Joshua Pack, co-CEO of Fortress Investment Group, died unexpectedly on Monday at the age of 51. The company announced his death but did not disclose the cause.
Pack joined Fortress from Wells Fargo 23 years ago and initially worked in the credit funds division. He became co-CEO in 2023 after Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala acquired Fortress from SoftBank Group, according to Axios. Recently, Pack had moved from the firm’s Dallas headquarters to London to oversee European expansion. He served on the board of directors as well as on committees focused on environmental, social and governance issues and leadership.
Fortress Investment Group manages about $53 billion in assets across areas such as asset-based finance, real estate, corporate credit and private equity, Bloomberg reported. Founded in 1998, Fortress has headquarters in both New York and Dallas.
Drew McKnight will continue as co-CEO while Jack Neumark will be promoted to co-CEO following Pack’s passing.
In recent months, Fortress has been active with acquisitions and sales. The firm bought an office building in suburban Atlanta for $93 million through a sale-leaseback agreement and invested $33 million in San Francisco apartments. It also sold a more than 650-unit apartment complex in Dallas.
Before joining Wells Fargo through its acquisition of American Commercial Capital in 2001, Pack was vice president at that specialty finance company which focused on real estate and corporate lending.
In a statement released by Fortress, the firm said: “We are devastated by this loss. Josh was a gifted investor, a thoughtful strategist, a compassionate leader — and a deeply cherished friend to many,” adding that “Josh left an indelible mark on our institution. He cared deeply for his team, and that care was returned in kind.”
Pack attended the United States Air Force Academy before earning an economics degree from California State University, San Marcos.
“Everyone at Fortress is grieving the loss of one of our most exceptional leaders,” the statement continued. “Josh was a devoted husband and father. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and ask that their privacy be respected during this tragic time. We are doing all we can to support the Pack family.”
