Blackstone is one of the world’s leading Alternative Asset Management firms, as well as a widely respected independent Financial Advisory firm.  Through our Alternative Asset Management businesses – including private equity, real estate, credit businesses and hedge fund solutions – we have earned the trust of many of the world’s leading institutional investors and amassed total assets under management of $166.2 billion, as of December 31, 2011. Blackstone Advisory Services provides advisory services along with a full spectrum of transaction execution capability in areas such as acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures, divestitures, takeover defenses and restructuring/reorganization activities.