Which Australian billionaire founded the mining company Fortescue Metals Group?

Andrew Forrest founded the Australian mining company Fortescue Metals Group.

Forrest founded Fortescue in 2003 to challenge the dominance of the two major established iron-ore producers in Western Australia. The company began as a small exploration venture and pursued deposits in the Pilbara, a region whose iron-ore resources helped transform Australia’s export economy. Fortescue developed mines, rail infrastructure and port facilities to move ore to global markets, especially China.

The business grew into one of the world’s largest iron-ore producers and made Forrest one of Australia’s best-known billionaires. He later became associated with large-scale philanthropy through the Minderoo Foundation and broadened his business focus toward renewable energy, green hydrogen and decarbonisation alongside mining.

Gina Rinehart is a frequent mix-up because she is another prominent Australian mining billionaire, but she is associated with Hancock Prospecting. Anthony Pratt built his fortune in packaging, while Harry Triguboff founded the property company Meriton. Fortescue’s name refers to the Fortescue River and the surrounding Pilbara region, not to Forrest’s surname, although the similarity makes the pairing especially memorable.