Jonathan Nelson is Providence's founder and now serves as the firm's executive chairman. Mr. Nelson currently serves as chairman of Ambassador Theatre Group and director of The Chernin Group. He has previously served as a director of numerous other Providence portfolio companies, including Bresnan Communications, Eircom plc, Hulu, Language Line, MetroNet (now AT&T Canada), MLS Media, Univision, VoiceStream Wireless (now T-Mobile US), Warner Music Group, Western Wireless Corporation (now AT&T Corp.) and Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network (YES).
Mr. Nelson has been a private equity investor for 38 years. He founded Providence in 1989. Previously, he was a managing director of Narragansett Capital, Inc., which he joined in 1983. At Narragansett Capital, Mr. Nelson specialized in private equity investments in media. Mr. Nelson holds a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School in 1983 and a Bachelor of Arts from Brown University in 1977. He is a trustee of Brown University, the Rockefeller University and the Institute for Advanced Study. He is a member of the Board of Dean's Advisors at Harvard Business School. Additionally, Mr. Nelson is co-founder and executive chairman of Dynasty Equity and the chair of its investment committee.