Larry Ellison is a well-known figure in the tech industry, having co-founded software giant Oracle in 1977. With a net worth of $142 billion as of January 30, 2024, according to Forbes, he is one of the wealthiest people in the world. Ellison also owns just under 40% of Oracle, as well as Tesla shares, Lanai, and other assets.
Ellison’s net worth has fluctuated over the years, but it has remained consistently high due to his success in the tech industry. In June 2018, Ellison’s net worth was about $54.5 billion, according to Forbes. However, as of January 27, 2024, his net worth has increased to $128 billion, according to Bloomberg reporting. This increase can be attributed to the rising value of Oracle and Ellison’s stake in the company, as well as his ownership of other assets.
Overall, Larry Ellison’s net worth is a reflection of his successful career in the tech industry, as well as his ownership of various assets. While his net worth has fluctuated over the years, he remains one of the wealthiest people in the world and a prominent figure in the tech industry.
Early Life and Education
Childhood
Larry Ellison was born on August 17, 1944, in New York City. His biological father was an Army Air Corps pilot who never returned from World War II, leaving Ellison’s mother to raise him alone. When Ellison was nine months old, his mother gave him up for adoption to her aunt and uncle in Chicago.
Ellison grew up in a middle-class Jewish family and showed an interest in technology at a young age. He would take apart and rebuild radios and televisions to learn how they worked. Ellison’s adoptive father was a government employee who instilled in him a love of math and science.
College Education
Ellison attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for one term before dropping out. He then attended the University of Chicago for one term before dropping out again. Despite not earning a degree, Ellison credits his time at the universities for sparking his interest in computer science.
In 1977, Ellison moved to California and began working for the electronics company Ampex Corporation. It was during this time that he developed the idea for Oracle Corporation, a company that would specialize in developing and selling database software.
Ellison’s net worth is estimated to be around $139.4 billion, making him one of the richest people in the world [1]. Despite his success, Ellison has faced criticism for his controversial business practices and personal life.
Founding of Oracle
The Inception of a Software Company
Larry Ellison, a former employee at the CIA, founded Oracle in 1977 with two partners. The company’s initial focus was on building a relational database management system (RDBMS). This system was designed to store and manage large amounts of data efficiently. The RDBMS was a new concept at the time, and Oracle quickly became a leader in the field.
Ellison’s experience at the CIA played a key role in the development of Oracle. The CIA had a need for a database system that could store and manage large amounts of information. Ellison saw an opportunity to apply this concept to the private sector and founded Oracle.
Rise to Market Dominance
Oracle quickly rose to market dominance in the database industry. The company’s success was due in part to its innovative use of technology. Oracle was one of the first companies to use a client-server model, which allowed multiple users to access the database simultaneously. This made Oracle’s database system more efficient and cost-effective than its competitors.
Oracle’s success also came from its strong focus on customer service. The company placed a high value on customer feedback and used it to improve its products. Oracle’s commitment to its customers helped establish its reputation as a reliable and trustworthy company.
As Oracle continued to grow, it expanded its product offerings beyond database management systems. Today, Oracle is a leading provider of enterprise software solutions, including cloud-based applications, platform services, and infrastructure. The company’s success can be attributed to its innovative use of technology, commitment to customer service, and focus on meeting the evolving needs of its customers.
Leadership and Vision
Larry Ellison has been a visionary leader and a driving force behind Oracle’s success. He has served as the CEO of Oracle for over 37 years and has been instrumental in transforming the company into one of the world’s largest software companies.
CEO Tenure
Ellison’s tenure as CEO has been marked by his focus on innovation and his ability to anticipate market trends. Under his leadership, Oracle has become a leader in the cloud business, offering a wide range of cloud-based services to its customers. Ellison has also been a strong advocate of artificial intelligence, recognizing its potential to transform the way businesses operate.
Chief Technology Officer
In addition to his role as CEO, Ellison has also served as Oracle’s Chief Technology Officer. In this role, he has overseen the development of many of Oracle’s key products, including the Oracle Database, which has become the industry standard for enterprise databases. Ellison has also been a strong proponent of open standards and has worked to ensure that Oracle’s products are interoperable with other systems.
Ellison’s leadership and vision have been critical to Oracle’s success, and his contributions to the technology industry have been widely recognized. Despite stepping down as CEO in 2014, Ellison remains an influential figure at Oracle and continues to shape the company’s strategy.
Financial Milestones
Billionaire Status
Larry Ellison, the co-founder and former CEO of Oracle Corporation, is one of the richest people in the world. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Ellison’s net worth has surpassed $100 billion several times since 2022, making him a billionaire many times over. He is one of the few people in the world to have reached this status, and his wealth continues to grow.
Forbes Ranking
For many years, Forbes has ranked Ellison among the world’s wealthiest people. As of February 19, 2024, Forbes ranked Ellison as the fifth-richest person in the world, with a net worth of $139.4 billion. This was a significant increase from the previous year, when he was ranked seventh with a net worth of $95 billion. Ellison’s wealth is largely tied up in shares of Oracle stock, which has performed well in recent years.
Ellison’s financial milestones are a testament to his success as a businessman and his ability to create value for shareholders. While his wealth has fluctuated over the years, he has consistently remained one of the wealthiest people in the world.
Investments and Ventures
Larry Ellison is known for his vast investments in various industries, including technology, real estate, and sports. Here are some of his notable ventures:
Tesla Involvement
Ellison has been a shareholder in Tesla since 2018, when he invested $1 billion in the company. He owns about 3 million shares of Tesla and has been a vocal supporter of CEO Elon Musk. In 2019, he purchased a 2.3-acre estate in Los Angeles, which was previously owned by actor Nicolas Cage, and reportedly spent $16 million on a custom-designed Tesla Model S.
Real Estate and Yachts
Ellison has a diverse real estate portfolio that includes properties in California, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Japan. He also owns two luxurious yachts, the Musashi and the Rising Sun, which are among the largest yachts in the world. The Rising Sun, which he purchased from media mogul David Geffen in 2010, reportedly cost him $200 million and has a length of 138 meters.
In addition to his real estate and yacht investments, Ellison is also a co-founder of the Indian Wells tennis tournament and the owner of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, a tennis facility in California that hosts the tournament. He also owns the BNP Paribas Open, a professional tennis tournament held annually in California.
Overall, Ellison’s net worth is estimated to be around $101.4 billion, making him one of the wealthiest people in the world.
Personal Life
Residence in Hawaii
Larry Ellison has a passion for Hawaii and owns a lot of land on the island of Lanai, which he purchased in 2012. The billionaire has also purchased several properties in Woodside, California, where he owns a sprawling estate.
Family and Relationships
Ellison has been married four times and has two children. He has been with his current partner, Nikita Kahn, since 2010. His children, David and Megan, are both involved in philanthropic activities and have made significant donations to various organizations.
In addition to his immediate family, Ellison has been involved in several high-profile relationships. He was romantically linked to the likes of actress Uma Thurman and model Karin Taylor in the past. However, his current relationship with Kahn seems to be going strong.
Overall, Ellison’s personal life has been marked by his love for Hawaii and his dedication to philanthropy. He has used his wealth to make a positive impact on the world and has been involved in several charitable causes.
Comparisons and Rankings
Peers in Wealth
Larry Ellison is one of the richest people in the world. As of February 19, 2024, his net worth is estimated to be $139.4 billion 1. This puts him in the top five of Forbes’ World’s Billionaires list, just behind the likes of Jeff Bezos, Bernard Arnault, and Bill Gates.
In comparison to his peers in wealth, Ellison’s net worth is higher than Warren Buffett’s, whose net worth is estimated to be $95.9 billion 1. However, it’s important to note that Buffett has given away a significant portion of his fortune to charity.
Global Tech Influencers
Ellison is a well-known figure in the global tech industry and has been influential in shaping the industry over the years. He co-founded Oracle Corporation, one of the world’s largest software companies, in 1977 1.
In terms of influence, Ellison is often mentioned in the same breath as other tech giants like Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos. However, while Gates and Bezos have both stepped down from their roles as CEOs of Microsoft and Amazon respectively, Ellison remains an active participant in the tech industry.
Oracle Corporation, under Ellison’s leadership, has made significant contributions to the tech industry. For example, the company developed the first commercially available relational database management system, which revolutionized the way data is stored and managed 1.
Overall, Ellison’s net worth and contributions to the tech industry have secured his place as one of the most influential figures in the world today.
Footnotes
Ellison’s Influence on Technology
Larry Ellison is one of the most influential figures in the technology industry. He has played a significant role in shaping the way we use and interact with technology today. His contributions to the field of database technology have been particularly noteworthy.
Database Innovation
Ellison co-founded Oracle Corporation in 1977, which has since become one of the world’s largest software companies. Under his leadership, Oracle has been at the forefront of database innovation. Ellison’s vision and expertise have helped Oracle to develop some of the most advanced database technologies in the world.
Ellison’s contributions to the database industry include the development of the first commercially available relational database management system (RDBMS) and the introduction of the concept of “grid computing.” He has also been a vocal advocate for the use of open standards in database technology.
Market Trends and Predictions
Ellison’s influence extends beyond the database industry. He has been a key player in the cloud business, which has become an increasingly important part of the technology landscape. Oracle has been aggressively expanding its cloud offerings, and Ellison has been vocal about his belief that the future of computing lies in the cloud.
Ellison’s predictions about the future of technology have often been prescient. He was an early proponent of the idea that the internet would become a critical part of our lives, and he has been a vocal advocate for the use of artificial intelligence in business.
In recent years, Ellison has also been involved in the media industry. He purchased the Hawaiian island of Lanai in 2012 and has since been working to transform it into a sustainable community. He has also been a vocal proponent of the use of renewable energy.
Overall, Ellison’s influence on technology has been profound. His contributions to the database industry have been particularly noteworthy, but his vision and expertise have also helped to shape the direction of the cloud business, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies.
Legal and Market Controversies
Larry Ellison’s net worth has been the subject of numerous controversies throughout his career. This section will explore some of the most notable legal and market controversies that have affected Ellison’s net worth.
Antitrust Issues
Oracle, the company founded by Ellison, has faced antitrust issues over the years. In 2004, the European Commission fined Oracle €10 million for failing to provide adequate documentation for its database software. In 2010, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Oracle, alleging that the company had engaged in anticompetitive practices by trying to acquire Sun Microsystems. The lawsuit was settled in 2011, with Oracle agreeing to certain conditions in order to proceed with the acquisition.
Shareholder Lawsuits
Oracle has also faced a number of shareholder lawsuits over the years. In 2012, a group of shareholders filed a lawsuit against Oracle, alleging that the company’s board of directors had failed to properly oversee the company’s acquisition of Sun Microsystems. The lawsuit was settled in 2015, with Oracle agreeing to pay $100 million to the shareholders.
In 2017, another group of shareholders filed a lawsuit against Oracle, alleging that the company had made false and misleading statements about its cloud computing business. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2018, with the judge stating that the plaintiffs had failed to provide sufficient evidence to support their claims.
Despite these controversies, Ellison’s net worth has remained substantial. As of 2024, his net worth is estimated to be around $138 billion, making him one of the wealthiest people in the world.
It is important to note that the information presented in this section is accurate as of the date of publication and is subject to change. For more information on Oracle’s legal and market controversies, readers are encouraged to review the company’s Terms of Service and Cookie Policy, as well as its stock and individual shareholders.
Ellison’s Public Persona
Larry Ellison is a well-known figure in the tech industry and beyond. As the Chairman and co-founder of Oracle Corporation, he has amassed a fortune that makes him one of the world’s richest individuals, according to Forbes. While Ellison is known for his business acumen, he also has a public persona that has been shaped by his media appearances and public perception.
Media Appearances
Ellison has made numerous appearances in the media over the years, discussing topics ranging from his business ventures to his personal life. He has been interviewed by major news outlets such as Forbes, CNBC, and The Wall Street Journal. In these interviews, Ellison has often come across as confident and knowledgeable, speaking with authority about his industry and his company.
One notable appearance was in a 2013 interview with Charlie Rose, where Ellison discussed his plans for Oracle and his views on the tech industry. During the interview, Ellison made several bold claims about the future of technology, including his belief that “everything will be in the cloud.” This statement received a lot of attention in the media and sparked a debate about the future of technology.
Public Perception
Ellison’s public perception has been shaped by his success as a businessman and his status as a billionaire. While he is admired by many for his accomplishments, he has also faced criticism from those who view him as a symbol of the wealth gap in America.
Despite this criticism, Ellison has been involved in philanthropy throughout his career. In 2016, he pledged $200 million to the University of Southern California to establish a cancer research center. He has also been involved in environmental causes, supporting initiatives such as the America’s Cup Healthy Ocean Project.
Overall, Ellison’s public persona is that of a successful businessman and billionaire who is confident in his views and unafraid to speak his mind. While he has faced criticism from some quarters, he has also been praised for his philanthropy and his contributions to the tech industry.