Dan Friedkin
Dan Friedkin | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 27, 1965 San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, film producer |
| Years active | –present |
| Known for | Chairman and CEO of The Friedkin Group; owner and chairman of AS Roma and Everton football clubs; film production through 30West and Imperative Entertainment |
Thomas Dan Friedkin (born 1965) is an American entrepreneur and film producer. He serves as chairman and CEO of The Friedkin Group, and holds ownership and chairmanship of the Serie A football club Roma as well as the Premier League club Everton. As of , his net worth is estimated at approximately US$7.8 billion.
Early life
Dan Friedkin was born on February 27, 1965, in San Diego, California. He is the son of Thomas H. Friedkin, founder of Gulf States Toyota Distributors, and the grandson of Kenny Friedkin, who established Pacific Southwest Airlines. He earned a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University followed by a master's degree from Rice University.
Career
Following his father’s 65th birthday, Dan took over operational leadership of the holding company and its workforce of 3,000 employees, while his father retained the role of chairman. By the age of 35, Dan had become CEO of both Gulf States Toyota and the Friedkin Group.
Since 2013, Friedkin has been chairman of Auberge Resorts, which manages a collection of luxury properties located throughout the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Europe, and the Caribbean.
In December 2019, Friedkin entered discussions to purchase Italian football club AS Roma. On August 6, 2020, he signed a preliminary agreement to acquire the club for $591 million from principal shareholder James Pallotta.
In July 2024, Friedkin commenced negotiations to buy English Premier League team Everton. By September 2024, he reached an agreement to acquire a 94.1% ownership stake held by Farhad Moshiri. The transaction was finalized on December 19, 2024, resulting in Friedkin holding a majority ownership share of 99.5%.
In March 2025, reports indicated that Friedkin engaged with the NHL regarding the potential establishment of an expansion franchise in Houston.
Film work
In 2017, Friedkin co-established 30West, an independent entity specializing in film production, distribution, and sales. The following year, Friedkin and 30West secured majority control of Neon, a theatrical marketing and distribution firm recognized for releasing the Academy Award-winning film Parasite. In 2023, he facilitated Neon’s acquisition of Michael Mann’s Ferrari.
Friedkin also co-founded and serves as principal at Imperative Entertainment, a studio dedicated to developing, producing, and financing original content across film, television, and documentary formats.
He has produced over twelve films under Imperative Entertainment’s banner, including Palme d'Or recipient The Square, the ten-time Academy Award-nominated Killers of the Flower Moon, All the Money in the World, The Mule, Hot Summer Nights, Arizona, The Last Vermeer, The Bay of Silence, Triangle of Sadness, and A Big Bold Beautiful Journey. His executive producer credits include Destroyer, The Mauritanian, The Contractor, Ben Is Back, The Crow, and Wildcat. Additionally, he has executive produced television series such as Treadstone, Landman, and Black Bird. Friedkin directed the feature film The Last Vermeer in 2019.
Moreover, Friedkin received a Taurus Stunt Award for Best Specialty Stunt due to his role piloting an authentic Spitfire aircraft during aerial combat scenes and beach landings in the film Dunkirk.
Personal life
Friedkin and his spouse Debra have four children and live in Houston. He established and currently chairs the Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation and is among nine civilian Heritage Flight aviators authorized to fly alongside U.S. Air Force demonstration units. Friedkin pilots vintage military aircraft with high performance capabilities, participating in aerobatic displays throughout North America and Europe alongside the U.S. Air Force and the Horsemen P-51 Flight Team.
A passionate golfer, Friedkin developed the Congaree golf course in South Carolina, crafted by designer Tom Fazio. Congaree holds the 42nd position on Golf Digest's ranking of America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses. Additionally, he owns Diamond Creek Golf Club in North Carolina, acquired from Wayne Huizenga in 2012, which also features among the nation’s top 100 golf courses.
In August 2019, Friedkin was appointed chair of Project Recover, a joint effort employing cutting-edge science and technology to locate and bring home Americans missing in action since World War II.
Conservation
Through the Friedkin Conservation Fund, Friedkin spearheads initiatives that safeguard millions of acres of threatened wildlife habitats while fostering community development in East Africa. The fund supports research aimed at advancing sustainable wildlife management practices. His family leases over 3.2 million acres of protected wildlife territories across Tanzania.
He holds the title of Chairman-Emeritus of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, which manages natural and cultural resources throughout Texas. In 2014, Friedkin collaborated with conservation organizations on Texas’s largest-ever conservation acquisition by purchasing the 17,351-acre Powderhorn Ranch to conserve coastal prairie ecosystems.
Friedkin endorsed a Texas legislative measure regulating wind and solar energy projects, a decision that drew criticism from environmental advocates for potentially impeding renewable energy expansion. He has also actively resisted an electric transmission line proposed to cross his extensive ranch in West Texas.
Moreover, Friedkin owns Mwiba Lodge, an upscale retreat situated within a private wildlife reserve inside southern Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.