As American University alumnus Derek Jones concludes a pioneering 35-year career in private equity, his legacy reverberates from Wall Street to the halls of the Kogod School of Business. Renowned nationally for backing world-class investment talent—including early support for private equity powerhouses Vista, Clearlake, and Sycamore—Jones’s leadership catalyzed the success of new fund managers and fundamentally changed the private equity landscape.
Jones’s trailblazing work at GCM Grosvenor empowered emerging managers by being their “smart money” investor when few others would take the risk. His belief—that capital is most powerful when it sparks new ideas and opens new doors—meant that his support helped others quickly gain traction, attract followers, and build some of the industry’s largest and most successful firms.
Reflecting his commitment to opening pathways for the next generation, Jones currently supports two vital funds at Kogod. The Derek and Cheryl Jones Endowed Scholarship provides support for business students who demonstrate strong connections to the Black, African heritage, and Caribbean communities through academic engagement, leadership, or community service. The Derek and Cheryl Jones Experiential Fund enables transformative, hands-on learning opportunities for students, helping them gain real-world experience that will fuel leadership and impact.
In recognition of Derek’s career impact and profound service to the university, GCM Grosvenor CEO Michael Sacks and the firm’s partners are making a major $250,000 gift to the Derek and Cheryl Jones Endowed Scholarship Fund.
"Derek has had an incredible impact on our firm and on the private equity industry as a trailblazer for small, emerging, and diverse Private Equity managers,” said Michael Sacks, Chairman and CEO of GCM Grosvenor.
He saw opportunity and value that was often overlooked, delivering returns for clients, positively impacting our culture, and in doing so launching some of the most successful private equity firms of the last two decades. We are proud to support a number of institutions that are important to Derek, including the Kogod School of Business.”
Michael Sacks
Chairman and CEO of GCM Grosvenor
A fourth-generation college graduate, Jones credits American University and his family as the catalysts for his professional journey. “I believe strongly in learning by doing,” Jones says, reflecting on the transformative power of hands-on experience. He has spent decades giving back—not only through his philanthropic support and as a member of the Kogod Advisory Council, but also by mentoring and opening doors for students and rising investment managers alike.
“Derek Jones has been a true pioneer in private equity, championing the value that emerging managers bring to investors and the industry at large,” said Marty Nesbitt, Senior Partner, Co-Chairman, and Co-CEO of Vistria Partners. “I owe a debt of gratitude for his early support of Vistria, and his vision, dedication, and impact will be felt for generations to come.”
"Derek's leadership on our $500 million campaign—the largest in AU history—and his support for the Kogod School of Business, has been transformative for American University," said Jeff Sine, co-founder of the Raine Group, former Board Chair of AU, and chair of AU's $500 million campaign.
Jones says, “My motivation to students is to show them when given the chance, people who have been shut out can perform. I hope that many of these firms can provide inspiration to anyone interested in the field of finance.”
His influence in the investing world is undeniable. By championing exceptional, diverse talent and staking his reputation and resources on their promise, Derek Jones set a new standard in private equity. He allocated more than $10B to more than 100 different managers. He was an early and significant investor in industry-leading firms such as Vista Equity Partners—backing Robert F. Smith’s first institutional fund—and Clearlake Capital, whose acquisitions include the world-famous Chelsea football club. With the success of Jones’s investments, millions of pensioners, retired teachers and firefighters will benefit from stronger retirement savings.
Over his three and a half decades in private equity, Derek has repeatedly shown us what we can accomplish when we combine capital with intention and purpose. Derek's commitment fundamentally changed the industry, and his impact will be felt across generations.”
Robert F. Smith
Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners
Jones also provided early backing to Sycamore Partners and Siris Capital, among others, helping these teams secure traction and credibility at formative moments. By lending his name and a “smart money” imprimatur, Jones gave aspiring managers and entrepreneurs the validation that prompted other investors to follow, turning promising starts into thriving businesses that have since grown to oversee hundreds of billions in assets and profoundly shape the future of finance.
As the industry celebrated Jones’s retirement at a New York dinner with the “who’s who of finance,” his expanding scholarship funds will ensure that future generations of students will benefit from the same vision, audacity, and generosity that have defined his career.
Robert Greene, CEO of the National Association of Investment Companies, and one of the co-hosts for Jones’s retirement dinner, stated: “Over his career, Derek Jones has been one of the most committed and most impactful investors in the private equity industry. He has helped identify and invested in emerging managers that, through their performance, have become the most highly regarded firms in today’s institutional investor portfolios!”
Kogod Dean David Marchick, himself a former private equity executive, said, “When I was at the Carlyle Group, like everyone else in private equity, I knew and knew of Derek Jones—he is a legend. When I came to Kogod, I was thrilled to know he was an alum. And he has become a trusted Kogod advisor, supporter and, most importantly, friend,” says Marchick.
“It has been a privilege to have spent the last 35 years in private equity, which is one of the most powerful forms of finance. I have been fortunate to have led a practice that has provided access to capital to firms which have been traditionally underrepresented. Many of those firms have gone on to become strong established players in the field today,” says Jones.
For the Kogod community and beyond, Jones’s story is a living example of the power of giving back, investing in others, and building a legacy that lasts.
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