Early Life
Joseph Steinberg was born on February 5, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from New York University in 1966 and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1970. Steinberg served in the Peace Corps in Kingston, Jamaica, from 1966 to 1968.
Rise to Success
Steinberg's career began at Carl Marks & Company, Inc., where he was a vice president from 1970 to 1978. In 1979, he became the President of Leucadia National Corporation, an investment firm, where he remained until 2013. During his time at Leucadia, the firm acquired companies like National Beef and helped finance Bill Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management. In 2013, Leucadia merged with Jefferies, and Steinberg became Chairman. The combined company was renamed Jefferies Financial Group in 2018.
Key Business Strategies
Steinberg is known for his disciplined capital allocation and value-driven investment philosophy. He has influenced Jefferies' strategic direction, leading to its expansion into investment banking and asset management. His leadership has overseen major portfolio transformations.
Philanthropy
Joseph and his wife, Diane, have donated over $15 million through their charitable trust to various organizations, including museums, colleges, and community centers since 2015.
