Jeff Bezos's ex-wife MacKenzie joins billionaire philanthropist club, pledges $13 mn to charity
The charitable organisation, founded in 2010 by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, listed MacKenzie Bezos.
By PTI | Updated:
Agencies
MacKenzie (R) instantly became one of the world's wealthiest individuals in April after her divorce with Jeff Bezos.
NEW YORK: MacKenzie Bezos, soon-to-be ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has promised to donate half her fortune to charity, joining the ranks of the world's ultra-wealthy philanthropists, the Giving Pledge has announced.
The charitable organisation, founded in 2010 by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, listed MacKenzie Bezos, an American, among 19 new signatories of the pledge from China, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and Britain.
She instantly became one of the world's wealthiest individuals in April, gaining a net worth estimated at $36 billion after finalising the terms of her divorce with Jeff Bezos, the world's richest man.
MacKenzie is going to be amazing and thoughtful and effective at philanthropy, and I’m proud of her. Her letter is… https://t.co/YoohADeiiG
"In addition to whatever assets life has nurtured in me, I have a disproportionate amount of money to share," MacKenzie Bezos said in a letter announcing that she was joining the pledge on Tuesday.
"My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care. But I won't wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty." As part of the couple's pending divorce, MacKenzie Bezos is to retain 25 percent of the Amazon shares the pair had held jointly, equal to about four percent of the company, but will surrender all her voting rights.
ADVERTISEMENT
Splitsville: High-Profile Divorces That Shook The Business World
1/9
Goodbyes are hard. For the rich and famous, calling it quits with the partner is tragic, and can also make a dent in the pocket as well.
Recent times have seen some shocking and unexpected divorces which created headlines for days, even weeks.
Here's a round-up of 8 such high-profile divorces that came out of nowhere.
Goodbyes are hard. For the rich and famous, calling it quits with the partner is tragic, and can also make a dent in the pocket as well.
Recent times have seen some shocking and unexpected divorces ..
Read More
Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and his wife of 25 years, MacKenzie, splitting up has sent shockwaves. The relationship that began at a New York hedge fund is coming to an end after 25 years. The world is still coming to terms with the fact that this happened a little over a year after Bezos became the world's richest man. The split, however, has caused investors to worry over Bezos's control on Amazon.
If the Amazon fortune is split equally, MacKenzie will become the world's richest lady with $69 billion. This update came hours before a tabloid newspaper tweeted that they planned on exposing the split. The tabloids later reported that Bezos had been in a relationship with former TV anchor and helicopter pilot Lauren Sanchez. Sanchez is also the wife of Hollywood star Patrick Whitesell.
Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and his wife of 25 years, MacKenzie, splitting up has sent shockwaves. The relationship that began at a New York hedge fund is coming to an end after 25 years. The world is s..
Read More
Former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was married to fashion designer Georgina Chapman for a whole decade. After actresses and women performers accused the media magnate of sexual harassment in 2017, triggering the #MeToo movement, it was splitsville for the couple. The two split up in January 2018 after 10 years of marriage and agreed on an eight-figure deal. The settlement which was signed end of last year, has an estimated worth of $15-$20 million.
As per the prenup, Weinstein was supposed to pay Chapman $300,000 for spousal support every year. After a decade, the sum is supposed to be hiked to $400,000. The two hold a $15 million New York townhouse and a $12 million beach house in Hamptons. Together they have two children, seven and four.
Former movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was married to fashion designer Georgina Chapman for a whole decade. After actresses and women performers accused the media magnate of sexual harassment in 2017,..
Read More
Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk met his first wife, Justine Wilson, at the Queen's University in Ontario. A Canadian novelist, Wilson said that Musk gave her his credit card to buy as many books as she wants in order to woo her. The two tied the knot in 2000, moved to Los Angeles and had a son named Nevada who they lost to SIDS. Later, they had twins and triplets, 5 sons in total. The couple parted ways in 2008. Wilson kept her ex-husband's last name though for the sake of her kids.
The tech mogul started dating actress Talulah Riley and tied the knot with her in 2010. Two years later, the news of their divorce became public when Musk tweeted "It was an amazing four years. I will love you forever. You will make someone very happy one day." The two remarried in 2013. Musk then filed for and withdrew a second divorce in 2014. Riley then filed for a divorce in 2016 which was finalised by the end of the same year. The two are reportedly still on good terms.
Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk met his first wife, Justine Wilson, at the Queen's University in Ontario. A Canadian novelist, Wilson said that Musk gave her his credit card to buy as many books as..
Read More
Former chairman of General Electric Jack Welch lost a whopping $180 million after his divorce to Jane Beasley. The couple had exchanged vows in April 1989 and split up after 14 years in 2003 in a nasty and costly divorce. The Welch-Beasley divorce was an example of how the rich couples part ways.
Despite Welch's efforts to keep things in private, Beasley filed an affidavit outlining the lavish standard of living of the couple.
Former chairman of General Electric Jack Welch lost a whopping $180 million after his divorce to Jane Beasley. The couple had exchanged vows in April 1989 and split up after 14 years in 2003 in a n..
Read More
It is rightly said, time can never define how much you know about a person. This was relevant in the case of Hidesign's Dilip Kapur and his German wife Jacqueline who separated after being together for 27 years. Jacqueline, however, said that it happened due to a third person. The former Mrs Kapur revealed that she ended her marriage when she found out that her husband was dating a 24-year-old. The couple currently lead separate lives in Auroville, Puducherry. The place is home to the Hidesign headquarters and other properties of Kapur.
It is rightly said, time can never define how much you know about a person. This was relevant in the case of Hidesign's Dilip Kapur and his German wife Jacqueline who separated after being together..
Read More
Actor and hotelier Vikram Chatwal's wedding with model Priya Sachdev was a 10-day affair and was spread over three cities in the country. The lavish affair was attended by 600 guests from 26 countries who were brought to the occasion in chartered planes. The two tied the knot in February 2006 and parted ways in 2011.
Chatwal was often referred to as New York's playboy, and was rumoured to be dating Lindsay Lohan when the divorce happened. Chatwal and Sachdev together have a daughter named Safira and continue to spend time together. Sachdev is now married to industrialist Sunjay Kapur and Chatwal is gearing up to get back to his acting career.
Actor and hotelier Vikram Chatwal's wedding with model Priya Sachdev was a 10-day affair and was spread over three cities in the country. The lavish affair was attended by 600 guests from 26 countr..
Read More
Sunjay Kapur, chairman of auto parts company Sona Group, got married for the third time in 2017 to Priya Sachdev. This also marked Sachdev's second trip down the aisle. Kapur was earlier married to fashion designer Nandita Mahtani, and then actress Karisma Kapoor with whom he has two children.
The Sona Group boss had announced his marriage to Kapoor, just ten days after splitting from Mahtani. The two parted ways after thirteen years.
Sunjay Kapur, chairman of auto parts company Sona Group, got married for the third time in 2017 to Priya Sachdev. This also marked Sachdev's second trip down the aisle. Kapur was earlier married to..
Read More
The Mafatlal family has made headlines for their real estate and artwork controversy for years. Amid all this, a divorce too, took place in the family - that of Atulya Mafatlal (L) and Payal Girdharlal. Mafatlal married Sheetal (R) later and his ex-wife, Girdharilal, moved on to rebuild her life. Her son Varun, is said to be close to his step-mother Sheetal.
The Mafatlal family has made headlines for their real estate and artwork controversy for years. Amid all this, a divorce too, took place in the family - that of Atulya Mafatlal (L) and Payal Girdha..
More than 200 people have taken the Giving Pledge, including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, investor Bill Ackman, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, and investor Robert F Smith, who made waves earlier this month by announcing he would pay off the student loans of an entire graduating class at the historically black Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.
Jeff Bezos, whose fortune is currently estimated at well over USD 100 billion, has not taken the pledge but in September announced a USD 2 billion investment fund intended to support homeless families and education in poor communities.
Jeff Bezos's fortune is currently estimated at well over $100 billion. MacKenzie Bezos, born MacKenzie Tuttle, met Jeff Bezos in 1992, before he founded what would become the global online retail, tech and government contracting behemoth Amazon. The company is worth nearly USD 900 billion.
ADVERTISEMENT
The announcement of their divorce in January was followed several weeks later by the publication of personal text messages between Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, a television personality with whom he had an extramarital affair.
Forbes has yet to list MacKenzie Bezos on its list of billionaires, pending the finalisation of the divorce, which should make her the world's third-richest woman, behind France's Francoise Bettencourt-Meyers, the L'Oreal heiress (USD 49.3 billion), and the American Alice Walton, daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton (USD 44.4 billion).