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Josh Pack, the co-chief executive and managing partner of Fortress Investment Group, has died unexpectedly aged 51.
The company, which is majority-owned by Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala investment arm and counts high-profile European chains such as Curzon Cinemas and Majestic Wine among its portfolio, announced his death in a statement on Monday night. No cause of death was given.
“We are devastated by this loss. Josh was a gifted investor, a thoughtful strategist, a compassionate leader — and a deeply cherished friend to many,” said the group, which manages assets worth $53bn.
Pack had been with Fortress for more than 23 years and had recently moved from Dallas to London as part of the company’s European expansion plans.
Pack had held leadership and chief investment officer roles at Fortress across its private credit, private equity, real estate and distressed investing operations. He originally joined the alternative asset manager’s credit funds business at its inception.
Fortress, which also owns Punch Pubs and retailer Poundstretcher, mounted bids for UK supermarket Morrisons in 2021 during his tenure. Pack was a board member of Majestic Wine, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Before joining Fortress, he was a vice-president at Wells Fargo and previously attended the United States Air Force Academy.
“Josh left an indelible mark on our institution. He cared deeply for his team, and that care was returned in kind,” the firm said, noting that he also a “devoted husband and father”.
The firm said co-CEO Drew McKnight would continue to lead the group and share that role with president Jack Neumark, while executive chair Pete Briger would “deepen his engagement” in the short term.
Founded in 1998, Fortress has headquarters in New York and Dallas and is backed by Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, which bought its stake from Masayoshi Son’s SoftBank Group in 2023.
SoftBank originally took Fortress private in a deal that came a decade after its initial public offering in 2007. Last year, Fortress management and Mubadala acquired most of the equity that had been held by SoftBank and took a majority 70 per cent stake.
Fortress’s management controls a 30 per cent stake in the business and is entitled to appoint a majority of board seats.
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