Jana Markowicz

Partner & Chief Operating Officer of U.S. Direct Lending, Ares Management Corporation

Search every verified Jana Markowicz interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Jana Markowicz, Partner and Chief Operating Officer of U.S. Direct Lending at Ares Management, appeared in the firm's "Perspectives" video series in January 2026. Markowicz discussed her decision to join Ares over 20 years ago during the ARCC IPO process, noting she was drawn to the firm's entrepreneurial culture and the opportunity to explore private credit. She described the firm's growth from a portfolio of around $300 million in loans in 2004 to a capital base of close to $300 billion. Markowicz emphasized that Ares' culture is built on "saying what we do and doing what we say," which she said creates transparency valued by partners and investors. Markowicz addressed perceptions of private credit, stating that "the word 'private' creates concern" but argued that private credit deals are "privately negotiated, heavily due-diligenced and not available on a liquid market," making them "much safer rather than riskier" than public market investments. She highlighted the firm's emphasis on accountability in partnerships and described how Ares' investment committee meetings are open to the entire team to foster learning and information sharing. Markowicz also recalled an early career experience working on a financing for a rural telecom and cable company in 2006-2007, including a due diligence trip to Alaska.