Christopher Allen Wright was born on January 15, 1965, and raised in Colorado. He earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he also completed graduate studies in electrical engineering. During his time at MIT, Wright developed a deep interest in energy systems, which laid the foundation for a career spanning multiple sectors of the energy industry.

In 1992, Wright founded Pinnacle Technologies, a company that pioneered hydraulic fracture mapping—an innovation that played a critical role in the commercialization of shale gas during the late 1990s. He led the company as the chief executive officer until 2006. He also served as chairman of Stroud Energy, an early shale gas producer.

In 2011, Wright established Liberty Energy, an oilfield services company focused on hydraulic fracturing. Under his leadership as chairman and CEO, Liberty Energy grew to become the second-largest hydraulic fracturing company in North America. A vocal critic of conventional climate change discourse, Wright challenged prevailing science around environmental policy. In a 2023 LinkedIn video, he claimed, “There is no climate crisis,” and suggested that the broader climate movement was “collapsing under its own weight.” His position drew criticism from environmental and climate advocacy organizations.

On November 16, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump nominated Wright to serve as Secretary of Energy. The U.S. Senate confirmed Wright on February 3, 2025, in a 59–38 vote, and he was sworn in later that day.