Blackstone announced that Michele Rabà will join the firm in April 2026 as Head of European Corporate Private Equity, succeeding Lionel Assant, who was recently promoted to Global Co-Chief Investment Officer of Blackstone.
In his new role, Rabà will oversee Blackstone’s corporate private equity operations across Europe, where the firm invests through its flagship Blackstone Capital Partners and long-term Blackstone Core Equity Partners strategies. The appointment marks a continuation of Blackstone’s 25-year history of investing across Europe, where the firm has established itself as a market leader in large-scale private equity transactions.
Rabà joins Blackstone from Apollo Global Management, where he served as Lead Partner, European Private Equity since 2010. He began his career in Goldman Sachs International’s Financial Institutions Group in London and holds both a BA and MSc in Finance from Bocconi University.
Under Rabà’s leadership, Blackstone aims to expand its European private equity portfolio amid a strong regional pipeline. The firm currently manages $396 billion in private equity assets globally, with more than $350 billion in total assets across Europe, and anticipates investing over $500 billion in the region over the next decade.
Assant, who has led Blackstone’s European Private Equity team since 2012, will continue to play a key role in shaping the firm’s global investment strategy alongside Baratta. Blackstone’s other private equity activities in Europe, including Tactical Opportunities and Growth Equity, will continue to be led by Qasim Abbas and Paul Morrissey, respectively.
KEY QUOTES
“We are thrilled to welcome Michele to Blackstone. He is a proven investor and is universally respected in our industry. Europe is core to our private equity business, and we are excited about the opportunity to drive continued growth in the region that builds on our strong foundations and local presence.”
Joseph Baratta, Global Head of Private Equity Strategies, Blackstone
