Jesse Cohn is a partner and head of activist investing at Elliott Management Corporation, a prominent hedge fund known for its aggressive activist strategies. He leads many of the firm's high-profile proxy battles and campaigns aimed at influencing corporate governance, operational improvements, and shareholder value enhancement, particularly targeting technology companies and other sectors. Cohn's career at Elliott has involved deep analysis of businesses, engaging with stakeholders, and pushing for changes such as sales, mergers, or leadership overhauls. His work has been instrumental in campaigns against companies like Salesforce, eBay, and others in Silicon Valley, earning him a reputation as a key player in activist investing.

Born in 1980, Cohn showed an early aptitude for technology, teaching himself programming as a teenager in the 1990s and earning an advanced IT certification from Novell while attending computer camp. He attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he developed expertise in finance and business. Prior to joining Elliott Management in the mid-2000s, Cohn worked as an analyst in the mergers and acquisitions group at Morgan Stanley, gaining hands-on experience in deal evaluation and corporate transactions.

Cohn's tenure at Elliott began with smaller investments that shaped his approach, such as a $15 million stake in Enterasys Networks, where he conducted extensive research by contacting customers, employees, and engineers to identify growth opportunities. In 2006, at age 26, he successfully advocated for the sale of Metrologic Instruments to a private equity firm. Now based in West Palm Beach, Florida, Cohn continues to drive Elliott's activist efforts, focusing on improving underperforming companies through strategic interventions.