Howard Marks

Howard Stanley Marks is an American investor and writer. After working in senior positions at Citibank early in his career, Marks joined TCW in 1985 and created and led the High Yield, Convertible Securities and Distressed Debt groups. In 1995, he left TCW and co-founded Oaktree Capital Management.

Howard Marks is the cofounder and co-chairman of Oaktree Capital Management, a Los Angeles-based distressed debt investor.

Marks began his career at Citibank, where he started a portfolio of high-yield bonds after meeting with junk bond king Michael Milken.

He became an asset manager at TCW, where he met Oaktree cofounder Bruce Karsh. The duo left with four colleagues in 1995 to found their own shop.

In September 2019, Brookfield Asset Management acquired 61% of Oaktree for about $4.9 billion in cash and stock. Marks now sits on Brookfield’s board.

He and Karsh still head up Oaktree, which continues to operate independently of Brookfield. His stake in the firm is now about 8%.