Apollo Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: APOL) today announced its Board of Directors
has named Gregory W. Cappelli as Co-Chief Executive Officer (CEO),
effective immediately. Cappelli will share responsibility for the
Company with Charles “Chas” B. Edelstein, who was appointed to the CEO
position in July of 2008. As Co-CEOs, Edelstein will focus on finance,
corporate development, human resources and legal while Cappelli will
concentrate on operations, strategy, external communications and Apollo
Global, for which he will continue to serve as Chairman. Both executives
will report to the Company’s Board of Directors.
“This decision formalizes the collaborative leadership structure that
has evolved into practice in recent months,” said Dino DeConcini, lead
independent director of the Company’s Board. “We could not be more
pleased with the opportunity to leverage Chas and Greg’s complementary
skills and long-standing partnership.” The two executives previously
worked together for more than a decade at Credit Suisse, where they
jointly led the investment bank’s efforts in the Global Services Group.
“Greg and I recognize the power of maximizing each other’s strengths,
and have become highly adept at shared decision-making over the years,”
said Edelstein. “I am gratified with our Board’s support of our shared
leadership, and look forward to our continued success together on behalf
of Apollo.”
Cappelli, 41, most recently served as Executive Vice President of Global
Strategy, Assistant to the Executive Chairman and Chairman of Apollo
Global. He joined the Company in April 2007 from Credit Suisse, where he
served as Managing Director and Senior Research Analyst, specializing in
the higher education sector. While at Credit Suisse, Cappelli founded
the Global Services Group. Previously, he was Vice President and Senior
Research Analyst with ABN AMRO. Cappelli holds a bachelor’s degree in
Economics from Indiana University and an MBA from the Brennan School of
Business at Dominican University.
“I am honored to be joining Chas as Co-CEO of one of the most
influential educational organizations in the world today,” said
Cappelli. “I am confident in our united ability to deliver accessible
programs and academic excellence through the Company’s growing
multinational network of institutions.”
Edelstein, 49, has more than 20 years of experience as a strategic and
financial advisor. He joined the Company from Credit Suisse, where he
served as Managing Director and headed the Global Services Group in
addition to the Chicago investment banking office. Edelstein founded and
oversaw Credit Suisse’s leading advisory practice in the education
industry. Previously, he worked at Price Waterhouse, now
PricewaterhouseCoopers, as an auditor and management consultant.
Edelstein received a bachelor’s degree with highest distinction from the
University of Illinois and an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he
graduated as a Baker Scholar with high distinction.
About Apollo Group, Inc.
Apollo Group, Inc. has been an education provider for more than 30
years, providing academic access and opportunity to students through its
subsidiaries University of Phoenix, Institute for Professional
Development, College for Financial Planning, Western International
University, Meritus University, Insight Schools and Apollo Global. The
Company’s distinctive educational programs and services are provided at
the high school, undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels in 40
states and the District of Columbia; Puerto Rico; Alberta and British
Columbia, Canada; Mexico; Chile; and the Netherlands, as well as online
throughout the world (data as of February 28, 2009).
For more information about Apollo Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, call
(800) 990-APOL or visit the Company’s website at www.apollogrp.edu.
