Page 6 - Forbes - USA (March 2018)

Contents // MARCH 31, 2018 voluMe 201 nuMbeR 2

vista equity
partners president
brian sheth (left) and
ceo robert smith.

COvER StORy

36 | HOw tO BEAt wAll
StREEt And SiliCOn vAllEy
SiMultAnEOuSly
The American Dream is alive and well on Wall
Street thanks to Robert Smith, the richest black
person in America, who has figured out a way
to reengineer both private equity and enterprise
software—and used this secret playbook to build
a $4.4 billion fortune.
By NathaN Vardi

cover photograph by tim pannell for forbes

4 | FORBES MARCH 31, 2018