Andrew Forrest
Australian mining magnate and founder of Fortescue.
John Andrew Henry Forrest, nicknamed Twiggy, is an Australian businessman best known as the founder and current executive chairman of Fortescue, one of the country’s largest mining companies. Born on 18 November 1961 in Perth, Western Australia, he was the youngest of three children. His family’s pastoral history is deeply rooted in the Pilbara region: his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all managed Minderoo Station, a property established by his great-grandfather and his brothers in 1878. Several of his ancestors also served as members of parliament, including one who became Western Australia’s first premier. Forrest spent his early years at Minderoo, which his father sold in 1998 but which Forrest himself repurchased in 2009. He attended Onslow Primary School and the School of the Air before moving to Perth for secondary education at Christ Church Grammar School and Hale School. A childhood stutter led him to develop a relationship with Ian Black, whose Aboriginal father, Scotty, became his mentor. Forrest later studied economics and politics at the University of Western Australia, and he also holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Ecology. After university, he worked as a stockbroker before becoming the founding CEO of Anaconda Nickel in 1993. He was ousted in 2001 when the company nearly collapsed, with shares falling 89% before a takeover by Glencore. In 2003, he took control of a company with Pilbara iron ore rights, renaming it Fortescue Metals Group. One of his initial mines shipped $50 billion worth of ore without permission from the Yindjibarndi people, destroying around 250 cultural sites. Fortescue made its first shipment to China in 2008 and expanded capacity to 155 million tonnes per annum by 2014. Forrest has been a vocal critic of mining taxes, describing the Gillard government’s proposed Minerals Resource Rent Tax as “economic vandalism” and threatening a High Court challenge. In 2021, he received a $2.4 billion dividend on Fortescue’s record profit. His private holding company, Tattarang, invests across agri-food, energy, health technology, property, resources, and lifestyle sectors. He also founded the Global Rapid Rugby competition after the Western Force was cut from Super Rugby in 2017. As of the Financial Review Rich List 2023, his net worth was assessed at 33.29 billion Australian dollars, ranking him the second richest Aus
- field
- Business, mining
- nationality
- Australian
- known_for
- Founder and executive chairman of Fortescue
Lore & Background
John Andrew Henry Forrest, known as Twiggy, was born on 18 November 1961 in Perth, Western Australia, and spent his early years on the family’s Minderoo Station in the Pilbara region south of Onslow. He is the founder and executive chairman of Fortescue, one of Australia’s largest mining companies. Forrest holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Ecology. He stands as the second richest Australian according to the 2023 Financial Review Rich List, with a net worth of 33.29 billion dollars, and was previously named the country’s wealthiest person in 2008. His defining characteristics include a combative approach to government policy, notably describing the proposed Minerals Resource Rent Tax as “economic vandalism” and threatening a High Court challenge. He also has a history of conflict with Indigenous communities: one of his initial Pilbara mines shipped 50 billion dollars in iron ore without permission from the Yindjibarndi people, destroying around 250 cultural and sacred sites. Beyond mining, his private holding company Tattarang invests in agri-food, energy, health technology, property, resources, and lifestyle. He founded the Global Rapid Rugby competition after the Western Force was cut from Super Rugby in 2018, though the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reader's Guide
Andrew Forrest’s significance stems from his founding and leadership of Fortescue, a mining company that grew to control three times the tenements of its nearest competitor in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. This expansion, including a $9.2 billion capacity increase in 2014, made him one of Australia’s wealthiest individuals, ranked second on the Financial Review Rich List 2023 with a net worth of $33.29 billion, and named the richest Australian in 2008. His career, however, is marked by controversy: one of his initial mines produced $50 billion in iron ore without permission from the Yindjibarndi people, destroying around 250 of their cultural and sacred sites. Beyond mining, his influence extends to agriculture through his family’s holding company Tattarang, which owns brands like Akubra, and to rugby, where he created the Global Rapid Rugby competition after the Western Force was cut from Super Rugby in 2017. He also holds a PhD in Marine Ecology. Politically, he fiercely opposed the Gillard government’s Minerals Resource Rent Tax, calling it “economic vandalism” and threatening a High Court challenge, which drew support from Western Australia’s premier. His public clashes with then-treasurer Wayne Swan, who dismissed Forrest’s tax claims as “utterly unrealistic,” underscore his role as a major figure in Australian economic and political debates.
Did You Know?
- Forrest holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Marine Ecology.
- He created the Global Rapid Rugby competition after the Western Force was cut from Super Rugby.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Andrew Forrest?
John Andrew Henry Forrest is an Australian business leader who built Fortescue into one of the nation's largest mining companies and currently serves as its founder and executive chairman.
What is Andrew Forrest's nickname?
He is widely known as "Twiggy," a familiar moniker used in Australian business circles to identify him.
What industry does Andrew Forrest operate in?
His career is rooted in the mining sector, where he established Fortescue as a major force in Australian iron ore and mineral extraction.
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