Peter Grauer

Peter Thacher Grauer
Born	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation	Business executive
Known for	Chairman of Bloomberg L.P. (2001–2023), founder of DLJ Merchant Banking Partners

Peter Thacher Grauer (born October 1945) is a prominent American executive. Since October 1996, he has been a member of the Bloomberg L.P. board, serving as chairman from 2001 until 2023. Grauer took on full-time executive responsibilities at Bloomberg beginning in March 2002. Prior to his tenure at Bloomberg, he established DLJ Merchant Banking Partners and Investment. Additionally, he holds the position of lead independent director at DaVita Inc.

Personal life and education

Grauer was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1945 to parents Frederick M. Grauer and Frances Grauer (née Thacher). His family background includes significant experience in banking and industry leadership; his father served as vice president at Provident National Bank, while his maternal grandfather, Frank W. Thacher, was president of Florence Thread Co. located in Riverside, New Jersey. He completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1968, where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon (Beta Chapter). In 1975, he furthered his education by completing the Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School. Prior to university, Grauer attended the Hotchkiss School.

Professional career

Peter Grauer currently chairs the board of Bloomberg L.P. Before joining Bloomberg, he held the roles of managing director and senior partner at Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ) from 1992 until its acquisition by Credit Suisse First Boston in 2000. He is the founder of DLJ Merchant Banking Partners and DLJ Investment Partners. Over his career, Grauer has participated on more than 25 boards across public and private sectors, including serving as a director at DaVita Inc. since 1994 and acting as lead independent director there since 2003.

His board memberships extend to nonprofit organizations such as the Prostate Cancer Foundation and New York City's Inner City Scholarship Fund, where he is president of the board of trustees. In 2013, Grauer joined Glencore plc as an Independent Non-Executive Director; he advanced to Senior Independent Non-Executive Director in 2014 before stepping down in 2018.

In 2014, Grauer launched the American branch of the 30% Club, an initiative dedicated to increasing female representation on corporate boards. He also contributed to Out Leadership's global advisory board, which promotes LGBT workplace inclusion. Recognized for his commitment to diversity, Grauer was ranked fourth among Leading LGBT & Ally Executives by OutStanding and the Financial Times in 2015 for fostering inclusion at Bloomberg.

Grauer chairs College Advising Corps’ board, an organization that aids low-income first-generation college students. His service also includes board roles with Rockefeller University and Room to Read. He holds the title chairman emeritus of Big Apple Circus, a New York-based performing arts organization with outreach programs.

Previously, Grauer served as a trustee for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and chaired its Undergraduate Honors Program advisory board. He was also involved with UNC’s Foundation Board and Global Research Institute Board and acted as president of Pomfret School’s board. In 2015, he publicly opposed renaming Saunders Hall at UNC amid controversy regarding its namesake’s association with the Ku Klux Klan.

Grauer provides counsel to international business organizations through his participation on McKinsey & Company's advisory board and BritishAmerican Business's international advisory board. In 2016, Blackstone Group appointed him to its board; however, he resigned in 2018 due to potential conflicts arising from Blackstone's $17.3 billion acquisition of Thomson Reuters' financial terminals division—a direct competitor to Bloomberg.

Bloomberg

Grauer became acquainted with Bloomberg L.P. founder Michael Bloomberg through their daughters' involvement in equestrian sports. He joined the board of Bloomberg L.P. in 1996 and was appointed chairman in March 2001, taking over the role from Bloomberg.

Amid the economic downturn in 2007, Grauer oversaw an expansion of Bloomberg's staff by nearly 1,000 employees in 2009. As chairman, he directed Bloomberg L.P.'s purchase of Bloomberg BusinessWeek from McGraw-Hill, with the goal of establishing Bloomberg as "the leading source of news for the financial and business sectors."

In July 2011, Daniel L. Doctoroff stepped into the CEO position, taking on primary operational responsibilities while Grauer continued as chairman. Following Doctoroff’s exit in 2014, Mike Bloomberg reassumed leadership with backing from Grauer and Tom Secunda.

In 2019, Grauer was recognized among the top 10 on the HERoes Advocate Executives List, honoring his efforts to advance women in the corporate world.