Bruce Wasserstein was a prominent American investment banker, businessman, and writer known for his role in a number of high-profile mergers and acquisitions. He was the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of the investment banking firm Lazard, where he advised on numerous landmark corporate deals. Wasserstein also had a significant impact on media, purchasing and later selling The American Lawyer magazine and later acquiring New York magazine. Remembered as a brilliant and aggressive dealmaker, he profoundly influenced the landscape of modern corporate finance until his death in 2009.