Joshua S. Friedman
Joshua S. Friedman | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1956 |
| Alma mater | Harvard College (B.A. Physics, 1976)
University of Oxford (M.A. Politics and Economics)
Harvard Business School (MBA, 1980)
Harvard Law School (J.D., 1982) |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, hedge fund co-founder |
| Known for | Co-founder of Canyon Partners |
Joshua S. Friedman (born 1956) is a prominent American entrepreneur and the co-founder of the Los Angeles-based hedge fund Canyon Partners.
Early life and education
Raised in the vicinity of Boston, Friedman was the son of a World War II veteran who worked as a mechanical engineer and a mother employed as a public-school educator.
He completed his undergraduate studies in physics at Harvard College, graduating summa cum laude in 1976. Two years later, as a recipient of the Marshall Scholarship, he pursued a master's degree with honors in politics and economics at the University of Oxford. Returning to Harvard, he earned an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 1980 as a distinguished Baker Scholar. He further achieved magna cum laude honors at Harvard Law School, where he was awarded the Sears Prize in 1982.
Early career
Following his academic pursuits at Harvard, Friedman began his professional journey in the mergers and acquisitions division at Goldman Sachs. By 1983, he had transitioned to Drexel Burnham Lambert, where he ultimately held the position of director of capital markets, overseeing high yield and private placement activities.
Canyon Partners
In 1990, Friedman partnered with Mitchell Julis to establish Canyon Partners, an alternative asset management company based in Los Angeles that operates under employee ownership.
Awards and honors
Friedman was honored with Institutional Investor's "Lifetime Achievement" accolade in 2014 and is acknowledged as an innovator within the hedge fund sector. In 2019, he and his spouse received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
Philanthropy
His philanthropic engagements include serving on the Board of Directors for Harvard Management Company, advising the Dean at Harvard Business School, and contributing to Harvard University's Task Force on Science and Engineering. He holds trustee positions with the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). Additionally, Friedman participates on the Investment Committees for both the Broad Foundation and the J. Paul Getty Trust, while chairing LACMA’s Finance Committee. His advisory roles extend to UCLA Hospital's Department of Neurosurgery and the UCLA Anderson School of Management.