Summary
- White House nominates Forst as next GSA head.
- Role vacant since Robin Carnahan left January.
- Carnahan’s departure during the Biden to Trump transition.
- Forst awaits Senate confirmation for GSA administrator.
- Position critical for federal government operations.
Edward Forst, a seasoned Wall Street professional, has been nominated by President Donald Trump to be the next administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA).
If approved by the Senate, Forst will assume leadership of an agency that Michael Rigas, the deputy secretary of state for administration and resources, has been leading in an acting capacity since earlier this month.
Before Rigas was appointed, Stephen Ehikian served as acting administrator of GSA. When Rigas arrived, he assumed the new position of deputy administrator.
GSA's OneGov effort, which seeks to simplify and streamline Federal IT and other acquisitions through standardized terms and price, has advanced significantly under Ehikian's direction. President Trump signed an executive order in March that aims to unify Federal procurement, including IT contracts, under GSA, and the OneGov effort is carrying it out.
According to his LinkedIn page, Forst most recently held the position of chairman and partner of Lion Capital, a London-based private equity firm, from 2020 to 2023.
Additionally, he worked for 16 years at Goldman Sachs, where he served as chairman of the global capital commitments committee, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, and co-chief executive officer of asset management.
In addition, he served as executive vice president and principal operational officer at Harvard University and as president and CEO of the multinational real estate company Cushman & Wakefield.
One of the nominee's previous positions in the federal government was serving as the Treasury Secretary's advisor from 2008 to 2009.
Forst now sits on the boards of the East Hampton Healthcare Foundation, the Roundabout Theater Investment Committee, the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs, and the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health.
He has a bachelor's degree in economics from Harvard University and a master's degree in business administration from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
How might Forst’s background in private equity and finance influence his leadership at GSA?
He brings extensive experience managing complex financial operations and investments, having served as chairman and partner at Lion Capital, a London-based private equity firm, from 2020 to 2023.
Forst spent 17 years as a senior executive and management committee partner at Goldman Sachs, where he gained deep insight into financial management, organizational efficiency, and strategic decision-making.
His experience includes leadership roles involving operational oversight and administrative functions, including a stint as Executive Vice President and Principal Operating Officer at Harvard University, showing his capability in managing large institutions.