Bain Capital

Managing $180 billion in assets, it was co-founded in 1984 by Mitt Romney, T. Coleman Andrews III, and Eric Kriss as a spinoff from Bain & Company. This strategy delivered billions in returns through investments in Staples, Hospital Corporation of America, and Dunkin' Donuts, outperforming the average PE firm's return on retail-focused deals. While its corporate restructuring practices drew controversy during Romney's 2012 presidential campaign, the firm's data-led methodology remains a benchmark for value creation in the industry.