James Litinsky

Early Life and Education

James H. Litinsky was born and raised in the United States. He graduated cum laude from Yale University with a B.A. in Economics. He then went on to earn a J.D. and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University's School of Law and Kellogg School of Management. He was admitted to the Illinois Bar.

Rise to Success

Litinsky began his career in finance, holding positions at Fortress Investment Group, Omnicom Group, and Allen & Company. In 2006, he founded JHL Capital Group LLC, an alternative investment management firm. His career took a significant turn when he identified an opportunity in the rare earths sector. He became involved with MP Materials Corp. (NYSE: MP), which operates the Mountain Pass mine in California, the only U.S. source for certain strategic metals.

Key Business Strategies

Litinsky's business strategy has been marked by a focus on the rare earths supply chain and the U.S.'s need for these strategic metals. He revitalized the Mountain Pass mine, transforming it into a cornerstone of the domestic rare earth supply chain. In 2020, he took MP Materials public, raising significant capital to rebuild domestic capabilities for rare earth separation and magnet manufacturing. This strategic move strengthened America's energy, defense, and technology supply chains.

Philanthropy

James Litinsky serves on the boards of The Museum of Contemporary Art (Illinois) and Shirley Ryan Ability Lab.