Fortress Investment Group

Founded in 1998 by Wesley Edens, Rob Kauffman, Randal Nardone, Michael Novogratz, and Pete Briger, Fortress Investment Group launched as a private equity firm before expanding into hedge funds, real estate, and debt securities. In 2007, it became the first large private equity firm in the U.S. to be publicly traded on the NYSE. The firm has been recognized multiple times by Institutional Investor as Hedge Fund Manager of the Year and Management Firm of the Year for its macro and credit-focused strategies.

In 2017, the firm was acquired by SoftBank Group for $3.3 billion, at which point it was delisted and returned to private ownership. During its tenure under SoftBank, the firm made notable headlines for providing a $100 million lifeline to the medical startup Theranos and investing heavily in Florida's Brightline passenger rail. In 2024, a management-led group and Mubadala Capital completed a buyout of SoftBank's stake, transitioning Fortress into an independent brand with management holding a 32 percent equity interest. The firm currently focuses on private equity, credit, real estate, insurance, and permanent capital strategies.