Hamilton E. James
Tony James | |
---|---|
Born | Hamilton Evans James February 3, 1951 Wyandotte, Michigan, U.S. |
Education | Harvard University (BA, MBA) |
Board member of | |
Spouse |
Amabel George Boyce (m. 1973) |
Children | 3 |
Hamilton Evans "Tony" James (born February 3, 1951) is an American billionaire investment banker. He is the former president, chief operating officer, and executive vice chairman of Blackstone, a New York–based global asset management firm.[1] James has been chairman of the multinational retail chain Costco from August 2017. Since 2021, he has been co-chair of the board of trustees of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
As of March 2024, Forbes estimated his net worth at US$4.2 billion.[2]
Early life
James is the son of Hamilton Renson James and Waleska James.[3] He grew up as the oldest of four boys in Lincoln, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. His father was a management consultant, president of Arthur D. Little International, and a vice president of Arthur D. Little, Inc.[3]
James attended The Choate School (now Choate Rosemary Hall) in Wallingford, Connecticut.[3][4] James then attended Harvard College, where he was a John Harvard Scholar, and graduated magna cum laude in 1973.[5] He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1975, where he was a Baker Scholar.[5]
Banking
In 1975, James joined investment bank Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ) and became head of its global mergers and acquisitions group in 1982. He founded DLJ Merchant Banking, Inc in 1985. In 1995, James was appointed chairman of the firm's banking group, a position he held when DLJ was acquired in 2000 by Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB) and was a member of its board of directors. James served on the CSFB executive board and as chairman of global investment banking and private equity.[6]
Blackstone
In 2002, James joined
Blackstone and James's name arose in a 2007 corporate collusion case, along with fellow private equity giants
James also created a private equity trade group to lobby in Washington. It was initially called the Private Equity Council, but was later renamed the American Investment Council.[11]
In August 2017, James was appointed chairman of the multinational retail chain Costco after the death of its co-founder and long-time chairman Jeffrey Brotman. James has been a Costco board director since 1988 and has been its lead independent director since 2005.[12]
In December 2021, James announced his retirement from Blackstone Inc.[7] and opened a family company, Jefferson River Capital.[13]
Politics and policy
James became a Democratic donor and fundraiser for Barack Obama. In May 2012, James hosted a fundraiser at his home in New York for Obama which raised more than $2 million for the president's reelection campaign.[14] Obama offered James the job of Commerce Secretary but he ultimately turned it down.[15] In 2020 he held a fundraiser for the presidential campaign of Joe Biden, which raised over two million dollars.[16]
In 2015, James was appointed to the Port Authority Board of Commissioners. Critics pointed out his lack of experience with transportation issues, and charged that Blackstone had recently purchased half of fellow commissioner Scott Rechler’s New York real estate portfolio.[17][18]
In 2016, James co-authored a book, Rescuing Retirement, with Teresa Ghilarducci.[19]
Since 2014, James has served as a member of the board of the Center for American Progress (CAP), a progressive public policy research and advocacy organization.[20]
In 2023, James was appointed by President Biden to the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.[21]
Metropolitan Museum, culture and environment
James joined the board of trustees of the
In addition to the Metropolitan Museum, he served on the boards of several cultural and environmental organizations, including the
Personal life
In August 1973, James married Amabel George Boyce, the daughter of John C.G. and Barbara Boyce of Lutherville, Maryland, and Wequetonsing, Michigan.[3] They have three children.[23][24][25]
In 2011, it was reported that James, after having lived at 1001
References
- ^ "Our People". The Blackstone Group. October 17, 2002.
- ^ "Forbes profile: Hamilton James & family". Forbes. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Amabel Boyce Plans Nuptials". The New York Times. April 22, 1973. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ^ Flaherty, Michael (July 5, 2007). "Blackstone's president faces major test". Reuters. Retrieved July 5, 2007.
- ^ a b "Biden Appoints Two New Members to President's Intelligence Advisory Board". hstoday.us. March 3, 2023.
- ^ a b Sender, Henny. "At Blackstone, James Builds A Following". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on November 30, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2007.
- ^ a b c Gottfried, Miriam (December 2, 2021). "Blackstone's Tony James, the Firm's Executive Vice Chairman, to Retire". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Oguh, Chibuike (December 2, 2021). Porter, Mark (ed.). "Tony James to retire as Blackstone executive vice chairman". Reuters.
- ^ Jeffrey, Don; Banerjee, Devin (October 11, 2012). "Blackstone, KKR, Bain Accused in Suit of Agreeing Not to Compete". Bloomberg. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
- DealBook. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
- ^ Peterson, Jonathan (November 23, 2007). "Buyout firms are selling – a new image". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
- Seattle Times. August 10, 2017.
- ^ Stupples, Benjamin (January 6, 2023). "Blackstone Billionaire James's Family Office Hires Forman for CIO". Bloomberg.
- ^ Epstein, Jennifer. "Obama defends Wall Street record". Politico. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ Roumeliotis, Greg (December 4, 2014). "Exclusive: Tony James looks beyond Blackstone – sources". Reuters. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
- ^ "Biden Administration: Bundlers". OpenSecrets. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
- ^ Strunsky, Steve (June 4, 2015). "If Port Authority needs commissioners with transit experience, why did Cuomo nominate 2 with none?". NJ.com. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
- Observer.com. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
- ^ Thomas Jr., Landon (November 14, 2016). "A Concerned Billionaire Develops a Plan for Retirements". The New York Times.
- The Blackstone Group. October 17, 2002. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
- ^ "President Biden Announces Key Appointments to Boards and Commissions". whitehouse.gov. March 3, 2023.
- ^ a b Pogrebin, Robin (November 10, 2020). "Met Museum Board Will Have Two Leaders for the First Time". The New York Times. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
- ^ "Forbes profile: Hamilton James". Forbes. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ^ "Barbara C. Boyce, 88, St. Paul's School administrator". The Baltimore Sun. November 9, 2005. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
- ^ "Barbara Boyce Obituary – Baltimore, MD". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved August 10, 2018 – via Legacy.com.
- Observer.com. July 19, 2011. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
- ^ David, Mark (October 13, 2011). "Floor Plan Porn: 834 Fifth Avenue". Variety. Retrieved April 18, 2018.