Steven Lawrence Rattner, born July 5, 1952, in New York City, is an investment banker, former journalist, and major Democratic fundraiser. He began his career as an economic reporter at The New York Times before transitioning to Wall Street, where he worked at Lehman Brothers, Morgan Stanley, and rose to deputy chairman and deputy CEO at Lazard Frères & Co. In 2000, he co-founded the Quadrangle Group, a private equity firm focused on media and communications, serving as managing principal until 2008. Rattner is the chairman and chief executive officer of Willett Advisors LLC, the family office managing the personal and philanthropic fortune of former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed him lead advisor for the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry, overseeing the restructuring of GM and Chrysler amid the financial crisis, a role that drew both praise for saving jobs and criticism for government intervention in private enterprise. He has been described as the best friend and principal adviser of Arthur Sulzberger Jr. Rattner has faced legal scrutiny; in 2010, amid a probe into 'pay-to-play' practices, Quadrangle agreed to pay $7 million to the SEC, while Rattner settled with the New York Attorney General for $16.2 million and accepted a five-year ban from managing New York state pension funds, without admitting wrongdoing. He is a prominent philanthropist, serving as vice chairman of the board of ProPublica and supporting causes in education and Jewish organizations. Rattner contributes columns to The New York Times and Financial Times, and is known for his book 'Overhaul: An Insider's Account of the Obama Administration's Emergency Rescue of the Auto Industry' (2010). He resides in New York City and remains active in Democratic circles.