I love picking people. I started Blackstone, and we had no people, and now we have with our portfolio companies about 750,000 people all over the world. Everybody who is at a senior level has ultimately been picked by me.

Down cycles are not fun. But they form the basis for enormous future profitability

I love picking people. I started Blackstone, and we had no people, and now we have with our portfolio companies about 750,000 people all over the world. Everybody who is at a senior level has ultimately been picked by me.

It's wonderful to learn about new cultures and to be able to travel easily to so many countries.

If I get angry, it's obvious. I don't have to say much.

I don't feel like a wealthy person. Other people think of me as a wealthy person, but I don't. I feel the same as when I was a fifth-year associate trying to make partner at Lehman Brothers. I haven't changed.

I'm not feeling undertaxed. Tax reform is an important issue. You have to have an inherent sense of fairness.