Jason Wright

Jason Wright is a managing partner and head of investments at Ariel Investments, where he is responsible for deal sourcing, execution, due diligence, portfolio management, and value creation. Formerly, Wright served as president of the Washington Commanders, leading the organization's business divisions, such as operations, finance, sales, and marketing. He became the first Black team president in the 105-year history of the NFL, the youngest team president during his tenure, and the fourth former NFL player to serve in that role. In this position, Wright was instrumental in securing development rights to the RFK stadium site and facilitated the team's sale at a record high.

Before his role with the Washington Commanders, Wright was a partner at McKinsey & Company in the Washington, DC office. His work centered around expanding the value of large, complex organizations through operations and culture transformations. He specialized in navigating companies through their most challenging periods, including crisis and turnaround scenarios ranging from systemic personnel misconduct to financial distress and COVID-19 response. His leadership was also critical in the formation of McKinsey's Black Economic Institute, a research entity that analyzes the racial wealth gap.

Wright's passion for intentional change to broaden opportunities for historically marginalized populations defined his work. This advocacy, coupled with his data- and results-oriented approaches, were sought after by leading organizations, such as The Greater Washington Partnership, where Wright contributed as a co-chair of its Inclusive Growth Strategy Council.

Alongside his professional career, Wright spent seven years as a running back in the NFL, serving as team captain and NFLPA player representative for the Arizona Cardinals. His accomplishments were well-recognized, resulting in awards such as a "Top 40 under 40" by Black Enterprise magazine and Sports Business Journal's "Best Hire of 2020", among others.

Wright has a deep commitment to his faith, family, and community, which is reflected in his service on the Board of Trustees at Union Theological Seminary. His academic record is equally impressive, holding a B.A. in psychology from Northwestern University, where he was an Academic All-American student-athlete and a two-time All-Big Ten football selection. He also earned an M.B.A. with honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.