Kissinger Associates
Encyclopedia
Kissinger Associates, Inc., founded in 1982, is a New York City
-based international consulting firm, founded and run by Henry Kissinger
, and Brent Scowcroft
. The firm assists its clients in identifying strategic partners and investment opportunities, and advises clients on government relations throughout the world.
In 1999, Mack McLarty
joined Kissinger to open Kissinger McLarty Associates, the firm's office on Eighteenth and Pennsylvania streets in Washington, D.C.
. McLarty was White House Chief of Staff
under Bill Clinton. Kissinger McLarty is a corporate member of the Council of the Americas
, the New York-based business organization established by David Rockefeller
in 1965. As of January 2008, the two firms have separated and McLarty Associates, headed by Mack McLarty, is an independent firm based in Washington.
Kissinger Associates is located in River House on Park Avenue
at Fifty-first Street, in a building also occupied by Peter Peterson
's Blackstone Group
. It was established in July, 1982 after loans had been secured from Goldman Sachs
and a consortium of three other banks. These loans were paid out in two years; by 1987 annual revenues had reached $5 million.
Prominent staff have included:
Directors have included:
The secrecy of their corporate client list has caused problems where Kissinger or a member of his staff were called to public service. In 1989, George H.W. Bush nominated Lawrence Eagleburger
as his Deputy Secretary of State
. Congress required that Eagleburger disclose the names of 16 clients, some of which were his through his Kissinger Associates affiliation. Later, Kissinger himself was appointed chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States
by George W. Bush
. Congressional Democrats insisted that Kissinger disclose the names of clients. Kissinger and President Bush claimed that such disclosures were not necessary, but Kissinger ultimately stepped down, citing conflicts of interest.
A selected list of the more notable companies (from over two dozen in total) since 1982; his directorships where applicable; and some countries where known advice/contacts were used:
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
-based international consulting firm, founded and run by Henry Kissinger
Henry Kissinger
Heinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...
, and Brent Scowcroft
Brent Scowcroft
Brent Scowcroft, KBE was the United States National Security Advisor under Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush and a Lieutenant General in the United States Air Force. He also served as Military Assistant to President Richard Nixon and as Deputy Assistant to the President for National...
. The firm assists its clients in identifying strategic partners and investment opportunities, and advises clients on government relations throughout the world.
History
The firm was founded in 1982 by Henry Kissinger.In 1999, Mack McLarty
Mack McLarty
Thomas F. "Mack" McLarty III is a prominent Arkansas business and political leader and former White House Chief of Staff for US President Bill Clinton...
joined Kissinger to open Kissinger McLarty Associates, the firm's office on Eighteenth and Pennsylvania streets in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. McLarty was White House Chief of Staff
White House Chief of Staff
The White House Chief of Staff is the highest ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and a senior aide to the President.The current White House Chief of Staff is Bill Daley.-History:...
under Bill Clinton. Kissinger McLarty is a corporate member of the Council of the Americas
Council of the Americas
Council of the Americas is an American business organization whose goal is promoting free trade, democracy and open markets throughout the Americas. This includes Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean, as well as South America. Its members share a common commitment to economic and social development,...
, the New York-based business organization established by David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller
David Rockefeller, Sr. is the current patriarch of the Rockefeller family. He is the youngest and only surviving child of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, and the only surviving grandchild of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil. His five siblings were...
in 1965. As of January 2008, the two firms have separated and McLarty Associates, headed by Mack McLarty, is an independent firm based in Washington.
Kissinger Associates is located in River House on Park Avenue
Park Avenue (Manhattan)
Park Avenue is a wide boulevard that carries north and southbound traffic in New York City borough of Manhattan. Through most of its length, it runs parallel to Madison Avenue to the west and Lexington Avenue to the east....
at Fifty-first Street, in a building also occupied by Peter Peterson
Peter George Peterson
Peter G. Peterson is an American businessman, investment banker, fiscal conservative, author, and politician whose most prominent political position was as United States Secretary of Commerce from February 29, 1972, to February 1, 1973 under Richard Nixon. He is most well known currently as...
's Blackstone Group
Blackstone Group
The Blackstone Group L.P. is an American-based alternative asset management and financial services company that specializes in private equity, real estate, and credit and marketable alternative investment strategies, as well as financial advisory services, such as mergers and acquisitions ,...
. It was established in July, 1982 after loans had been secured from Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is an American multinational bulge bracket investment banking and securities firm that engages in global investment banking, securities, investment management, and other financial services primarily with institutional clients...
and a consortium of three other banks. These loans were paid out in two years; by 1987 annual revenues had reached $5 million.
Associated organizations and individuals
Kissinger Associates has had strategic alliances with several firms, including:- APCO WorldwideAPCO WorldwideAPCO Worldwide is an independent communications consultancy. With more than 600 employees in 29 worldwide locations, it is the second largest independently-owned PR firm in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., APCO was founded in 1984 by Margery Kraus, who is now the firm’s global...
, formed October 12, 2004 - The Blackstone GroupBlackstone GroupThe Blackstone Group L.P. is an American-based alternative asset management and financial services company that specializes in private equity, real estate, and credit and marketable alternative investment strategies, as well as financial advisory services, such as mergers and acquisitions ,...
, an investment and advisory firm - Hakluyt & CompanyHakluyt & CompanyHakluyt & Company is a British strategic intelligence and advisory firm. The company was founded in 1995 by Christopher James and Mike Reynolds. James retired in mid-2006, and was replaced as managing director by Keith Craig...
, a strategic intelligence and advisory firm - Covington & BurlingCovington & BurlingCovington & Burling LLP is an international law firm with offices in Beijing, Brussels, London, New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, San Diego, and Washington, DC. The firm advises multinational corporations on significant transactional, litigation, regulatory, and public policy matters...
, the international law firm, since 2003.
Prominent staff have included:
- L. Paul BremerL. Paul BremerLewis Paul "Jerry" Bremer III is an American diplomat. He is most notable for being the U.S. Administrator to Iraq charged with overseeing the country's occupation after the 2003 invasion. In his role as head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, he reported primarily to the U.S. Secretary of...
, former managing director. Former Iraq Director of Reconstruction. - Nelson CunninghamNelson CunninghamNelson Cunningham is an American lawyer and political advisor. He spent much of his childhood in Latin America, where he became fluent in Spanish. He attended Yale College and Stanford Law School, where he edited the law review. He subsequently worked for Hale and Dorr, a private law firm in Boston...
, managing partner at Kissinger McLarty - Lawrence EagleburgerLawrence EagleburgerLawrence Sidney Eagleburger was an American statesman and former career diplomat, who served briefly as the United States Secretary of State under President George H. W. Bush. Previously, he had served in lesser capacities under Presidents Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H....
, former partner - Richard W. FisherRichard W. FisherRichard W. Fisher is currently the President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, having assumed that post in April, 2005.-Career:...
- President, Federal Reserve Bank of DallasFederal Reserve Bank of DallasThe Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas covers the Eleventh Federal Reserve District, which includes Texas, northern Louisiana and southern New Mexico....
http://www.dallasfed.org/news/bios/fisher.html - Timothy F. GeithnerTimothy F. GeithnerTimothy Franz Geithner is an American economist, central banker, and civil servant. He is the 75th and current United States Secretary of the Treasury, serving under President Barack Obama...
- United States Secretary of Treasury - Jami MiscikJami MiscikJudith A. "Jami" Miscik rose from the analytic ranks of the Central Intelligence Agency to become Deputy Director for Intelligence, the Agency's seniormost analytic post. In 2005 she left CIA to become Global Head of Sovereign Risk for the now-bankrupt financial services firm Lehman Brothers....
- president and vice chairman. Deputy Director for Intelligence, Central Intelligence AgencyCentral Intelligence AgencyThe Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
. - Joshua Cooper RamoJoshua Cooper RamoJoshua Cooper Ramo was a former senior editor and foreign editor of Time magazine and later Managing Director at Kissinger Associates, the consulting firm of former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger...
- Managing Director - Bill Richardson, former Senior managing director. Former U.S diplomat and immediate past Governor of New Mexico.
- J. Stapleton RoyJ. Stapleton RoyJ. Stapleton Roy was a senior United States diplomat specializing in Asian affairs. A fluent Chinese speaker, Roy spent much of his career in East Asia, where his assignments included Bangkok , Hong Kong, Taipei, Beijing , Singapore, and Jakarta...
, vice-chairman. Senior U.S. diplomat. - Brent ScowcroftBrent ScowcroftBrent Scowcroft, KBE was the United States National Security Advisor under Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush and a Lieutenant General in the United States Air Force. He also served as Military Assistant to President Richard Nixon and as Deputy Assistant to the President for National...
, former vice-chairman. Former United States National Security AdvisorNational Security Advisor (United States)The Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the National Security Advisor , serves as the chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues...
.
Directors have included:
- Lord CarringtonPeter Carington, 6th Baron CarringtonPeter Alexander Rupert Carington, 6th Baron Carrington, is a British Conservative politician. He served as British Foreign Secretary between 1979 and 1982 and as the sixth Secretary General of NATO from 1984 to 1988. He is the last surviving member of the Cabinets of both Harold Macmillan and Sir...
, from 1982. Secretary-General of NATO - Pehr G. GyllenhammarPehr G. GyllenhammarPehr Gustaf Gyllenhammar is a Swedish businessman. He is mainly known for his 24 years as CEO and chairman of Volvo, between 1970 and 1994. In the early 1980s he took the initiative for the European Round Table of Industrialists .-Career:Gyllenhammar graduated from Lund University with a degree in...
, from 1982. Chairman, VolvoVolvoAB Volvo is a Swedish builder of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses and construction equipment. Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace components and financial services... - William D. RogersWilliam D. RogersWilliam Dill Rogers was an American lawyer. He served as U.S...
, from 1982. Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs under Gerald R. Ford - Eric RollEric RollEric Roll, Baron Roll of Ipsden CB KCMG was an academic economist, public servant and banker. He was made a life peer in 1977....
, from 1984. Chairman S. G. Warburg & Co - William E. SimonWilliam E. SimonWilliam Edward Simon was a businessman, a Secretary of Treasury of the U.S. for three years, and a philanthropist. He became the 63rd Secretary of the Treasury on May 8, 1974, during the Nixon administration. He was reappointed by President Ford and served until 1977. Outside of government, he was...
, from 1984. Secretary of the TreasuryUnited States Secretary of the TreasuryThe Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
under Nixon, Ford - Saburo OkitaSaburo OkitaSaburo Okita was a Japanese economist and government official. Okita graduated from Tokyo Imperial University. In 1937 he worked as an engineer with the Ministry of Posts...
, former Japanese Foreign Minister - Étienne DavignonÉtienne DavignonÉtienne Francois Jacques Davignon, Viscount Davignon is a Belgian politician, businessman, and former vice-president of the European Commission.-Career:...
Former European Commissioner. - Gary Falle, Falle Strategies
Client base
Kissinger Associates does not disclose its list of corporate clients, and reportedly bars clients from acknowledging the relationship. However, over time details from proxy statements and the tendency of senior businessmen to talk about their relationship with Kissinger have leaked out and a number of major corporate clients have been identified.The secrecy of their corporate client list has caused problems where Kissinger or a member of his staff were called to public service. In 1989, George H.W. Bush nominated Lawrence Eagleburger
Lawrence Eagleburger
Lawrence Sidney Eagleburger was an American statesman and former career diplomat, who served briefly as the United States Secretary of State under President George H. W. Bush. Previously, he had served in lesser capacities under Presidents Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George H....
as his Deputy Secretary of State
United States Deputy Secretary of State
The Deputy Secretary of State of the United States is the chief assistant to the Secretary of State. If the Secretary of State resigns or dies, the Deputy Secretary of State becomes Acting Secretary of State until the President nominates and the Senate confirms a replacement. The position was...
. Congress required that Eagleburger disclose the names of 16 clients, some of which were his through his Kissinger Associates affiliation. Later, Kissinger himself was appointed chairman of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States
9/11 Commission
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States, also known as the 9/11 Commission, was set up on November 27, 2002, "to prepare a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001 attacks", including preparedness for and the immediate response to...
by George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. Congressional Democrats insisted that Kissinger disclose the names of clients. Kissinger and President Bush claimed that such disclosures were not necessary, but Kissinger ultimately stepped down, citing conflicts of interest.
A selected list of the more notable companies (from over two dozen in total) since 1982; his directorships where applicable; and some countries where known advice/contacts were used:
- American ExpressAmerican ExpressAmerican Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
- Director (Hungary, Japan) - American International GroupAmerican International GroupAmerican International Group, Inc. or AIG is an American multinational insurance corporation. Its corporate headquarters is located in the American International Building in New York City. The British headquarters office is on Fenchurch Street in London, continental Europe operations are based in...
- Director, International Advisory Committee (Argentina, China, South Korea) - Atlantic Richfield
- Chase Manhattan BankChase Manhattan BankJPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., doing business as Chase, is a national bank that constitutes the consumer and commercial banking subsidiary of financial services firm JPMorgan Chase. The bank was known as Chase Manhattan Bank until it merged with J.P. Morgan & Co. in 2000...
(now JPMorgan Chase) - Chairman, International Advisory Committee - Coca-ColaCoca-ColaCoca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
(Malaysia) - FiatFiatFIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
- Freeport-McMoRanFreeport-McMoRanFreeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., often called simply Freeport, is the world's lowest-cost copper producer and one of the world's largest producers of gold...
- Director (Burma, Indonesia, Panama) - HeinzH. J. Heinz CompanyThe H. J. Heinz Company , commonly known as Heinz and famous for its "57 Varieties" slogan and its ketchup, is an American food company with world headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Perhaps best known for its ketchup, the H.J...
(Ivory Coast, Turkey, Zimbabwe) - Hollinger, Inc. - Director
- Lehman BrothersLehman BrothersLehman Brothers Holdings Inc. was a global financial services firm. Before declaring bankruptcy in 2008, Lehman was the fourth largest investment bank in the USA , doing business in investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales and trading Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. (former NYSE ticker...
Kissinger McLarty Assoc. is listed as a creditor in the Bankruptcy Filings. - MerckMerck & Co.Merck & Co., Inc. , also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD outside the United States and Canada, is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. The Merck headquarters is located in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, an unincorporated area in Readington Township...
- VolvoVolvoAB Volvo is a Swedish builder of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses and construction equipment. Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace components and financial services...
- WarburgWarburg familyThe Warburg family is a financial dynasty of German Jewish origin, noted for their accomplishments in physics, classical music, art history, pharmacology, physiology, finance, private equity and philanthropy. They are believed to be descended from the Venetian Jewish del Banco family, in the early...