Mr. Kaplan is a Co-Founder, Director and Partner of Ares Management Corporation. He is a member of the Ares Executive Management Committee and serves on several Ares Investment Committees including, among others, the Ares Corporate Opportunities and Ares Opportunistic Credit Investment Committees.

Additionally, Mr. Kaplan is the Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ares Acquisitions Corporation II ("AACT"). Mr. Kaplan joined Ares in 2003 from Shelter Capital Partners, LLC, where he was a Senior Principal from June 2000 to April 2003. From 1991 through 2000, Mr. Kaplan was a Senior Partner of Apollo Management, L.P. and its affiliates. Prior to Apollo, Mr. Kaplan was a member of the Investment Banking Department at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corp. Mr. Kaplan currently serves on the supervisory board of directors of MYT Netherlands Parent B.V., the parent entity of Mytheresa GmbH. Mr. Kaplan also serves as a member of the board of directors of X-Energy Reactor Company, LLC and as the Chairman of the board of directors of the parent entity of Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants.

Mr. Kaplan's previous public company board experience includes Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc., Maidenform Brands, Inc., where he served as the company's Chairman, GNC Holdings, Inc., Dominick's Supermarkets, Inc., Stream Global Services, Inc., Orchard Supply Hardware Stores Corporation, Smart & Final, Inc. and Allied Waste Industries Inc. Mr. Kaplan also currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and on the President's Advisory Group of the University of Michigan. Mr. Kaplan graduated with High Distinction, Beta Gamma Sigma, from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, concentrating in Finance.