Early Life and Education
Brad Jacobs was born in Providence, Rhode Island, to a family of Jewish heritage. His father was a fashion jewelry importer. He attended Northfield Mount Hermon School before studying math and music at Bennington College and Brown University, where he later dropped out in 1976.
Rise to Success
Jacobs' entrepreneurial journey began in 1979 with the co-founding of Amerex Oil Associates, an oil brokerage firm. He later founded Hamilton Resources in London, where he engaged in oil trading. Jacobs' ability to identify and capitalize on opportunities is evidenced by his creation of United Waste Systems in 1989, which was later sold to Waste Management for $2.5 billion. In 1997, he founded United Rentals, growing it into the world's largest equipment rental company. His most notable achievement came in 2011 when he took control of XPO Logistics, transforming it into a major player in the transportation and logistics sector. In 2024, Jacobs founded QXO, Inc.
Key Business Strategies
Jacobs is known for his strategic use of mergers and acquisitions to scale companies. He has completed approximately 500 M&A transactions, raising billions in capital and creating significant shareholder value. His approach emphasizes a disciplined, high-performance culture, and a contrarian view of fragmented industries.
Philanthropy
Jacobs keeps his philanthropic endeavors private, preferring to focus on his business ventures.