Larry Ellison

Larry Ellison: A Brief Biography

Larry Ellison is an American billionaire business magnate and investor, best known as the co-founder, executive chairman, chief technology officer (CTO), and former CEO of Oracle Corporation. As of June 2023, he was ranked as the fourth-wealthiest person globally, with a net worth of approximately $135 billion according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Additionally, Ellison holds a significant 98% ownership stake in Lanai, making him the majority owner of the sixth-largest island in the Hawaiian Archipelago. As of 2023, his net worth is $152 billion making him the third wealthiest person in the world behind Elon Musk and Bernard Arnault. 

Early Life & Education

Larry Ellison, born on August 17, 1944, in New York City, is an American entrepreneur of mixed ethnicity, with Italian and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. Lawrence Joseph Ellison is his full name. He holds American nationality and his zodiac sign falls under Leo. He celebrated his 78th birthday in 2022. He is the son of his mother, Florence Spellman, an unwed Jewish mother. His biological father was an Italian-American United States Army Air Corps pilot. He was adopted at a young age by his aunt and uncle after contracting pneumonia as an infant. He did not meet his biological mother again until he was 48. He grew up in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood, raised in a Reform Jewish household but remained skeptical of religious dogmas. Despite not subscribing to the beliefs, he expressed admiration for the innovative spirit of Israelis in the technology sector and had a fondness for Israel. Ellison's adoptive father, Louis Ellison, had experienced financial success in real estate before losing it during the Great Depression. 

Larry Ellison attended South Shore High School in Chicago and went on to enroll at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as a premed student. During his time at the university, he received recognition as the science student of the year. However, he left without completing his final exams due to the passing of his adoptive mother. Ellison then spent the summer of 1966 in California before briefly studying physics and mathematics at the University of Chicago. It was during this time that he first encountered computer design. Subsequently, he moved to Berkeley, California, where he embarked on his career as a computer programmer, working for various companies.

Larry Ellison Career

• During his time at Ampex in the early 1970s, Larry Ellison was exposed to Edgar F. Codd's research on relational database design for IBM, which greatly influenced him.
• In 1977, this led to the establishment of the company that would later become Oracle. Initially targeting mid and low-range systems, Oracle emerged as a successful database vendor, competing with the likes of Sybase and Microsoft SQL Server. 
• His entrepreneurial journey began when he founded Software Development Laboratories (SDL) in 1977 with two partners and a modest investment of $2,000. The company was later renamed Relational Software Inc. in 1979 and eventually became Oracle Systems Corporation in 1983. 
• However, Oracle faced a significant setback in the early 1990s, undergoing layoffs and financial struggles due to an aggressive marketing strategy that overstated future license sales. 
• Despite these challenges, Oracle persevered and played a pivotal role in the rise of relational databases on Unix and Windows operating systems, eventually becoming a dominant force in the industry.
• His achievements in the technology sector were recognized when he was named an Award Recipient in the High Technology Category for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Program.
• In 1994, Informix emerged as Oracle's primary competitor, overtaking Sybase. The rivalry between Informix CEO Phil White and Larry Ellison garnered significant attention in Silicon Valley for several years. However, Informix faced financial troubles and restatements in April 1997, leading to Phil White's eventual imprisonment and IBM's acquisition of Informix in 2001. 
• In the same year, Ellison became a director of Apple Computer but resigned in 2002. 
• While Oracle enjoyed dominance in the industry, Microsoft SQL Server's rise in the late 1990s and IBM's acquisition of Informix Software in 2001 with their DB2 database posed new competition. 
• As of 2013, IBM's DB2 still dominated the mainframe database market. Ellison's compensation at Oracle saw substantial figures, including a base salary, bonuses, and options granted, cementing his status as a highly successful executive. 
• In 2009, Oracle announced its acquisition of Sun Microsystems after a struggle with IBM and Hewlett-Packard. 
• Ellison's compensation for the fiscal year of 2010 notably dropped to a symbolic $1 base salary.
• On January 21, 2010, the European Union approved Oracle's acquisition of Sun Microsystems, recognizing its potential to revitalize assets and foster innovation. This acquisition also granted Oracle control over the popular open-source database MySQL, which Sun had acquired in 2008. 
• In August 2010, Larry Ellison criticized Hewlett-Packard's board for firing CEO Mark Hurd, expressing his disapproval and comparing it to the Apple board's decision to dismiss Steve Jobs in the past. 
• Later that year, Oracle appointed Hurd as co-president alongside Safra Catz, while Ellison retained his current role. 
• Ellison's success and wealth were widely acknowledged, with Forbes ranking him as one of the wealthiest individuals globally and in the technology industry. 
• He made notable investments in companies like Salesforce.com, NetSuite, Quark Biotechnology Inc., and Astex Pharmaceuticals. Ellison also engaged in philanthropy, settling a significant insider-trading lawsuit by donating $100 million to charity in Oracle's name. 
• In subsequent years, he continued to hold prominent positions in Oracle and ventured into other ventures, including joining the board of Tesla, Inc., and acquiring NetSuite. 
• As of June 2020, Ellison ranked as the seventh wealthiest person worldwide with a net worth of $66.8 billion. 
• As of 2022, he owns 42.9 percent of the shares of Oracle Corporation and 1.5 percent of the shares of Tesla. 

Larry Ellison Awards and Recognition

• In 1997, Ellison received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement
• In 2013, Ellison was inducted into the Bay Area Business Hall of Fame
• In 2019, the Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine of USC honored Ellison with the first Rebels With A Cause Award in recognition of his generous support through the years

Larry Ellison Relationship: Girlfriend, Wife & Children

Larry Ellison has been married and divorced four times. His first marriage was to Adda Quinn from 1967 to 1974. In 1977, Ellison married Nancy Wheeler Jenkins just six months before he founded Software Development Laboratories, which later became Oracle. However, their marriage ended in divorce in 1978, with Wheeler relinquishing any claim on Ellison's company for a payment of $500. Ellison's third marriage was to Barbara Boothe, a former receptionist at Relational Software Inc. They were married from 1983 to 1986 and had two children together, David and Megan, both of whom have pursued careers in film production. Ellison's fourth and most recent marriage was to Melanie Craft, a romance novelist. They married in 2003, with Steve Jobs serving as the official wedding photographer and Representative Tom Lantos officiating the ceremony. However, they divorced in 2010, ending their seven-year marriage. 

Larry Ellison is currently in a happy relationship with his beautiful girlfriend, Nikita Kahn. The duo were together since 2010. Nikita Kahn works as an actress, model, and entrepreneur based in LA. The duo is enjoying their present life a lot without any disturbances. 

Larry Ellison's Net Worth, Salary & Source of Income

Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, who served as the company's CEO for 37 years, has become the third-richest person in the world, surpassing Jeff Bezos, as Oracle's stock soared to record highs. With a net worth of $152 billion, Ellison has seen a significant increase of $45 billion in just two months due to Oracle's 45% stock rally driven by the demand for artificial intelligence software. Ellison now ranks behind only Elon Musk and Bernard Arnault in terms of net worth. In addition to his success with Oracle, Ellison owns a real estate portfolio valued at over $1 billion, including a Hawaiian island he purchased for $300 million in 2012. 

In yachting, Ellison sold his share of the Rising Sun yacht in 2010, downsizing to the Musashi yacht. He competes in yachting through Oracle Team USA and founded BMW Oracle Racing. Ellison's team introduced kite yachting into America's Cup and won the 33rd America's Cup in 2010, securing a historic victory. In 2013, Oracle Team USA won the 34th America's Cup in a remarkable comeback. Ellison also started the SailGP international racing series in 2019, committing to five years of funding for the fastest class of boat in history. Ellison is also a licensed pilot who has owned multiple aircraft. He was cited for violating San Jose's airport rules but won a lawsuit over the interpretation of the rule. He also owns two military jets, including a decommissioned MiG-29 that he was denied permission to import. In 2009, he purchased the Indian Wells Tennis Garden tennis facility in California's Coachella Valley and the Indian Wells Masters tournament for $100 million and has subsequently invested another $100 million into the club. Ellison owns a Japanese-inspired estate in Woodside, California, and has acquired properties worth millions in Malibu. He purchased the Astors' Beechwood Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island, Porcupine Creek Estate in California, and most of the island of Lanai in Hawaii. In 2022, he made the most expensive residential property purchase in Florida history. Furthermore, he owns many exotic cars, including an Audi R8 and a McLaren F1. His favorite is the Acura NSX, which he was known to give as gifts each year during its production. He is living a lavish lifestyle from his career earnings. 

Larry Ellison Height & Weight

Larry Ellison is a handsome man with attractive features. He stands at an impressive height of 6 feet 3 inches or 190.5 centimeters and maintains an average build, weighing around 82 kilograms or 181 pounds. He has salt-and-pepper hair, which is center-parted and wavy, adding to his charismatic appearance. Ellison sports a rugged beard that further enhances his distinctive look. His green eyes capture attention, and he has a mole under his right eye, adding a unique touch to his facial features. Larry's personal history includes a poignant story as he was adopted by his aunt and uncle at the age of 9 months due to his mother's circumstances. They raised him as their own, and it wasn't until he was 48 years old that he reunited with his biological mother. As of now, Larry has got a healthy body.