Peter P. Copses, now retired, was a founding senior partner of Apollo Management, LP at its formation in 1990. Prior to Apollo, Peter was an investment banker at Drexel Burnham Lambert Incorporated and also served in a similar capacity at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation.

Peter has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of CKE Restaurants Inc., which operates and franchises Carl’s Jr.® and Hardee’s® fast food restaurants, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Claire’s Stores Inc., a leading international specialty retailer of value-priced costume jewelry and accessories. In addition, Peter has served on the Board of Directors of Rent-A-Center Inc., the largest participant in the U.S. rent-to-own industry; General Nutrition Centers Inc., the largest specialty retailer of vitamins, nutritional supplements, and diet products; Ralphs Grocery Company, the leading food retailer in Southern California; Dominick’s Supermarkets, Inc., a leading food retailer in the Chicago metropolitan area; and Zale Corporation, a leading jewelry retailer. 

Peter also serves on the board of FreedomWorks, whose mission is to build, educate, and mobilize the largest network of activists advocating the principles of smaller government, lower taxes, free markets, personal liberty, and the rule of law.

Peter received an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he graduated in 1986 as an Arjay Miller Scholar and a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Toronto where he graduated in 1980 with High Distinction.

Peter and his wife, Judy, live in Avon, Colorado, and have three adult sons -- John, Henry, and Adam.