John Thornton

John Thornton is an Operating Partner with extensive leadership experience in the banking and mining sectors. Mr. Thornton is the Executive Chairman of Barrick Gold. Starting in 2013, Mr. Thornton oversaw Barrick Gold’s transformation, and subsequently orchestrated the successful merger with Randgold Resources in a deal valued at more than $18 billion. Following that merger, Mr. Thornton directed the announced hostile takeover of Newmont Mining in 2019, which subsequently resulted in the formation of a large Nevada-based gold company joint venture. Prior to joining Barrick Gold, Mr. Thornton held various executive positions at Goldman Sachs. Mr. Thornton joined Goldman Sachs in 1980 and was named a partner in 1988. He also served as Co-CEO of Goldman Sachs International from 1995 to 1996 and was Chairman of Goldman Sachs Asia from 1996 to 1998. Mr. Thornton retired as President and a member of the board of Goldman Sachs in 2003. Mr. Thornton currently serves as Chairman of Silk Road Finance, Chairman of PineBridge Investments and Co-Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Brookings Institution. Mr. Thornton is an Advisory Board member of Tsinghua University and a Director at the Ford Motor Company. Mr. Thornton received a bachelor’s degree in history from Harvard College in 1976, a B.A/M.A. in jurisprudence from Oxford University in 1978, and an Master’s degree in Public and Private Management (MPPM) from the Yale School of Management in 1980.