From its earliest days, Whittier College has trained agile and strategic business leaders, able to synthesize “big picture thinking” with on-the-horizon market and technological changes. Among Whittier alumni are entrepreneurs and investors, founders of start-ups and splinter ventures, as well as CEOs and executives of established industry giants. As a result, they have contributed to the success of such household brand-named organizations as FAO Schwarz, Goldman Sachs, the San Francisco 49ers, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Oppenheimer & Co., Armstrong World Industries, and HSBC, among numerous others.
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Fred Anderson graduated from Whittier College in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in business. Today, he is the managing director and co-founder of Elevation Partners, a private equity firm with more than $1.9 billion in committed capital, focused on targeted, rapid growth investments in the technology, media, and entertainment sectors. Among Anderson’s partners in this venture is U2 frontman and activist Bono, and current portfolio companies include high-profile industry giants Facebook and Forbes.
Along the way from his years at Whittier to present day, Anderson has made several notable stops. For eight years, he served as executive vice president and chief financial officer for Apple, Inc.,working to steer the company out of deep financial troubles and, alongside Steve Jobs, helping to chart its historic and meteoric rise over the last two decades—one marked by solid financial growth, intensive product development, and immense ROI.
He currently serves on the Board of Directors for eBay, Yelp, and Move.com, and previously served on the boards for Apple, Palm, and 3COM, among others.
