi, 8th time Ballon d’Or and World Cup winner, signed for the club.

In August 2023, Ares Management invested an additional $75 MM in Inter Miami CF. It was the firm’s 2nd investment in Inter Miami and the 1st since the franchise signed Lionel Messi. Inter Miami plans to use the funds for expansion projects including their home stadium. The funds will also help develop their proposed Miami Freedom Park stadium.

Next Steps

Getting a finance job, especially at firms like Ares Management, means you need to shine in interviews. That’s why I made the Growth Equity Interview Guide.

This online course helps you get really good at important stuff that often comes up in interviews, like case studies, valuation, financial modeling, and more. If you want to do great in your interviews, learn a lot, and feel confident, check out the course.