Biography
Andrew Forrest & family is among the world's most closely watched billionaires from AUSTRALIA, with an estimated fortune of $20.4B. The bulk of Andrew Forrest & family's wealth comes from Mining, closely tied to Mining. Andrew Forrest, often nicknamed "Twiggy," is an Australian businessman, mining magnate, and philanthropist. Born on November 18, 1961, he is best known as the founder and executive chairman of Fortescue, a leading global mining company. His source of wealth is primarily from mining, specifically iron ore. Forrest's career began in finance before he transitioned to the mining industry, where he achieved significant success. He is also recognized for his extensive philanthropy through the Minderoo Foundation, focusing on areas like Indigenous advancement, ocean health, and the elimination of modern slavery. With an estimated net worth of $19.8 billion in 2024, Forrest has consistently been ranked among Australia's wealthiest individuals. Key career milestones include Founder of Fortescue Metals Group (2003); Co-founded Minderoo Foundation (2001); Officer of the Order of Australia (2017); Awarded a PhD in Marine Science (2019). This profile documents verified holdings, career milestones, and multi-year net worth history drawn from Forbes rankings, company filings where available, and our editorial methodology. Readers use it to understand how public markets, private company stakes, and major business bets shape one of the largest personal fortunes on record. Wealth estimates move with stock prices, funding rounds, and disclosed transactions—figures on this page are research estimates, not cash balances. We publish year-by-year net worth history when verified data exists, link to primary sources, and update profiles when Forbes Real-Time Billionaires or major filings change the picture materially. For investors and researchers, the most useful reading pairs the headline number with ownership structure, geography, sector exposure, and the multi-year history chart on this page—especially during volatile markets when single-day moves can shift rankings without any operational change at the underlying companies.