Early Life and Education
Wesley Robert Edens was born on October 30, 1961, in Helena, Montana. As a youth, Edens was a competitive skier. He earned a B.S. in Finance and Business Administration from Oregon State University in 1984.
Rise to Success
Edens began his career at Lehman Brothers in 1987, where he became a partner and managing director until 1993. He then joined BlackRock's private equity division as a partner and managing director until 1997. In 1998, Edens co-founded Fortress Investment Group in New York City. Fortress became the first publicly traded buyout firm in 2007. In 2014, Edens founded New Fortress Energy, a global natural gas supply and infrastructure company.
Key Business Strategies
Edens has demonstrated a knack for identifying opportunities in various sectors. His strategic investments have included those in subprime lending, transportation and infrastructure, energy, healthcare, financial services, media, and sports ownership. His ventures such as Brightline, and Cincoro Tequila, highlight his diverse business interests.
Philanthropy
Edens and his family established The Edens Family Fund for Climate Change Research at Princeton University. He also endowed the Edens Professorship in Global Health at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, along with a research fund to focus on solving international infectious diseases and environmental health hazards.