Ares Capital appointed Kort Schnabel, co-president, to CEO of the company, effective April 30, 2025. Concurrently, Kipp deVeer will be stepping down as CEO and will remain a member of the board of directors.
Additionally, deVeer will continue to serve as a member of the investment committee of Ares Capital’s investment adviser. Jim Miller, who was appointed co-president of Ares Capital in October 2024, will continue as the company’s sole president.
Schnabel joined Ares Management in 2001 and was a founding member of its U.S. direct lending strategy in 2004. Schnabel currently serves as a partner and co-head of the U.S. direct lending strategy and is a member of the investment committee of Ares Capital’s investment adviser. Schnabel holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in Economics.
“Kort is a widely respected private credit investor with extensive leadership experience,” deVeer said. “In working closely with Kort over the past 20 years, I have seen firsthand his investing acumen, commitment to long-term borrower relationships and dedication to our collaborative team culture. I am confident that he and the broader Ares Capital leadership team will continue to execute on our growth objectives as we seek to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for our shareholders.”
“We are excited to elevate Kort, a long-time leader at Ares, to CEO of Ares Capital as he continues to support the growth and differentiation of our business,” Mitchell Goldstein and Michael Smith, co-chairmen of Ares Capital, said. “The board is confident in the Ares Capital management team’s ability to further build on our track record under Kort’s leadership.”
“I am honored to be appointed CEO of Ares Capital, and I am deeply grateful to Kipp, Mitch and Michael for their years of mentorship and to the Board for their ongoing support,” Schnabel said. “Together, our team has created a market-leading provider of flexible capital solutions to companies of all sizes through our disciplined, creative and relationship-oriented approach. We have also built a culture of teamwork and collaboration that has been integral to our success. I am committed to extending this legacy as we maintain our focus on creating value for private equity sponsors, portfolio companies and investors for years to come.”
