19 Buyout Pros on Forbes "Richest Americans" List
Forbes released its annual list of the 400 Richest Americans and while slightly less filthy rich than years past, buyout pros were still well-represented. Carl Icahn was the top LBO professional on the list at number 22. Rob Perelman came in second at number 23. Blackstone Chief Steven Schwarzman clocked in as the third-richest buyout pro at number 50 with a new worth of $4.7 billion Rival Henry Kravis of KKR appeared 27 slots later with a net worth of $3.8 billion. George Roberts, the "R" in KKR, weighs in at number 85. (I guess that's what you get when your name is last on the marquee.) Every single one of the 17 buyout pros on the list have seen their net worth drop in the past year. While their investments may have suffered in the recession, their fees and carried interest from boom eras past ensured that the leveraged buyout community was well-represented on the list. Judging by my unscientific observation, the number of buyout pros on the list tops VCs and possibly ties hedge fund pros. (Entrepreneurs is a different story.) Follow the jump for the richest LBO barons in America.
