Abigail Pierrepont Johnson (born December 19, 1961) is a prominent American business leader and billionaire, best known for her long-standing association with Fidelity Investments. A third-generation member of the Johnson family, she is the granddaughter of Edward C. Johnson II, who founded the firm. She took over as President and Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Investments (FMR) in 2014, and also serves as Chair of Fidelity International (FIL), which was formerly linked to FMR. Her father, Edward C. “Ned” Johnson III, remained Chair Emeritus of FMR until his death in March 2022.

As of 2013, the Johnson family collectively owned 49% of the privately held company, with Abigail Johnson personally holding approximately 24.5%. In addition to her leadership roles at Fidelity, she sits on the board of Breakthrough Energy Ventures.

Born	December 19, 1961 (age 63) Boston, Massachusetts, US
Education	William Smith College (BA) Harvard University (MBA)
Occupations	Businesswoman
Spouse	Christopher McKown   (m. 1988)
Children	2
Title	Chairwoman, CEO, and president, Fidelity Investments Chairwoman, Fidelity International
Father	Edward Johnson III
Relatives	Edward C. Johnson II (grandfather)

In November 2016, Abigail Johnson stepped into the role of chair of Fidelity, taking complete leadership of the firm, which today employs more than 45,000 people across the globe. As of June 2024, her net worth was valued at approximately $35.6 billion, placing her among the richest women in the world. Johnson featured on Forbes’ 2016 list of “The Richest Person in America’s 50 Largest Cities,” and in 2023, she secured the 8th spot on the magazine’s list of the “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.” She has held the title of Massachusetts’ richest resident since at least 2015.

Early Life

Abigail Pierrepont Johnson was born on December 19, 1961, in Boston, Massachusetts. She was raised alongside her younger siblings in a family environment that, despite its strong business legacy, did not pressure the children to join the family firm. Even so, Abigail developed a natural curiosity about her father’s work at a young age.

She completed her schooling at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She later earned a bachelor's degree in art history from William Smith College in 1984. After graduation, Johnson worked briefly as a consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton—an experience that not only expanded her professional exposure but also led her to meet her future husband. She went on to pursue an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Career at Fidelity Investments

After receiving her MBA in 1988, Johnson joined Fidelity Investments—founded in 1946 by her grandfather, Edward C. Johnson II, and by then led by her father, Edward C. Johnson III. She began in entry-level roles as a research analyst and later as a portfolio manager, gaining hands-on experience in the core operations of the business.

In 2001, Johnson was appointed President of Fidelity Asset Management. During her time in the division, she reportedly attempted, though unsuccessfully, to bring about a leadership transition by calling for a vote to remove her father as CEO, reflecting internal disagreements on the company’s direction.

She continued to rise steadily through the organization, becoming Head of Retail, Workplace, and Institutional Business in 2005. In 2012, she was named President of Fidelity. Two years later, in 2014, she officially took over as CEO, succeeding her father. By 2016, she had also assumed the role of chair, consolidating full leadership of the firm.

Under Abigail Johnson’s direction, Fidelity has undergone notable modernization and expansion. One of the most transformative steps came in 2018, when the company entered the digital asset space by offering cryptocurrency investment and trading services. This move opened access for institutional investors to Bitcoin and Ether, positioning Fidelity as a pioneering force in mainstream adoption of digital currency investments.

Politics

In 2015, Abigail Johnson contributed $2,700—the highest amount allowed at the time for a primary election—to support Republican presidential hopeful Jeb Bush. The following year, her political giving took a different direction, as she donated roughly $330,000 to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and to the Democratic National Committee, reflecting a notable shift in her political support.

Awards and Honors

Abigail Johnson has earned wide recognition for her leadership in the financial industry. Over the course of her career, she has held a number of prominent roles, including serving on the Committee on Capital Markets Regulation and on the board of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA). She has also been a member of the Board of Directors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated sector, Johnson became the first and only woman to sit on the board of the Financial Services Forum, an elite group made up of CEOs from the country’s leading financial institutions.

Johnson has consistently appeared on Forbes’ list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women, earning top-tier rankings for nearly a decade:

In addition, she placed 13th on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list in 2023. The following year, American Banker named her the No. 2 Most Powerful Woman in Finance (2024), further underscoring her impact and influence in the global financial landscape.