edward forst

Ed Forst is a seasoned executive, investor, and advisor across the global financial services and real estate sectors. As a former General Partner and Management Committee member at Goldman Sachs, Ed held multiple senior leadership roles across both NY and London, including serving as Co-CEO of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, and Chairman of the Global Capital Commitments Committee. He also served on the board of GS Bank and as Chairman of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA). 

During the financial crisis, Ed left Goldman Sachs to serve his alma mater, Harvard University, as Executive Vice President and Principal Operating Officer. He led all non-academic affairs and served on the board of the Harvard Management Company, which oversees the university’s endowment. Ed also advised the U.S. Treasury Secretary during this crisis on the creation of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). 

Following his retirement from Goldman Sachs in 2011, Ed has held several further operational and investment leadership positions. This includes leading Cushman & Wakefield as President and CEO, guiding the global real estate firm through a period of significant growth and transformation. He later served as Chairman of Lion Capital, a London-based private equity firm focused on growth-oriented consumer brands. 

Ed began his career at Bankers Trust Company, ultimately serving as Managing Director responsible for all credit decisions in both the Western U.S. and Europe, and also served as the senior officer responsible for sales and trading of all U.S. corporate loans. 

Ed currently serves on the boards of the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health, the Investment Committee of Roundabout Theater, and the East Hampton Healthcare Foundation (Treasurer). His past board service includes Carnegie Hall (Treasurer), Yale School of Management, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. 

Ed holds an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an AB in Economics from Harvard University. 

In addition to serving as trustee and Treasurer, he is on the Development Committee for the East Hampton Healthcare Foundation.