What is Apollo Like Now
Apologies if the thread seems over-asked, but I was able to land a coffee chat with a senior principal at Apollo and wanted to get some updated info on the current state of Apollo compared to the older stuff available to go in with at least some sense of understanding. Latest threads seemed to mention mixed results, which to me seems dependent on personal experience. Have heard things have gotten better but is Apollo still the infamous brutal MF to work at? Do they still have a 4yr ASO program too or is it now a 3 and out? How many investments would you say an ASO can be a part of over the course of their ASO years? Have heard they generally look to weed out the class and those who survive have some chance of a future with the firm - is this still the case or do most people leave for other opportunities/different shops once ASO program ends?
Also wondering if anyone has color on whether they've filled their entire 2026 class?
Obviously these aren't all questions I'd ask this person but I'd like to get an understanding of what Apollo looks like nowadays or if one might still see those 90-110hr weekly averages that are mentioned on other threads for the firm. Cheers!
Do you want to work for a publicly listed insurance company?
Yes, pls hire me
+78% YTD, +283% L5Y. Could be worse
I mean if Berkshire head office is hiring… sure.
more seriously - insurance has legitimate barriers to entry (data more than capital, and regs), has the added benefit of applying hold to maturity accounting on custom made short puts (and gets to decide when they trigger) (which is a permanent informational advantage) and of course is positive float.
largest debt investors are typically insurance and they had done private credit / high yield before it was “cool” (Milken etc).
But agree the prestige of an insurance company is lacking.
xxx
Bump
Heard exits can include the Treasury Department
Great perks. Annual holiday party at co-founder’s best friend’s island.
Have no intel BUT when I was on the sell-side everytime we had a "touch-in/opportunities in the sector" call, the entire Apollo team looked utterly exhausted and miserable in a way that is unique in my memories. Maybe only rivalled by WP in London
Can attest to this - Apollo and WP people are consistently, still, the most overworked / sad looking people. EQT people way happier in comparison
Bump
Every single Apollo person I've met is a pyschopath
Second this
Third this: serious type A and try to conceal their weakness in every fascia
4th this. Associates look dead inside, just a skeleton of a human being
I met someone who left Apollo for MM PE as a principal and he is one of the most genuinely nice / good people I’ve met in private equity. Not everyone there is horrible
The guy who went to Altas?
hshshaha
Here is a day in my life as a 1st year Apollo Associate:
Get into the office at 9:30am
Have a few chill meetings, some deliverables come out of it but no quick turnaround necessary
Have a 1.5 hour lunch with a partner, great guy!
In the afternoon, do some high level thesis thinking, looking into really strong sectors (nothing distressed)
5pm depart for hot yoga
Really chill job overall!
Nothing distressed, I see you're a fan of sarcasm
What is current comp at Apollo looking like?
4+
Velit est dolor rerum. Facere consequatur doloremque sed quos quis. Nostrum ea et similique dolorem adipisci doloremque.
Eos porro ratione recusandae dolore beatae natus ea. Sequi molestiae beatae enim asperiores. Velit et laborum iusto autem hic est tempora sit.
Consequatur architecto vel consequatur amet est. Sit ipsa porro quis fugit similique quaerat fugiat. Aut et ut accusamus quis. Vitae vel voluptas aut hic.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Nihil excepturi quisquam nostrum laboriosam cupiditate quis. Doloremque deleniti laudantium est quia ipsa velit. Dignissimos aliquam id iusto dolorem ad. Omnis sunt in rem est ad tenetur occaecati.
Cupiditate consequatur quaerat nihil accusamus molestiae. Architecto vitae repudiandae minus molestiae placeat aut omnis. Voluptas vel dolorem quisquam.
Id pariatur numquam quod facere perferendis aut pariatur. Laborum minus hic et sed quaerat omnis dolor.
Inventore reprehenderit non provident aut veniam minima culpa. Illum rerum temporibus sed est autem et et. Atque repudiandae maiores et exercitationem dolores.