Stephen A. Schwarzman Quotes

United States, Businessman
February 14, 1947

Stephen Allen Schwarzman is an American businessman. He is the chairman and CEO of The Blackstone Group, a global private equity firm he established in 1985 with former CEO and chairman of Lehman Brothers and US Secretary of Commerce Pete Peterson. His personal fortune is estimated at $13.4 billion as of August 2018. As of 2017, Forbes ranked Schwarzman at 113th on its World's Billionaires List. Schwarzman chaired President Donald Trump's Strategic and Policy Forum.

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.

Stephen A. Schwarzman
- Trying
- Brother
- Changed
I've lived through periods of illiquidity before. Asset prices come down. The economy slows or even goes into recession. Then the cycle re-starts. We buy at lower prices with less leverage.

Stephen A. Schwarzman
- Economy
- Periods
- Assets

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.

Stephen A. Schwarzman
- People
- World
- Company
Down cycles are not fun. But they form the basis for enormous future profitability

Stephen A. Schwarzman
- Fun
- Form
- Bases
My biggest job really is to figure other people out. I need to understand what makes a person tick.

Stephen A. Schwarzman
- Needs
- Persons
- Jobs
I'm concerned with China growing at double or triple the rate of the West, that there will be tensions. One needs to do something to start addressing misunderstandings and frustration.

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

Stephen A. Schwarzman
- Important
- Issues
- Reform
For future geopolitical stability and global prosperity, we need to build a culture of greater trust and understanding between China, America and the rest of the world.

Stephen A. Schwarzman

My personal taxes are 53% of my taxable income. That's 36% on the federal level and 17% for state and local.

Stephen A. Schwarzman
- Levels
- Income
- Locals
It's wonderful to learn about new cultures and to be able to travel easily to so many countries.

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

Stephen A. Schwarzman
- Angry
- Obvious