Jim Belardi is the Co-Founder, Executive Chairman and CIO of Athene. He is the Chairman of Athene’s Board of Directors and a member of the Executive Committee. In addition, Jim is a member of the Board of Directors, a member of the Executive Committee and an Executive Officer of AGM. Jim is the Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Apollo Insurance Solutions Group, L.P., Athene’s investment manager, and a member of the Executive Committee.

Jim served as CEO from 2009 until 2025. Under his leadership, Athene grew from a startup to the leading retirement services company, with nearly $400 billion in total assets, annual earnings exceeding $3 billion, and market-leading annuity and reinsurance franchises.

He has over 35 years of experience in retirement services, insurance and asset management. Prior to founding Athene, he was President of SunAmerica Life Insurance Company and Executive Vice President and CIO of AIG Retirement Services, Inc., where he managed a $250 billion invested-asset portfolio.  

Jim holds a B.A. degree in economics from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from UCLA. 

He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Paulist Productions, where he Chairs the Investment Committee, and Southern California Aquatics. He swam in the 1976 and 1980 Olympic Trials and is a nine-time Masters Swimming World Record Holder.