Andrew Forrest
John Andrew Henry Forrest AO, nicknamed Twiggy, is an Australian businessman. He is best known as the former CEO of Fortescue Metals Group, but also has interests elsewhere in the mining industry and in cattle stations.
- Forrest started his first mining company, Anaconda Nickel (now called Minara Resources) in 1994.
- Nine years later, he founded Fortescue Metals Group, which mines and ships iron ore to China.
- Once Australia’s richest man, his net worth peaked at $12.7 billion in June 2008 when Fortescue shares hit an all-time high.
- He now also has farming interests to capitalize on China’s growing appetite for meat and dairy products.
- Regarded as Australia’s biggest philanthropist, he made the country’s largest-ever donation in 2017, A$400 million, to areas such as cancer research.
