Andrew Forrest
John Andrew Henry Forrest AO (born 18 November 1961), commonly known as "Twiggy," is an Australian billionaire industrialist, philanthropist, and advocate for decarbonization technologies.[1][2] He founded Fortescue Metals Group (rebranded Fortescue Ltd.) in 2003, transforming it into one of the world's lowest-cost iron ore producers by leveraging discarded tenements and innovative low-capital development strategies, with the company shipping over 190 million tonnes annually by the early 2020s.[2][3][4] As of October 2025, Forrest's net worth stands at approximately $17.5 billion, ranking him among Australia's wealthiest individuals.[2] Forrest serves as executive chairman of Fortescue, directing its pivot toward green energy through Fortescue Future Industries, which invests heavily in hydrogen production and aims for net-zero operations by 2030, including acquisitions like Australia's largest wind assets for A$4 billion in 2022.[2][5] His philanthropy, channeled primarily through the co-founded Minderoo Foundation with his wife Nicola, targets modern slavery eradication, Indigenous education advancement via initiatives like GenerationOne, and marine conservation, with Forrest named Australian of the Year in 2008 for community-strengthening efforts across 250 causes.[6][7] Notable controversies include environmental critiques of Fortescue's mining operations amid his climate advocacy, internal executive instability at the company, and legal disputes over business practices, though Forrest emphasizes action-oriented outcomes over rhetoric.[8][9][10]