Stephen A. Schwarzman Quotations

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.

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

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

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.

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.

Down cycles are not fun. But they form the basis for enormous future profitability

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.

It's wonderful to learn about new cultures and to be able to travel easily to so many countries.

This country, of course, needs fundamental reform of our financial regulatory system, as I, and many other financial institution executives, have publicly advocated for a considerable period.

I've always been comfortable with people who run things, whether it was the principal of my high school or the president of the university.