ATHENE

Athene is a leading US retirement services company and the dominant provider of fixed indexed annuities, founded in 2009 by James Belardi, Frank Gillis, Michael Starkey, and Partha Raut in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. The company grew from a startup to the premier retirement income carrier, managing over USD 440 billion in total assets as of December 31, 2025, and generating USD 2.5 billion in spread-related earnings in 2025.

Athene completed a full merger with Apollo Global Management in January 2022 and now operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Apollo. Athene maintains a separate capital structure and credit profile within Apollo, issuing senior and subordinated debt, preferred stock, and funding agreement-backed notes in bond markets. The company holds top financial strength ratings of A+ from AM Best, S&P, and Fitch, and A1 from Moody's.

In June 2025, Athene announced key leadership appointments aligned with its five-year growth plan. Grant Kvalheim became CEO effective July 1, 2025, succeeding co-founder James Belardi, who transitioned to Executive Chairman and CIO. The company has set goals to expand market share, enter new markets, and accelerate growth in the defined contribution channel.