**The Carlyle Group** is a leading global investment firm specializing in private equity, real assets, private credit, and alternative asset management, with approximately **$435 billion in assets under management** as of recent reports.[1][2] Founded in 1987 in Washington, D.C., by William E. Conway Jr., Daniel A. D'Aniello, and David M. Rubenstein, Carlyle began as a small private equity outfit and rapidly expanded into a multinational powerhouse. It built early prominence in the defense sector, acquiring firms like GDE Systems (from General Dynamics in 1992) and Magnavox Electronic Systems (from Philips in 1993), which it later sold profitably.[1][2] The 2000s saw blockbuster deals, including buyouts of Hertz and Freescale Semiconductor, cementing its status—ranking first in capital raised among private equity firms from 2010-2015 per the PEI 300 index.[1] A pivotal milestone came in 2012 with a $700 million IPO on NASDAQ (ticker: CG), transitioning to public markets while retaining its private investment focus.[1] Today, headquartered at 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., Carlyle employs over **2,200 professionals** across **29 offices** on four continents, managing more than 600 investment vehicles.[2] Its three core segments—**Global Private Equity** (leveraged buyouts, growth capital, real estate, infrastructure), **Global Credit** (direct lending, distressed assets), and **Global Investment Solutions** (via AlpInvest Partners for fund-of-funds and secondaries)—span sectors like technology, healthcare, energy, aerospace, and consumer goods.[1][2] Recent moves include acquiring Dainese, investing in Captrust Financial Advisors (2022-2023), and eyeing expansions into liquid alternatives, 401(k) markets, and mass affluent private markets models.[2][