THOMAS BARRACK

Founded Colony Capital in 1991, growing it into one of the world's largest real estate and investment management firms with $60 billion in assets. Pioneered distressed real estate investing — buying troubled properties during market downturns and repositioning them.

Made his first fortune buying distressed assets from the Resolution Trust Corporation during the S&L crisis of the late 1980s. Colony acquired Fairmont Raffles Hotels, buying trophy properties including the Plaza Hotel in New York and the Savoy in London.

Managed Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch and helped restructure Jackson's finances. Served as chairman of President Trump's inaugural committee in 2017.

Colony merged with NorthStar to form DigitalBridge Group, pivoting toward digital infrastructure. Indicted in 2021 on charges of acting as an unregistered foreign agent for the United Arab Emirates — acquitted on all counts in 2022.

DigitalBridge now manages $80 billion focused on digital infrastructure.

DigitalBridge (founder, formerly Colony Capital), Trump Inaugural Committee (former chairman)

Distressed and opportunistic real estate investing. Barrack made his career buying what nobody else wanted — foreclosed properties, bankrupt hotels, troubled assets — and turning them around.

His timing has been consistently good: buying during the S&L crisis, the Asian financial crisis, and the 2008 recession. The recent pivot to digital infrastructure (cell towers, data centers, fiber networks) shows he's still chasing the next wave.

The S&L crisis play. Buying distressed assets from the Resolution Trust Corporation in the late 1980s and early 1990s generated returns that funded Colony Capital's growth for decades.

The Miramax Films deal, the hotel acquisitions, and the digital infrastructure pivot have all been strong. Colony consistently bought at the bottom and sold at the top of real estate cycles.

The political entanglement. The inaugural committee chairmanship and subsequent indictment — even though he was acquitted — damaged his professional reputation and distracted from Colony's business.

The company's stock declined significantly during the legal proceedings. Some critics argue that Barrack prioritized political access over investment returns in his later career.

Buy when there's blood in the streets, sell when everyone wants in. Classic contrarian real estate philosophy.

Barrack believes the best returns come from entering markets in distress and having the patience to ride the recovery. "I've made more money buying things nobody wanted than buying things everybody wanted."

Lebanese-American. Married multiple times.

Keeps personal life very private despite his high-profile political and business activities. His Middle Eastern heritage and language skills gave him a unique edge in global real estate deals.

University of Southern California (BA in English), USC Gould School of Law (JD). Worked for the law firm of Herbert W.

Kalmbach (Nixon's personal attorney) early in his career.

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