Bloomberg Talks Apollo Global Management President Jim Zelter Talks Asset Management
Jan 8, 2026
Jim Zelter, President of Apollo Global Management, shares his insights on asset management and macroeconomic challenges. He explains Apollo's disciplined investment strategies and discusses recent $6 billion transactions aimed at large companies with downside protections. Zelter also addresses geopolitical risks, U.S. economic resilience, and the evolving landscape of credit markets. He highlights the shift toward private credit, strategic land-banking initiatives, and the booming AI sector's funding needs, revealing the complexities of the current financial environment.
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Higher Bar For New Investments
- Apollo is raising the bar for approving investments and focusing on downside-protected, well-structured deals.
- Jim Zelter says they remain active deploying capital but are more selective given geopolitical and inflation tail risks.
Deal Flow Focused On Scale And Downside
- Recent Apollo deals show a tilt toward large, strategic companies and structured downside protection.
- Zelter highlighted transactions including a building-products deal, Russell Investments, and a $5bn NVIDIA chip sale-leaseback.
Narrow Fairways, Deeper Rough
- The investment environment resembles a U.S. Open: narrow fairways and punitive rough.
- Zelter believes long-term trends are positive but execution must be measured amid potential liquidity shocks.