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Blackstone COO Jonathan Gray's LinkedIn Jogging Videos Gain Millions of Views

Jonathan Gray, president and chief operating officer of Blackstone, has filmed nearly 50 jogging videos in the past year, averaging over 100,000 views each on LinkedIn. His posts, including a January clip from a snowy Central Park that garnered 2.7 million views, blend personal insights with investment advice.

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fortune.com
2 sources·Apr 21, 5:59 PM(14 days ago)·2m read
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Blackstone president and chief operating officer Jonathan Gray jogged through several inches of fresh snow in Central Park, New York City, on a Sunday in January when temperatures dipped to nine degrees amid the city's largest snowfall in years. Gray, 56, recorded a 42-second video during the jog, sounding slightly out of breath as snow fell around him and a friend carried the camera phone.

Post via X — linked by one of this story's sources.

“This is a tough environment,” Gray said in the video.

’ It also reminds me of investing. Conditions are not always perfect. 7 million views on LinkedIn, according to @FortuneMagazine reported. Gray has filmed nearly 50 jogging videos in the past year, with his LinkedIn posts regularly generating nearly 440,000 impressions and averaging more than 100,000 views per video.

9 million views, Blackstone stated. “I’m the accidental influencer here,” Gray said. Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager, oversees about $1 trillion in assets and ranks No.

321 on the Fortune 500. Gray joined Blackstone in 1992 fresh out of college and was appointed COO in 2018. Since 2018, Blackstone’s assets under management have roughly doubled, and its client base has expanded across new geographies.

Christine Anderson, Blackstone’s global head of corporate affairs, suggested Gray start posting videos, though Gray said he was initially resistant. In 2025, over two-thirds of Fortune 100 CEOs had at least one social media account, according to H/Advisors Abernathy. Of those Fortune 100 CEOs with social media accounts in 2025, 71% posted at least once per month, H/Advisors Abernathy reported.

Social media posting activity among Fortune 100 CEOs increased 37% from 2024 to 2025, per H/Advisors Abernathy. In 2025, Gray took a business trip to Sydney, Australia, where he recorded a 25-second video in front of the Sydney Opera House while in running gear and AirPods.

“I try to go for a jog to clear my head and pump myself up for the day when traveling internationally,” Gray wrote in the Sydney post.

Gray has a wife and four daughters, and he joked “so they’d remember I exist” regarding travel videos for his family. Gray recorded the Sydney video in a format used on his family’s group chat. Gray has traveled to Japan, Paris, and Bentonville, Arkansas, for jogging videos.

Gray collaborated with Lazard CEO Peter Orszag during a trip to South Florida. Gray’s Blackstone videos undergo a legal inspection and green-lighting process that takes just a few hours. Stephen A. Schwarzman, 79, is Blackstone’s cofounder and CEO, as well as a billionaire.

Schwarzman has created social-first videos on LinkedIn for nearly six years and has more than 400,000 followers on the platform. Schwarzman collaborated with TikToker Max Klymenko on a video that received over 4 million views. The Fortune COO Summit is scheduled for June 1–2 in Arizona.

Key Facts

Jonathan Gray's LinkedIn videos gain significant traction
Gray has filmed nearly 50 jogging videos in the past year, averaging over 100,000 views each, with one montage drawing 5.9 million views.
Rise in CEO social media activity
In 2025, over two-thirds of Fortune 100 CEOs had social media accounts, with 71% posting monthly, up 37% from 2024.
Blackstone's growth under Gray
Since Gray's 2018 appointment as COO, Blackstone’s assets under management have roughly doubled to about $1 trillion.
Schwarzman's social media presence
Blackstone CEO Stephen A. Schwarzman, 79, has over 400,000 LinkedIn followers and has created videos for nearly six years, including a collaboration with 4 mill
Gray's video process
Gray’s videos undergo a legal review taking just a few hours, often filmed spontaneously during jogs in locations like Sydney, Japan, and Paris.

Story Timeline

6 events
  1. 2026-06-01

    The Fortune COO Summit is scheduled for June 1–2 in Arizona.

    1 source@FortuneMagazine
  2. 2025

    In 2025, Jonathan Gray took a business trip to Sydney, Australia, and recorded a 25-second video in front of the Sydney Opera House.

    1 source@FortuneMagazine
  3. 2025

    Over two-thirds of Fortune 100 CEOs had at least one social media account, with 71% posting at least once per month, marking a 37% increase from 2024.

    1 source@FortuneMagazine
  4. 2018

    Jonathan Gray was appointed COO of Blackstone, after which assets under management roughly doubled.

    1 source@FortuneMagazine
  5. 1992

    Jonathan Gray joined Blackstone fresh out of college.

    1 source@FortuneMagazine
  6. January (recent year)

    Jonathan Gray jogged and recorded a video in snowy Central Park, New York City, which received 2.7 million views.

    1 source@FortuneMagazine

Potential Impact

  1. 01

    Increased visibility for Blackstone could enhance client trust and expand its global reach.

  2. 02

    Gray's approach might influence executive communication norms, emphasizing authenticity over polished content.

  3. 03

    Blackstone's low-cost content strategy could set a model for cost-effective corporate branding in asset management.

  4. 04

    Potential for higher engagement in financial discussions, as videos explain market trends to broader audiences.

Transparency Panel

Sources cross-referenced2
Framing risk55/100 (moderate)
Confidence score70%
Synthesized bySubstrate AI
Word count459 words
PublishedApr 21, 2026, 5:59 PM
Bias signals removed4 across 4 outlets
Signal Breakdown
Loaded 4

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