Benjamin Black

Benjamin Black (born 1984 or 1985) is an American businessman, and chief executive officer of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). He is the founder and managing partner of Fortinbras Enterprises and was the CEO of Osiris Acquisition Corp, with a career spanning roles in private equity, corporate law, and credit investing. Black has held positions at firms including Apollo Global Management, Goldman Sachs, and Sullivan & Cromwell, and has been on the boards of various companies and nonprofit organizations.

Early life Black is the son of Leon Black, a New York billionaire and co-founder of Apollo Global Management, and Debra Black.

He received a BA in history, cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania. He later earned a JD and MBA from Harvard University and a Masters of Laws in taxation from the NYU School of Law.

Career In private equity Black has worked in credit and equity investing, holding senior roles at financial firms and on several boards.

Earlier in his career, he worked in private equity at Apollo Global Management, co-founded by his father, Leon Black. He also held roles as an analyst at Goldman Sachs in 2007 and as a corporate attorney at Sullivan & Cromwell. He was involved in raising capital for the firm.

Black was senior portfolio manager at Knowledge Universe Holdings, where he oversaw the credit portfolio.

The nomination drew attention due to his limited background in foreign policy and legislative affairs.

Confirmation hearing As the nominee to lead the DFC, Black testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the agency's future under his potential leadership. Black highlighted the DFC's dual mandate to promote economic development and support U.S. foreign policy objectives, stating that he did not view these goals as being in conflict. Senator Tom Cotton, who introduced him at the hearing, described him as an "America First patriot" and stated that Black would bring "a wide range of experience and expertise" to the role.

Boards and philanthropy Black is on the boards of several organizations, including Dogpound, Huddle House, and Phaidon. Charlotte's father, Tempel Smith, is the mayor of Old Mill Creek, Illinois. As of December 2025, they were expecting a second child.