Daniel Anthony D'Aniello (born September 14, 1946, in Butler, Pennsylvania) is an American billionaire businessman best known as the co-founder and chairman of The Carlyle Group, a global private equity and alternative asset management firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. He co-founded the firm in 1987 alongside William E. Conway Jr. and David M. Rubenstein, initially focusing on leveraged buyouts and defense-related investments. Under his leadership, Carlyle expanded into one of the world's largest alternative asset managers, with over $400 billion in assets under management. D'Aniello grew up in a working-class Italian-American family, graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor's degree in government in 1968, served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1974. He began his career at PepsiCo's international division before joining McKinsey & Company, where he worked on financial strategies. His net worth is estimated at around $4.5 billion, derived primarily from his stake in Carlyle. Beyond business, D'Aniello serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees for the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a prominent conservative think tank, where he plays a pivotal role in governance, funding, and policy discussions on economics and national security. He is also involved in philanthropy through the D'Aniello Family Foundation, supporting education and health initiatives. D'Aniello resides in McLean, Virginia, and maintains a low public profile despite his significant influence in finance and conservative circles.