Canadian philanthropist and entrepreneur W. Brett Wilson has an estimated net worth of $1.5 billion in 2012.

After completing his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan, W. Brett Wilson worked for three years for Imperial Oil. In 1985, he completed his MBA from the University of Calgary. Eventually, he started working for McLeod Young Weir Limited (now known as ScotiaMcLeod or Scotia Capital) as an investment banker. Eventually, he co-founded Wilson Mackie & Co., an investment firm, and by 1993, he co-founded FirstEnergy Capital Corp with N. Murray Edwards, Jim Davidson, and Rick Grafton. FirstEnergy Capital Corp. is actually a Canadian stock brokerage firm that specializes in providing investment-banking services to those who participate in the energy sector globally.

Today, 20% of the company is owned by the French company Societe Generale. The company operates in AB and London, England as well as Calgary. In 2008, he tendered his retirement as Chairman of FirstEnergy and he started investing into real estate, entertainment, sports, energy and agriculture industries. In addition to these assets, he also owns Derby County FC as well as Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League.