Jump to content
 







Main menu
   


Navigation  



Main page
Contents
Current events
Random article
About Wikipedia
Contact us
Donate
 




Contribute  



Help
Learn to edit
Community portal
Recent changes
Upload file
 








Search  

































Create account

Log in
 









Create account
 Log in
 




Pages for logged out editors learn more  



Contributions
Talk
 



















Contents

   



(Top)
 


1 Early life and education  





2 Career history  





3 Philanthropy and other activities  



3.1  Educational philanthropy  







4 See also  





5 References  





6 External links  














Jonathan M. Nelson






العربية
فارسی
 

Edit links
 









Article
Talk
 

















Read
Edit
View history
 








Tools
   


Actions  



Read
Edit
View history
 




General  



What links here
Related changes
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Cite this page
Get shortened URL
Download QR code
Wikidata item
 




Print/export  



Download as PDF
Printable version
 
















Appearance
   

 






From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 


Jonathan Nelson
Born

Jonathan Milton Nelson


1956 (age 67–68)
EducationBrown University
Harvard Business School
OccupationFounder of Providence Equity Partners

Jonathan Milton Nelson (born 1956) is an American billionaire businessman. He is the founder of Providence Equity Partners, a global private equity firm based in Providence, Rhode Island, which manages funds with over US$45 billion in commitments.[1][2] As of September 2023, Nelson's net worth is estimated by Forbes at $3.4 billion.[3]

Early life and education

[edit]

Nelson grew up in Providence. He graduated from Brown University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Arts in economics. After graduation, he managed the Chinese division of Wellman, Inc.[4] On returning to the United States, he earned a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 1983.[5]

Career history

[edit]

In 1983, Nelson joined Narragansett Capital, a private equity firm, where he was a managing director. At Narragansett, he specialized in the broadcasting, cable television and publishing sectors.[6]

In 1989, he founded Providence Equity Partners, a pioneering sector-focused private equity firm. It is the world's leading private equity investment firm focused on media, communications, education, and information investments.[7] He was dubbed the "stealth mogul" by The New York Times for keeping a low profile despite his firm's substantial media holdings.[8]

In 2008, Nelson and other Providence principals launched Providence's credit investment arm with Thomas Gahan of Deutsche Bank.[9] The unit is called Benefit Street Partners, which has US$9.16 billion (inflation-adjusted) under management.[10]

Nelson is on the boards of the Chernin Group, MLS Media, the Institute for Advanced StudyinPrinceton, New Jersey, Television Broadcasts Ltd and Univision Communications. he has also been a director of Eircom Plc, Hulu, Language Line, MetroNet (now AT&T Canada), VoiceStream Wireless (now Deutsche Telekom), Warner Music Group, (now Alltel Wireless) and Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network.[11]

Philanthropy and other activities

[edit]

Educational philanthropy

[edit]
The Nelson Fitness Center and Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship at Brown University

As of March 2019, Nelson is listed as a Fellow of Brown University, and has previously been a trustee.[12] He has donated at least $36 million to the university, contributing to the construction of the Nelson Fitness Center[13] and establishment of the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship and endowment of two professorships.[14][15] In 2013, The Institute of Classical Architecture and Art named Nelson the winner of the Arthur Ross Award for Excellence In The Classical Tradition (Patronage) for his guidance of the design and construction of the Nelson Fitness Center.[16] In 2018, Following a $25 million gift from Nelson, Brown established the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship.[15] Nelson is a trustee of Rockefeller University.[17] In August 2014, Harvard Business School gave Nelson an Alumni Achievement Award, the highest honor bestowed by the school on its graduates.[18]

Nelson has committed to the Giving Pledge, a campaign led by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates to encourage the wealthiest people in the United States to make a commitment to give most of their wealth to philanthropic causes.[19] He is on the board of the Newport Festivals Foundation. He is an avid sailor and big mountain skier.[3]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Alistair Smith (October 21, 2013). "Ambassador Theatre Group confirms sale to Providence Equity". The Stage.
    - Devin Banerjee and Meghan Morris (July 9, 2014). "Providence's China Head Said to Leave in Latest Asia Exit". Bloomberg News.
  • ^ "Onex Corp. to Buy Tes Global From Providence Equity Partners". MarketWatch. Retrieved 2022-01-27.
  • ^ a b "Jonathan Nelson". Forbes. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  • ^ Mehta, Stephanie. "Inside a record-breaking $51 billion buyout". CNN Money. Archived from the original on November 1, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  • ^ "Jonathan M. Nelson, MBA 1983 - Alumni - Harvard Business School". www.alumni.hbs.edu. 25 August 2014. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
  • ^ "Speaker Profile: Jonathan Nelson". Miliken Institute. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  • ^ "Members - PEGCC". Private Equity Growth Capital Council. 13 June 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  • ^ Sorkin, Andrew Ross (14 September 2003). "They're Just a Bunch of Regular Media Moguls". The New York Times. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  • ^ Ken MacFadyen (June 21, 2010). "Providence Expands Capital Markets Arm". Leveraged Finance News. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  • ^ Julie Segal (November 12, 2014). "Tommy Gahan Wants to Capitalize on Volatility". Institutional Investor.
  • ^ "Executive Profile: Jonathan Nelson". businessweek.com. Archived from the original on August 28, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  • ^ "Brown Corporation elects one fellow, seven trustees". Brown University. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  • ^ "Providence Equity's Jonathan Nelson Named to Fortune 400". GoLocalProv. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  • ^ Kaplan, Jennifer. "New U. fund supports interdisciplinary efforts". Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  • ^ a b Buchsbaum, Shira (2016-02-01). "Nelson '77 seeds entrepreneurship center". Brown Daily Herald. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
  • ^ "The Classicist". Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  • ^ "Jonathan Nelson". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
  • ^ "2014 Alumni Achievement Awards". Harvard University. August 25, 2014.
  • ^ Sweet, Ken. "Two Private Equity Billionaires Sign Buffett's and Gates' Giving Pledge". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  • [edit]
    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jonathan_M._Nelson&oldid=1226485449"

    Categories: 
    1956 births
    Living people
    American billionaires
    American financial company founders
    American financiers
    American sailors
    Brown University alumni
    Brown University fellows
    Trustees of the Institute for Advanced Study
    21st-century American philanthropists
    Harvard Business School alumni
    Businesspeople from Providence, Rhode Island
    Hidden categories: 
    Articles with short description
    Short description is different from Wikidata
    Articles with hCards
    Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images
    Date of birth missing (living people)
     



    This page was last edited on 30 May 2024, at 22:58 (UTC).

    Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.



    Privacy policy

    About Wikipedia

    Disclaimers

    Contact Wikipedia

    Code of Conduct

    Developers

    Statistics

    Cookie statement

    Mobile view



    Wikimedia Foundation
    Powered by MediaWiki