Jeff Bezos: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name         = Jeff Bezos
| name = Jeff Bezos
| birth_name   = Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen
| birth_name = Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen
| birth_date   = {{Birth date and age|1964|1|12}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|1|12}}
| birth_place = [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]], U.S.
| birth_place = Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
| nationality = American
| nationality = American
| education   = [[Princeton University]] (BSE, 1986)
| education = Princeton University (BSE, 1986)
| occupation   = Businessman, investor, commercial astronaut
| occupation = Businessman, investor, commercial astronaut
| known_for   = Founding [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]], founding [[Blue Origin]]
| known_for = Founding Amazon
| children     = 4
| children = 4
| awards       = ''Time'' Person of the Year (1999), U.S. News Best Leaders (2008), The Economist Innovation Award
| awards = ''Time'' Person of the Year (1999)
}}
}}


'''Jeffrey Preston Bezos''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|eɪ|z|oʊ|s}} {{respell|BAY|zohss}}; né '''Jorgensen'''; born January 12, 1964) is an American businessman, investor, and commercial astronaut who founded [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]], the world's largest e-commerce and cloud computing company. What began as an online bookstore launched from a garage in 1994 grew into one of the most consequential enterprises in modern economic history, reshaping global retail, cloud infrastructure, digital media, and logistics. Bezos served as Amazon's chief executive officer and president from its founding until July 5, 2021, when he transitioned to the role of executive chairman, with [[Andy Jassy]] succeeding him as CEO.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jeff Bezos steps down as Amazon CEO |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/29/inside-jeff-bezos-80-billion-empire.html |publisher=CNBC |date=2017-08-29 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Beyond Amazon, Bezos founded the aerospace manufacturer and spaceflight services company [[Blue Origin]] in 2000 and purchased ''[[The Washington Post]]'' in 2013 for $250 million.<ref>{{cite news |title=Washington Post to be sold to Jeff Bezos |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/washington-post-to-be-sold-to-jeff-bezos/2013/08/05/ca537c9e-fe0c-11e2-9711-3708310f6f4d_story.html |work=The Washington Post |date=2013-08-05 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He became the first centibillionaire on the Forbes Real Time Billionaires Index and was described as the "richest man in modern history" when his net worth reached $150 billion in July 2018. In 2025, Amazon overtook Walmart as America's largest company by annual revenue.<ref>{{cite news |title=Donald Trump Suck-Up Jeff Bezos Claims Major Milestone |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-suck-up-jeff-bezos-claims-major-milestone/ |work=The Daily Beast |date=2026-02-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and raised in Houston and Miami, Bezos graduated from Princeton University in 1986 and worked on Wall Street before pivoting to the nascent internet economy. He manages a broad portfolio of investments through his venture capital firm, Bezos Expeditions, and in 2021 flew to space aboard Blue Origin's [[New Shepard]] vehicle.
'''Jeffrey Preston Bezos''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|eɪ|z|oʊ|s}} {{respell|BAY|zohss}}; né '''Jorgensen'''; born January 12, 1964) is an American businessman and investor who founded [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]], which has grown from an online bookstore into the world's largest e-commerce and cloud computing company. Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and raised in Houston and Miami, Bezos graduated from Princeton University in 1986 with a degree in electrical engineering and computer science. After working on Wall Street for several years, he left a senior vice-presidency at the investment firm D.E. Shaw in 1994 to start Amazon in a garage in Bellevue, Washington. The company's explosive growth over the subsequent decades transformed the retail industry and reshaped consumer expectations around convenience, speed, and selection. Bezos served as Amazon's chief executive officer from its founding until July 2021, when he transitioned to the role of executive chairman. Beyond Amazon, Bezos founded the aerospace company [[Blue Origin]] in 2000, purchased ''[[The Washington Post]]'' in 2013, and manages a portfolio of investments through his venture capital firm Bezos Expeditions, which includes an early stake in Google. He became the first centibillionaire on the Forbes Real Time Billionaires Index and was described as the "richest man in modern history" when his net worth reached $150 billion in July 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jeff Bezos |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/29/inside-jeff-bezos-80-billion-empire.html |publisher=CNBC |date=2017-08-29 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In February 2026, Amazon surpassed Walmart to become America's largest company by annual revenue.<ref>{{cite news |title=Donald Trump Suck-Up Jeff Bezos Claims Major Milestone |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-suck-up-jeff-bezos-claims-major-milestone/ |work=The Daily Beast |date=2026-02-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Early Life ==
== Early Life ==


Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen was born on January 12, 1964, in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Wired Profile: Jeff Bezos |url=https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.03/bezos_pr.html |publisher=Wired |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> His mother, Jacklyn Gise Jorgensen, was a teenager at the time of his birth. His biological father was Ted Jorgensen, a bike shop owner. When Bezos was four years old, his mother remarried Miguel "Mike" Bezos, a Cuban immigrant who had come to the United States as a teenager through [[Operation Peter Pan]]. Mike Bezos adopted the young Jeffrey, who subsequently took the Bezos surname. Mike Bezos worked as an engineer for [[Exxon]], and the family relocated several times during Jeff's childhood, living in Houston, Texas, and later Miami, Florida.
Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen was born on January 12, 1964, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His mother, Jacklyn Gise Jorgensen, was seventeen years old at the time of his birth. His biological father, Ted Jorgensen, was a bike shop owner. His parents' marriage was brief, and when Bezos was four years old, his mother remarried Miguel "Mike" Bezos, a Cuban immigrant who had come to the United States alone as a teenager through Operation Peter Pan. Mike Bezos adopted Jeffrey, who took the Bezos surname. Mike Bezos went on to earn a degree from the University of Albuquerque and became an engineer with Exxon, which prompted the family to move to Houston, Texas.<ref name="wired99">{{cite web |title=The Inner Bezos |url=https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.03/bezos_pr.html |publisher=Wired |date=1999-03 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Bezos spent many of his childhood summers at his maternal grandfather's ranch in [[Cotulla, Texas]]. His grandfather, Lawrence Preston Gise, was a regional director of the [[United States Atomic Energy Commission]] and had retired to the ranch. Bezos has spoken publicly about the formative experiences he had on the ranch, where he learned self-reliance and developed an early interest in science and engineering. He has described how he assisted his grandfather with practical tasks such as repairing windmills and vaccinating cattle.
Bezos spent summers at his maternal grandfather's ranch in Cotulla, Texas. His grandfather, Lawrence Preston Gise, was a regional director of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and had retired to the ranch. Bezos has spoken publicly about the formative influence of those summers, which he spent repairing windmills, vaccinating cattle, and engaging in other ranch work. He developed an early interest in science and technology; as a child in Houston, he rigged an electric alarm to keep his younger siblings out of his room and converted the family's garage into a laboratory for science projects.<ref name="wired99" />


As a student, Bezos demonstrated early aptitude in science and technology. While attending high school in Miami, he developed a keen interest in computers and showed entrepreneurial instincts. He was the valedictorian of his high school class and delivered a graduation address that reportedly touched on space colonization—a subject that would remain a lifelong interest. Bezos has cited his early fascination with space exploration, particularly the Apollo missions, as a defining element of his childhood imagination. His half-brother, Mark Bezos, later became involved in venture capital and volunteer firefighting.
The family later relocated to Miami, Florida, where Bezos attended Miami Palmetto Senior High School. He was valedictorian of his graduating class and a National Merit Scholar. He also received a Silver Knight Award, a regional academic honor in South Florida. During high school, he started his first business, the Dream Institute, an educational summer camp for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders. He has a half-brother, Mark Bezos, and a half-sister, Christina Bezos.<ref name="wired99" />


== Education ==
== Education ==


Bezos enrolled at [[Princeton University]], where he studied [[electrical engineering]] and [[computer science]]. He graduated in 1986 with a [[Bachelor of Science in Engineering]] (BSE).<ref>{{cite web |title=Executive Profile: Jeffrey P. Bezos |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204204126/http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-profiles/Jeffrey-P-Bezos-1984 |publisher=Condé Nast Portfolio |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> At Princeton, Bezos was a member of [[Phi Beta Kappa]] and graduated ''[[summa cum laude]]''. He was drawn to the university in part because of its strong engineering program and its tradition in computer science research. During his time at Princeton, Bezos considered pursuing a career in physics before ultimately concentrating on computer science, a decision he has attributed to the realization that only the top minds in the field would make meaningful contributions—and that his strengths lay more in applied technology.
Bezos enrolled at Princeton University, initially intending to study physics. He switched his major to electrical engineering and computer science after determining that he was not going to be among the top physicists in his class. He graduated summa cum laude in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. At Princeton, he was also elected to Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society, and served as president of the campus chapter of the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS).<ref name="wired99" /><ref name="portfolio">{{cite web |title=Jeffrey P. Bezos Executive Profile |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204204126/http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-profiles/Jeffrey-P-Bezos-1984 |publisher=Portfolio.com |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Career ==
== Career ==
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=== Wall Street (1986–1994) ===
=== Wall Street (1986–1994) ===


After graduating from Princeton, Bezos worked on [[Wall Street]] in a variety of fields related to computer science and finance from 1986 to early 1994.<ref>{{cite web |title=Executive Profile: Jeffrey P. Bezos |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204204126/http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-profiles/Jeffrey-P-Bezos-1984 |publisher=Condé Nast Portfolio |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He held positions at [[Fitel]], a financial telecommunications firm, where he helped build a network for international trade. He subsequently worked at [[Bankers Trust]], where he became a vice president, and at the quantitative hedge fund [[D. E. Shaw & Co.]], where he rose to senior vice president by the age of 30.
After graduating from Princeton, Bezos worked on Wall Street in several positions related to computer science and finance. He worked at Fitel, a financial telecommunications startup, where he was tasked with building a network for international trade. He subsequently moved to Bankers Trust, where he became a vice president by the age of twenty-six. In 1990, he joined D.E. Shaw & Co., a newly founded quantitative hedge fund, and became the firm's youngest senior vice president by 1994. At D.E. Shaw, Bezos was responsible for exploring new business opportunities in the burgeoning Internet sector. It was during this period that he became aware of the rapid growth of World Wide Web usage, which he later cited as growing at approximately 2,300 percent per year in 1994—a statistic that convinced him to pursue an Internet-based business venture.<ref name="wired99" /><ref name="portfolio" />


At D. E. Shaw, Bezos was tasked with exploring business opportunities on the nascent internet. It was during this period that he encountered the statistic that World Wide Web usage was growing at approximately 2,300 percent per year—a figure that compelled him to investigate what kind of business could exploit such explosive growth. He concluded that an online bookstore represented the best initial entry point, given the vast number of titles in print and the limitations of physical retail space in serving readers.
=== Founding of Amazon ===


=== Founding Amazon (1994–2000) ===
In mid-1994, Bezos left D.E. Shaw to start an online retail company. He drove from New York City to Seattle, writing the business plan for his new venture during the cross-country trip. He chose Seattle in part because of its proximity to a major book distribution center in Roseburg, Oregon, and because Washington state had a relatively small population, which minimized the sales tax obligations the company would face. The company, initially named "Cadabra" and then briefly considered to be called "Relentless," was incorporated as Amazon.com, Inc., taking its name from the Amazon River to suggest scale and the fact that "A" would place it near the top of alphabetical listings.<ref name="wired99" />


In mid-1994, Bezos left D. E. Shaw and drove from [[New York City]] to [[Seattle]], writing the Amazon business plan during the cross-country road trip. He chose Seattle for its proximity to a major book distribution center in [[Roseburg, Oregon]], and for the state of Washington's relatively small population, which would minimize initial sales tax obligations. Amazon.com was incorporated in the state of Washington on July 5, 1994, and the website launched in July 1995 as an online bookstore.
Amazon launched its website on July 16, 1995, initially selling only books. Bezos famously operated the company out of a converted garage in Bellevue, Washington. In its early days, the company faced skepticism from both traditional booksellers and investors. Bezos has recounted the difficulty of raising initial capital, approaching approximately sixty people and securing funding from about twenty-two of them, raising roughly $1 million in seed money from family and friends at a valuation that reflected the enormous risk of the venture. His parents, Mike and Jackie Bezos, invested a significant portion of their savings.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jeff Bezos Reveals the Brutal Fundraising Fight Behind Amazon's Origin Story |url=https://www.inc.com/ava-levinson/jeff-bezos-reveals-the-brutal-fundraising-fight-behind-amazons-origin-story/91305757 |work=Inc.com |date=2026-02-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Bezos has described the fundraising process for Amazon as arduous. In recounting the company's early history, he has noted that he approached approximately 60 potential investors and secured funding from around 22 of them, with many contributing roughly $50,000 each.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jeff Bezos Reveals the Brutal Fundraising Fight Behind Amazon's Origin Story |url=https://www.inc.com/ava-levinson/jeff-bezos-reveals-the-brutal-fundraising-fight-behind-amazons-origin-story/91305757 |work=Inc.com |date=2026-02-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The most common question he received from potential investors was "What's the internet?"—a reflection of how unfamiliar the technology was to most people in 1994. His parents also invested a substantial portion of their savings in the venture.
Amazon went public in May 1997 at a share price of $18. Despite initial losses—the company did not turn a profit until the fourth quarter of 2001—Bezos pursued a long-term growth strategy that prioritized market share, customer satisfaction, and reinvestment over short-term profitability. This approach was articulated in his 1997 letter to shareholders, in which he stated that "it's all about the long term," a phrase that became a guiding principle for the company.<ref name="wired99" />


Amazon grew rapidly in its first years, expanding beyond books into music, DVDs, electronics, and a broadening array of consumer products. The company went public on May 15, 1997, with an [[initial public offering]] price of $18 per share. In 1999, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine named Bezos its [[Time Person of the Year|Person of the Year]] at the age of 35, recognizing the impact of e-commerce on modern business and culture.<ref>{{cite web |title=Time Person of the Year 1999: Jeff Bezos |url=http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,992927,00.html |publisher=Time Inc. |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
=== Expansion of Amazon ===


Bezos was also an early investor in other technology ventures. In 1998, he made a personal investment of $250,000 in [[Google]], before the search engine had become a household name.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Story of Jeff Bezos's $250,000 Investment in Google in 1998 |url=http://www.growthink.com/content/story-jeff-bezos%E2%80%99-250000-investment-google-1998 |publisher=Growthink |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> That investment would later be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Under Bezos's leadership, Amazon expanded far beyond books. Throughout the late 1990s and 2000s, the company added music, DVDs, electronics, clothing, toys, and numerous other product categories. The introduction of Amazon Marketplace allowed third-party sellers to list products alongside Amazon's own inventory, dramatically expanding the selection available to customers.


=== Amazon's Expansion and AWS (2000s–2010s) ===
In 2005, Amazon launched Amazon Prime, a membership program offering free two-day shipping for an annual fee. The program proved transformative, building customer loyalty and increasing purchase frequency. Prime later expanded to include streaming video, streaming music, e-book lending, and other benefits. The launch of the Kindle e-reader in 2007 further expanded Amazon's reach into digital content. The device and its associated e-book ecosystem received the Economist Innovation Award for the "No Boundaries" category.<ref>{{cite web |title=Charging ahead – e-book design and popularity win Kindle creators Innovation Award |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414143656/http://www.economistconferences.co.uk/press-release/charging-ahead-e-book-design-and-popularity-win-kindle-creators-innovation-award/5908 |publisher=The Economist |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


The early 2000s were a challenging period for Amazon. The [[dot-com bubble]] burst devastated technology stocks, and Amazon's share price fell sharply. Critics questioned whether the company would ever turn a consistent profit. Bezos maintained a long-term strategic focus, investing in infrastructure, fulfillment centers, and technology development even as the company reported losses.
Amazon Web Services (AWS), launched in 2006, became one of the company's most significant businesses. AWS provides cloud computing infrastructure—including storage, computing power, and database services—to companies, governments, and individuals. It became the world's largest provider of cloud infrastructure services and a major source of Amazon's operating income. By the mid-2020s, AWS was a cornerstone of the modern Internet, hosting a substantial portion of web traffic globally.


A critical turning point came with the development and launch of [[Amazon Web Services]] (AWS), the company's cloud computing division. AWS, which provides on-demand computing resources and infrastructure to businesses, governments, and individuals, grew into the largest provider of cloud infrastructure services globally. The revenue and high margins generated by AWS became a significant engine of Amazon's overall profitability and transformed the broader technology industry by popularizing the concept of cloud computing as a service.
In February 2026, Amazon surpassed Walmart to become the largest company in the United States by annual revenue, marking a milestone in the company's evolution from an online bookstore to a dominant force across retail, cloud computing, advertising, and logistics.<ref>{{cite news |title=Donald Trump Suck-Up Jeff Bezos Claims Major Milestone |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-suck-up-jeff-bezos-claims-major-milestone/ |work=The Daily Beast |date=2026-02-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In 2007, Amazon introduced the [[Amazon Kindle]], an [[e-reader]] that played a central role in the popularization of electronic books. The device and its associated digital bookstore altered the publishing industry by providing a mass-market platform for e-books. The Kindle and its creators received The Economist's Innovation Award for consumer products.<ref>{{cite web |title=Charging Ahead: E-book Design and Popularity Win Kindle Creators Innovation Award |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414143656/http://www.economistconferences.co.uk/press-release/charging-ahead-e-book-design-and-popularity-win-kindle-creators-innovation-award/5908 |publisher=The Economist |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
=== Transition from CEO ===


Throughout the 2010s, Amazon continued to expand into new domains including video and audio streaming (through [[Amazon Prime Video]] and [[Amazon Music]]), artificial intelligence (through the [[Amazon Alexa|Alexa]] virtual assistant), grocery delivery (through the acquisition of [[Whole Foods Market]] in 2017), and hardware devices. By revenue, Amazon became the largest internet company in the world and one of the largest employers in the United States.
On July 5, 2021, Bezos stepped down as CEO and president of Amazon and transitioned to the role of executive chairman. Andy Jassy, who had led Amazon Web Services, succeeded him as CEO and president. Bezos stated that the transition would allow him to focus his attention on other ventures and interests, including Blue Origin, ''The Washington Post'', the Bezos Earth Fund, and his other philanthropic commitments. He remained the company's largest individual shareholder and continued to play a role in its strategic direction as executive chairman.<ref name="cnbc-empire">{{cite web |title=Inside Jeff Bezos' $80 billion empire |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/29/inside-jeff-bezos-80-billion-empire.html |publisher=CNBC |date=2017-08-29 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In August 2015, Bezos sold approximately $534 million worth of Amazon stock, at a time when the company's market capitalization was surging.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jeff Bezos just sold $534 million worth of Amazon |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/morning_call/2015/08/jeff-bezos-just-sold-534-million-worth-of-amazon.html |publisher=Puget Sound Business Journal |date=2015-08 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
=== Blue Origin ===


=== Transition from CEO (2021) ===
Bezos founded Blue Origin, an aerospace manufacturer and sub-orbital spaceflight services company, in 2000. The company, headquartered in Kent, Washington, was established with the goal of reducing the cost of space travel through reusable launch vehicle technology. Blue Origin operated with relative secrecy for several years before its activities became more widely known.


On July 5, 2021, Bezos stepped down as CEO and president of Amazon, transitioning to the role of executive chairman. Andy Jassy, who had led Amazon Web Services, succeeded him as CEO. Bezos stated that the transition would allow him to focus on other ventures, including Blue Origin, ''The Washington Post'', the Bezos Earth Fund, and the Day 1 Fund.
In November 2015, Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle successfully reached space and landed vertically back on Earth, a significant achievement in reusable rocket technology. On July 20, 2021, Bezos flew to space aboard the New Shepard on the NS-16 mission, becoming one of a small number of people to have traveled to space on a vehicle developed by a company they founded. The flight reached an altitude above the Kármán line—the internationally recognized boundary of space at 100 kilometers (62 miles)—and lasted approximately eleven minutes. Bezos was accompanied on the flight by his brother Mark Bezos, aviator Wally Funk, and student Oliver Daemen.<ref>{{cite web |title=Apollo Rocket Engines Recovered by Jeff Bezos Expedition |url=http://www.space.com/22044-apollo-rocket-engines-bezos.html |publisher=Space.com |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In 2025, Amazon surpassed [[Walmart]] as the largest company in the United States by annual revenue, a milestone that underscored the scale of the enterprise Bezos had built over three decades.<ref>{{cite news |title=Donald Trump Suck-Up Jeff Bezos Claims Major Milestone |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-suck-up-jeff-bezos-claims-major-milestone/ |work=The Daily Beast |date=2026-02-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Blue Origin also developed the New Glenn orbital launch vehicle, designed for heavier payloads and commercial satellite launches, and was selected by NASA as a partner for the Artemis program's Human Landing System.
 
=== Blue Origin ===
 
Bezos founded [[Blue Origin]], an aerospace manufacturer and spaceflight services company, in 2000. The company, headquartered in [[Kent, Washington]], has focused on developing reusable rocket technology with the aim of reducing the cost of access to space. Blue Origin's [[New Shepard]] suborbital vehicle successfully reached space and landed vertically for the first time in 2015, marking a significant achievement in reusable rocket development.
 
On July 20, 2021, Bezos flew to space aboard Blue Origin's NS-16 mission, a suborbital flight that carried Bezos, his brother Mark, aviator [[Wally Funk]], and student Oliver Daemen. The flight reached an altitude above the [[Kármán line]], the internationally recognized boundary of space. Bezos's interest in space dates to his childhood; he has cited his long-term vision of millions of people living and working in space as a motivating factor behind Blue Origin.


=== The Washington Post ===
=== The Washington Post ===


In August 2013, Bezos purchased ''[[The Washington Post]]'' for $250 million in a personal acquisition, separate from Amazon.<ref>{{cite news |title=Washington Post to be sold to Jeff Bezos |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/washington-post-to-be-sold-to-jeff-bezos/2013/08/05/ca537c9e-fe0c-11e2-9711-3708310f6f4d_story.html |work=The Washington Post |date=2013-08-05 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=For Bezos, the Post represents new frontier |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/for-bezos-the-post-represents-new-frontier/2013/08/10/ba7cfeb6-013c-11e3-9a3e-916de805f65d_story.html |work=The Washington Post |date=2013-08-10 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The sale marked the end of the Graham family's 80-year ownership of the newspaper. Bezos invested in the paper's digital infrastructure and expanded its technological capabilities, leading to significant growth in digital subscriptions in the years following the acquisition.
In August 2013, Bezos purchased ''The Washington Post'' for $250 million in a personal acquisition, not through Amazon. The purchase was announced by the Post's then-owner, the Graham family, who had controlled the newspaper for eighty years. Bezos stated at the time that the paper's values would not change and that its journalistic mission would remain intact.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2013-08-05 |title=Washington Post to be sold to Jeff Bezos |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/washington-post-to-be-sold-to-jeff-bezos/2013/08/05/ca537c9e-fe0c-11e2-9711-3708310f6f4d_story.html |work=The Washington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2013-08-10 |title=For Bezos, the Post represents a new frontier |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/for-bezos-the-post-represents-new-frontier/2013/08/10/ba7cfeb6-013c-11e3-9a3e-916de805f65d_story.html |work=The Washington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Bezos's ownership of the newspaper has attracted scrutiny, particularly regarding editorial independence and business decisions. In early 2026, ''The Guardian'' reported that Bezos remained silent as ''Washington Post'' employees expressed concern about potential layoffs, with staff having sent him several letters urging him to address the situation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos stays silent as employees brace for cuts |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/feb/03/washington-post-layoffs-jeff-bezos |work=The Guardian |date=2026-02-03 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Under Bezos's ownership, the Post underwent a significant digital transformation, investing in technology, expanding its engineering team, and increasing its online readership. The paper adopted a technology-driven approach to journalism, developing proprietary publishing tools and growing its subscriber base. However, Bezos's ownership has also been the subject of scrutiny. In early 2026, ''The Washington Post'' faced potential staff cuts, and Bezos did not publicly respond to several letters from Post employees urging him to address the situation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos stays silent as employees brace for cuts |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/feb/03/washington-post-layoffs-jeff-bezos |work=The Guardian |date=2026-02-03 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== Other Ventures and Investments ===
=== Bezos Expeditions and Other Investments ===


Bezos manages a diverse portfolio of investments through [[Bezos Expeditions]], his personal venture capital firm. Early investments included Google in 1998<ref>{{cite web |title=The Story of Jeff Bezos's $250,000 Investment in Google in 1998 |url=http://www.growthink.com/content/story-jeff-bezos%E2%80%99-250000-investment-google-1998 |publisher=Growthink |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> and various technology startups.
Bezos manages a portfolio of investments through Bezos Expeditions, his personal venture capital fund. Among its most notable investments was an early $250,000 stake in Google in 1998, which proved to be one of the most profitable individual venture investments in history.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Story of Jeff Bezos' $250,000 Investment in Google in 1998 |url=http://www.growthink.com/content/story-jeff-bezos%E2%80%99-250000-investment-google-1998 |publisher=Growthink |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In September 2021, Bezos co-founded [[Altos Labs]], a biotechnology company focused on cellular rejuvenation and anti-aging research, alongside [[Yuri Milner]], the founder of [[Mail.Ru Group]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Google co-founders and Silicon Valley billionaires try to live forever |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/31/google-co-founders-and-silicon-valley-billionaires-try-to-live-forever.html |publisher=CNBC |date=2017-03-31 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In September 2021, Bezos co-founded Altos Labs, a biotechnology company focused on cellular rejuvenation programming, alongside Mail.ru founder Yuri Milner. The company aims to research biological reprogramming technology to extend human lifespan.<ref>{{cite web |title=Google co-founders and Silicon Valley billionaires try to live forever |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/31/google-co-founders-and-silicon-valley-billionaires-try-to-live-forever.html |publisher=CNBC |date=2017-03-31 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Bezos has also funded the recovery of historical space artifacts. In 2013, a team funded by Bezos recovered components of [[F-1 (rocket engine)|F-1 rocket engines]] from the ocean floor; the engines had been used during the [[Apollo program]]'s [[Saturn V]] rocket launches in the 1960s and 1970s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Apollo Rocket Engines Recovered by Jeff Bezos |url=http://www.space.com/22044-apollo-rocket-engines-bezos.html |publisher=Space.com |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 2013, Bezos funded an expedition that recovered two F-1 rocket engines from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. The engines had been used during NASA's Apollo-era Saturn V launches. The recovered engines were subsequently provided to museums, including the Museum of Flight in Seattle and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.<ref>{{cite web |title=Apollo Rocket Engines Recovered by Jeff Bezos Expedition |url=http://www.space.com/22044-apollo-rocket-engines-bezos.html |publisher=Space.com |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Bezos donated funds to the [[Museum of History & Industry]] (MOHAI) in Seattle, where the Bezos Center for Innovation was established.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos Flip the Switch on New Bezos Center for Innovation at MOHAI |url=http://www.mohai.org/press-media/press-releases/item/2612-jeff-and-mackenzie-bezos-flip-the-switch-on-new-bezos-center-for-innovation-at-mohai-kicking-off-saturday-launch-celebration |publisher=MOHAI |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
As of February 2026, Bezos was reported to be among the individuals expressing interest in purchasing the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League.<ref>{{cite news |title=Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos among names interested in buying the Seahawks |url=https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/touchdown/2026/02/23/elon-musk-and-jeff-bezos-among-names-interested-in-buying-the-seahawks/88827158007/ |work=Touchdown Wire |date=2026-02-23 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


As of early 2026, Bezos was reported to be among the potential bidders interested in purchasing the [[Seattle Seahawks]] of the [[National Football League]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos among names interested in buying the Seahawks |url=https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/touchdown/2026/02/23/elon-musk-and-jeff-bezos-among-names-interested-in-buying-the-seahawks/88827158007/ |work=Touchdown Wire |date=2026-02-23 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
== Personal Life ==


== Personal Life ==
Bezos married MacKenzie Scott (née Tuttle) in 1993. The couple had four children together—three sons and a daughter adopted from China. They divorced in 2019 in a settlement that transferred approximately 25 percent of Bezos's Amazon shares—then valued at roughly $36 billion—to Scott, making her one of the wealthiest women in the world. Scott has since become one of the most prolific philanthropists in the United States; in 2025, she donated a record $7.2 billion to charitable causes.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jeff Bezos's ex-wife MacKenzie Scott's record $7.2 billion donation in 2025 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/jeff-bezoss-ex-wife-mackenzie-scotts-record-7-2-billion-donation-in-2025-called-bad-donation-and-elon-musk-agrees-with-it-says-/articleshow/128639354.cms |work=The Times of India |date=2026-02-22 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Bezos married MacKenzie Tuttle in 1993; the couple met at D. E. Shaw where both were employed. They have four children together. In January 2019, the couple announced their divorce, which was finalized later that year. As part of the divorce settlement, MacKenzie (who has since taken the surname Scott) received approximately 4 percent of Amazon's outstanding shares. MacKenzie Scott has since become one of the world's most prolific philanthropists; in 2025, she donated a record $7.2 billion to charitable causes.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jeff Bezos's ex-wife MacKenzie Scott's record $7.2 billion donation in 2025 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/jeff-bezoss-ex-wife-mackenzie-scotts-record-7-2-billion-donation-in-2025-called-bad-donation-and-elon-musk-agrees-with-it-says-/articleshow/128639354.cms |work=The Times of India |date=2026-02-22 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Bezos began a relationship with Lauren Sánchez, a media personality and helicopter pilot, which became public in January 2019. The couple married, and as of February 2026, they were named honorary chairs of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's annual Met Gala.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jeff and Lauren Sánchez Bezos Will Be Honorary Chairs of the Met Gala |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/23/style/jeff-and-lauren-sanchez-bezos-honorary-chairs-met-gala.html |work=The New York Times |date=2026-02-23 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Bezos began a relationship with Lauren Sánchez, a media personality and helicopter pilot, which became public in early 2019. The couple married, and as of February 2026, they were named honorary chairs of the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]]'s annual [[Met Gala]].<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=2026-02-23 |title=Jeff and Lauren Sánchez Bezos Will Be Honorary Chairs of the Met Gala |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/23/style/jeff-and-lauren-sanchez-bezos-honorary-chairs-met-gala.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Bezos has spoken publicly about aspects of his personal philosophy. In conversations and public appearances, he has discussed his approach to dealing with stress and anxiety, stating that he finds stress diminishes once he takes the first step toward addressing a problem rather than avoiding it.<ref>{{cite web |title=Billionaire Jeff Bezos Told Kids Anxiety Shrinks Once You Face Your Problems |url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/billionaire-jeff-bezos-told-kids-133050173.html |publisher=Yahoo |date=2026-02-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Bezos has spoken publicly about his approach to stress management. In remarks directed at young people, he has stated: "I find that the stress goes away the second I take the first step," emphasizing the importance of confronting problems directly rather than avoiding them.<ref>{{cite web |title=Billionaire Jeff Bezos Told Kids Anxiety Shrinks Once You Face Your Problems |url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/billionaire-jeff-bezos-told-kids-133050173.html |publisher=Yahoo |date=2026-02-20 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos contributed $10 million to the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) in Seattle, funding the Bezos Center for Innovation, which opened in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos Flip the Switch on New Bezos Center for Innovation at MOHAI |url=http://www.mohai.org/press-media/press-releases/item/2612-jeff-and-mackenzie-bezos-flip-the-switch-on-new-bezos-center-for-innovation-at-mohai-kicking-off-saturday-launch-celebration |publisher=MOHAI |date= |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Recognition ==
== Recognition ==


Bezos has received numerous awards and honors over the course of his career. In 1999, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine selected him as its Person of the Year, citing the impact of Amazon on the retail industry and the broader economy during the rise of e-commerce.<ref>{{cite web |title=Time Person of the Year 1999: Jeff Bezos |url=http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,992927,00.html |publisher=Time Inc. |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 1999, ''Time'' magazine named Bezos its Person of the Year at the age of 35, recognizing his role in popularizing online commerce. The selection made him one of the youngest individuals to receive the distinction at that time.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jeffrey Preston Bezos – Person of the Year |url=http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,992927,00.html |publisher=Time |date=1999 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
In 2008, ''U.S. News & World Report'' named Bezos one of America's Best Leaders, citing his role in building Amazon into a transformative company.<ref>{{cite web |title=America's Best Leaders: Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com CEO |url=https://www.usnews.com/articles/news/best-leaders/2008/11/19/americas-best-leaders-jeff-bezos-amazoncom-ceo.html |publisher=U.S. News & World Report |date=2008-11-19 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In 2008, ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'' named Bezos one of America's Best Leaders, recognizing his role in transforming Amazon from an online bookstore into a diversified technology and retail company.<ref>{{cite web |title=America's Best Leaders: Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com CEO |url=https://www.usnews.com/articles/news/best-leaders/2008/11/19/americas-best-leaders-jeff-bezos-amazoncom-ceo.html |publisher=U.S. News & World Report |date=2008-11-19 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Bezos was the first centibillionaire on the Forbes Real Time Billionaires Index, and the second person ever to achieve a net worth of $100 billion, after Bill Gates first crossed that threshold in 1999. In July 2018, his net worth was reported at $150 billion, and he was described as the "richest man in modern history." In August 2020, his net worth exceeded $200 billion according to Forbes. As of December 2025, Forbes estimated his net worth at approximately $239.4 billion.


The Kindle e-reader, developed under Bezos's direction, received The Economist's Innovation Award for consumer products, acknowledging the device's role in transforming the digital publishing landscape.<ref>{{cite web |title=Charging Ahead: E-book Design and Popularity Win Kindle Creators Innovation Award |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414143656/http://www.economistconferences.co.uk/press-release/charging-ahead-e-book-design-and-popularity-win-kindle-creators-innovation-award/5908 |publisher=The Economist |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Bezos has been a participant in the annual Bilderberg Meeting, attending in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bilderberg Meetings – Participants 2011 |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110828210925/http://www.bilderbergmeetings.org/participants_2011.html |publisher=Bilderberg Meetings |date=2011 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Bezos became the first person to achieve a net worth of $100 billion on the Forbes Real Time Billionaires Index, and only the second person—after [[Bill Gates]] in 1999—to reach centibillionaire status. In July 2018, his net worth reached $150 billion, leading Forbes to describe him as the "richest man in modern history." By August 2020, his net worth exceeded $200 billion. Bezos has been a participant in the [[Bilderberg Group|Bilderberg Meeting]], attending the 2011 conference.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bilderberg Meeting 2011 Participants |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110828210925/http://www.bilderbergmeetings.org/participants_2011.html |publisher=Bilderberg Meetings |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
He has sold portions of his Amazon stock holdings at various points; in August 2015, he sold approximately $534 million worth of Amazon shares.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jeff Bezos just sold $534 million worth of Amazon |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/morning_call/2015/08/jeff-bezos-just-sold-534-million-worth-of-amazon.html |work=Puget Sound Business Journal |date=2015-08 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==


Amazon's influence on global commerce, technology infrastructure, and consumer behavior represents the most significant element of Bezos's legacy. The company's marketplace model reshaped retail by establishing online shopping as a primary consumer channel, while Amazon Web Services fundamentally altered how businesses develop and deploy software by popularizing scalable, pay-as-you-go cloud computing. Amazon's logistics network, spanning hundreds of fulfillment centers worldwide, redefined expectations for delivery speed and supply chain efficiency.
Bezos's founding and leadership of Amazon fundamentally altered the landscape of retail commerce, cloud computing, digital media, and logistics. Amazon's customer-centric model—summarized in Bezos's frequent invocation of "Day 1" thinking, which emphasized the importance of maintaining a startup mentality—influenced management practices across industries. The company's innovations in supply chain management, warehouse automation, and last-mile delivery set new standards for the retail industry worldwide.


Bezos's management philosophy has been studied in business schools and corporate settings. His emphasis on long-term thinking over short-term profitability, a principle articulated in his 1997 letter to shareholders and reiterated throughout his tenure as CEO, influenced a generation of technology executives. The concept of "Day 1"—Bezos's metaphor for maintaining the urgency, customer focus, and willingness to experiment characteristic of a startup—became a widely referenced framework in business culture.
Amazon Web Services, conceived under Bezos's leadership, became the foundational infrastructure for much of the modern Internet, enabling startups and enterprises alike to scale without large upfront investments in physical computing infrastructure. AWS's success helped establish cloud computing as the dominant model for enterprise technology.


Through Blue Origin, Bezos has contributed to the development of reusable rocket technology and the commercial spaceflight industry. While the company has trailed [[SpaceX]] in orbital launch capabilities, New Shepard's successful landing in 2015 marked an advance in reusable suborbital vehicle technology, and the company's New Glenn orbital rocket represents its ambitions for heavier launch capacity.
Bezos's approach to business strategy, particularly his emphasis on long-term investment over short-term profitability, became a widely studied model in business schools and corporate boardrooms. His annual shareholder letters, beginning with the 1997 letter that accompanied Amazon's IPO, are frequently cited in discussions of corporate strategy and leadership.


Bezos's acquisition of ''The Washington Post'' placed him among a group of technology billionaires who have invested in legacy media institutions. The newspaper's digital transformation under his ownership provided a case study in applying technology-driven strategies to traditional journalism, though his stewardship has also prompted ongoing discussion about the relationship between concentrated wealth and press independence.
His purchase of ''The Washington Post'' represented a notable instance of a technology entrepreneur acquiring a major legacy media institution, raising questions about the evolving relationship between the technology sector and journalism. The Post's subsequent digital growth under his ownership became a case study in media transformation, though the paper also faced ongoing challenges related to the broader economic pressures on the news industry.


His philanthropic activities, including the Bezos Earth Fund (a $10 billion commitment to combat climate change), the Bezos Day One Fund (focused on homelessness and early childhood education), and the Bezos Center for Innovation at MOHAI in Seattle,<ref>{{cite web |title=Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos Flip the Switch on New Bezos Center for Innovation at MOHAI |url=http://www.mohai.org/press-media/press-releases/item/2612-jeff-and-mackenzie-bezos-flip-the-switch-on-new-bezos-center-for-innovation-at-mohai-kicking-off-saturday-launch-celebration |publisher=MOHAI |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> represent a significant, if contested, body of charitable work. The scale of his wealth has prompted broader public debate about economic inequality, taxation, and the social responsibilities of billionaires.
Through Blue Origin, Bezos contributed to the development of reusable rocket technology and the commercialization of spaceflight, joining a cohort of billionaire entrepreneurs—including Elon Musk and Richard Branson—who invested private capital in space exploration ventures during the early 21st century.


== References ==
== References ==
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[[Category:People from Albuquerque, New Mexico]]
[[Category:People from Albuquerque, New Mexico]]
[[Category:People from Houston]]
[[Category:People from Miami]]
[[Category:Commercial astronauts]]
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[[Category:The Washington Post people]]
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Latest revision as of 01:40, 24 February 2026


Jeff Bezos
BornJeffrey Preston Jorgensen
12 1, 1964
BirthplaceAlbuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationBusinessman, investor, commercial astronaut
Known forFounding Amazon
EducationPrinceton University (BSE, 1986)
Children4
AwardsTime Person of the Year (1999)

Jeffrey Preston Bezos (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell; né Jorgensen; born January 12, 1964) is an American businessman and investor who founded Amazon, which has grown from an online bookstore into the world's largest e-commerce and cloud computing company. Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and raised in Houston and Miami, Bezos graduated from Princeton University in 1986 with a degree in electrical engineering and computer science. After working on Wall Street for several years, he left a senior vice-presidency at the investment firm D.E. Shaw in 1994 to start Amazon in a garage in Bellevue, Washington. The company's explosive growth over the subsequent decades transformed the retail industry and reshaped consumer expectations around convenience, speed, and selection. Bezos served as Amazon's chief executive officer from its founding until July 2021, when he transitioned to the role of executive chairman. Beyond Amazon, Bezos founded the aerospace company Blue Origin in 2000, purchased The Washington Post in 2013, and manages a portfolio of investments through his venture capital firm Bezos Expeditions, which includes an early stake in Google. He became the first centibillionaire on the Forbes Real Time Billionaires Index and was described as the "richest man in modern history" when his net worth reached $150 billion in July 2018.[1] In February 2026, Amazon surpassed Walmart to become America's largest company by annual revenue.[2]

Early Life

Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen was born on January 12, 1964, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His mother, Jacklyn Gise Jorgensen, was seventeen years old at the time of his birth. His biological father, Ted Jorgensen, was a bike shop owner. His parents' marriage was brief, and when Bezos was four years old, his mother remarried Miguel "Mike" Bezos, a Cuban immigrant who had come to the United States alone as a teenager through Operation Peter Pan. Mike Bezos adopted Jeffrey, who took the Bezos surname. Mike Bezos went on to earn a degree from the University of Albuquerque and became an engineer with Exxon, which prompted the family to move to Houston, Texas.[3]

Bezos spent summers at his maternal grandfather's ranch in Cotulla, Texas. His grandfather, Lawrence Preston Gise, was a regional director of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and had retired to the ranch. Bezos has spoken publicly about the formative influence of those summers, which he spent repairing windmills, vaccinating cattle, and engaging in other ranch work. He developed an early interest in science and technology; as a child in Houston, he rigged an electric alarm to keep his younger siblings out of his room and converted the family's garage into a laboratory for science projects.[3]

The family later relocated to Miami, Florida, where Bezos attended Miami Palmetto Senior High School. He was valedictorian of his graduating class and a National Merit Scholar. He also received a Silver Knight Award, a regional academic honor in South Florida. During high school, he started his first business, the Dream Institute, an educational summer camp for fourth, fifth, and sixth graders. He has a half-brother, Mark Bezos, and a half-sister, Christina Bezos.[3]

Education

Bezos enrolled at Princeton University, initially intending to study physics. He switched his major to electrical engineering and computer science after determining that he was not going to be among the top physicists in his class. He graduated summa cum laude in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. At Princeton, he was also elected to Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society, and served as president of the campus chapter of the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS).[3][4]

Career

Wall Street (1986–1994)

After graduating from Princeton, Bezos worked on Wall Street in several positions related to computer science and finance. He worked at Fitel, a financial telecommunications startup, where he was tasked with building a network for international trade. He subsequently moved to Bankers Trust, where he became a vice president by the age of twenty-six. In 1990, he joined D.E. Shaw & Co., a newly founded quantitative hedge fund, and became the firm's youngest senior vice president by 1994. At D.E. Shaw, Bezos was responsible for exploring new business opportunities in the burgeoning Internet sector. It was during this period that he became aware of the rapid growth of World Wide Web usage, which he later cited as growing at approximately 2,300 percent per year in 1994—a statistic that convinced him to pursue an Internet-based business venture.[3][4]

Founding of Amazon

In mid-1994, Bezos left D.E. Shaw to start an online retail company. He drove from New York City to Seattle, writing the business plan for his new venture during the cross-country trip. He chose Seattle in part because of its proximity to a major book distribution center in Roseburg, Oregon, and because Washington state had a relatively small population, which minimized the sales tax obligations the company would face. The company, initially named "Cadabra" and then briefly considered to be called "Relentless," was incorporated as Amazon.com, Inc., taking its name from the Amazon River to suggest scale and the fact that "A" would place it near the top of alphabetical listings.[3]

Amazon launched its website on July 16, 1995, initially selling only books. Bezos famously operated the company out of a converted garage in Bellevue, Washington. In its early days, the company faced skepticism from both traditional booksellers and investors. Bezos has recounted the difficulty of raising initial capital, approaching approximately sixty people and securing funding from about twenty-two of them, raising roughly $1 million in seed money from family and friends at a valuation that reflected the enormous risk of the venture. His parents, Mike and Jackie Bezos, invested a significant portion of their savings.[5]

Amazon went public in May 1997 at a share price of $18. Despite initial losses—the company did not turn a profit until the fourth quarter of 2001—Bezos pursued a long-term growth strategy that prioritized market share, customer satisfaction, and reinvestment over short-term profitability. This approach was articulated in his 1997 letter to shareholders, in which he stated that "it's all about the long term," a phrase that became a guiding principle for the company.[3]

Expansion of Amazon

Under Bezos's leadership, Amazon expanded far beyond books. Throughout the late 1990s and 2000s, the company added music, DVDs, electronics, clothing, toys, and numerous other product categories. The introduction of Amazon Marketplace allowed third-party sellers to list products alongside Amazon's own inventory, dramatically expanding the selection available to customers.

In 2005, Amazon launched Amazon Prime, a membership program offering free two-day shipping for an annual fee. The program proved transformative, building customer loyalty and increasing purchase frequency. Prime later expanded to include streaming video, streaming music, e-book lending, and other benefits. The launch of the Kindle e-reader in 2007 further expanded Amazon's reach into digital content. The device and its associated e-book ecosystem received the Economist Innovation Award for the "No Boundaries" category.[6]

Amazon Web Services (AWS), launched in 2006, became one of the company's most significant businesses. AWS provides cloud computing infrastructure—including storage, computing power, and database services—to companies, governments, and individuals. It became the world's largest provider of cloud infrastructure services and a major source of Amazon's operating income. By the mid-2020s, AWS was a cornerstone of the modern Internet, hosting a substantial portion of web traffic globally.

In February 2026, Amazon surpassed Walmart to become the largest company in the United States by annual revenue, marking a milestone in the company's evolution from an online bookstore to a dominant force across retail, cloud computing, advertising, and logistics.[7]

Transition from CEO

On July 5, 2021, Bezos stepped down as CEO and president of Amazon and transitioned to the role of executive chairman. Andy Jassy, who had led Amazon Web Services, succeeded him as CEO and president. Bezos stated that the transition would allow him to focus his attention on other ventures and interests, including Blue Origin, The Washington Post, the Bezos Earth Fund, and his other philanthropic commitments. He remained the company's largest individual shareholder and continued to play a role in its strategic direction as executive chairman.[8]

Blue Origin

Bezos founded Blue Origin, an aerospace manufacturer and sub-orbital spaceflight services company, in 2000. The company, headquartered in Kent, Washington, was established with the goal of reducing the cost of space travel through reusable launch vehicle technology. Blue Origin operated with relative secrecy for several years before its activities became more widely known.

In November 2015, Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle successfully reached space and landed vertically back on Earth, a significant achievement in reusable rocket technology. On July 20, 2021, Bezos flew to space aboard the New Shepard on the NS-16 mission, becoming one of a small number of people to have traveled to space on a vehicle developed by a company they founded. The flight reached an altitude above the Kármán line—the internationally recognized boundary of space at 100 kilometers (62 miles)—and lasted approximately eleven minutes. Bezos was accompanied on the flight by his brother Mark Bezos, aviator Wally Funk, and student Oliver Daemen.[9]

Blue Origin also developed the New Glenn orbital launch vehicle, designed for heavier payloads and commercial satellite launches, and was selected by NASA as a partner for the Artemis program's Human Landing System.

The Washington Post

In August 2013, Bezos purchased The Washington Post for $250 million in a personal acquisition, not through Amazon. The purchase was announced by the Post's then-owner, the Graham family, who had controlled the newspaper for eighty years. Bezos stated at the time that the paper's values would not change and that its journalistic mission would remain intact.[10][11]

Under Bezos's ownership, the Post underwent a significant digital transformation, investing in technology, expanding its engineering team, and increasing its online readership. The paper adopted a technology-driven approach to journalism, developing proprietary publishing tools and growing its subscriber base. However, Bezos's ownership has also been the subject of scrutiny. In early 2026, The Washington Post faced potential staff cuts, and Bezos did not publicly respond to several letters from Post employees urging him to address the situation.[12]

Bezos Expeditions and Other Investments

Bezos manages a portfolio of investments through Bezos Expeditions, his personal venture capital fund. Among its most notable investments was an early $250,000 stake in Google in 1998, which proved to be one of the most profitable individual venture investments in history.[13]

In September 2021, Bezos co-founded Altos Labs, a biotechnology company focused on cellular rejuvenation programming, alongside Mail.ru founder Yuri Milner. The company aims to research biological reprogramming technology to extend human lifespan.[14]

In 2013, Bezos funded an expedition that recovered two F-1 rocket engines from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. The engines had been used during NASA's Apollo-era Saturn V launches. The recovered engines were subsequently provided to museums, including the Museum of Flight in Seattle and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.[15]

As of February 2026, Bezos was reported to be among the individuals expressing interest in purchasing the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League.[16]

Personal Life

Bezos married MacKenzie Scott (née Tuttle) in 1993. The couple had four children together—three sons and a daughter adopted from China. They divorced in 2019 in a settlement that transferred approximately 25 percent of Bezos's Amazon shares—then valued at roughly $36 billion—to Scott, making her one of the wealthiest women in the world. Scott has since become one of the most prolific philanthropists in the United States; in 2025, she donated a record $7.2 billion to charitable causes.[17]

Bezos began a relationship with Lauren Sánchez, a media personality and helicopter pilot, which became public in January 2019. The couple married, and as of February 2026, they were named honorary chairs of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's annual Met Gala.[18]

Bezos has spoken publicly about aspects of his personal philosophy. In conversations and public appearances, he has discussed his approach to dealing with stress and anxiety, stating that he finds stress diminishes once he takes the first step toward addressing a problem rather than avoiding it.[19]

Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos contributed $10 million to the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) in Seattle, funding the Bezos Center for Innovation, which opened in 2013.[20]

Recognition

In 1999, Time magazine named Bezos its Person of the Year at the age of 35, recognizing his role in popularizing online commerce. The selection made him one of the youngest individuals to receive the distinction at that time.[21]

In 2008, U.S. News & World Report named Bezos one of America's Best Leaders, citing his role in building Amazon into a transformative company.[22]

Bezos was the first centibillionaire on the Forbes Real Time Billionaires Index, and the second person ever to achieve a net worth of $100 billion, after Bill Gates first crossed that threshold in 1999. In July 2018, his net worth was reported at $150 billion, and he was described as the "richest man in modern history." In August 2020, his net worth exceeded $200 billion according to Forbes. As of December 2025, Forbes estimated his net worth at approximately $239.4 billion.

Bezos has been a participant in the annual Bilderberg Meeting, attending in 2011.[23]

He has sold portions of his Amazon stock holdings at various points; in August 2015, he sold approximately $534 million worth of Amazon shares.[24]

Legacy

Bezos's founding and leadership of Amazon fundamentally altered the landscape of retail commerce, cloud computing, digital media, and logistics. Amazon's customer-centric model—summarized in Bezos's frequent invocation of "Day 1" thinking, which emphasized the importance of maintaining a startup mentality—influenced management practices across industries. The company's innovations in supply chain management, warehouse automation, and last-mile delivery set new standards for the retail industry worldwide.

Amazon Web Services, conceived under Bezos's leadership, became the foundational infrastructure for much of the modern Internet, enabling startups and enterprises alike to scale without large upfront investments in physical computing infrastructure. AWS's success helped establish cloud computing as the dominant model for enterprise technology.

Bezos's approach to business strategy, particularly his emphasis on long-term investment over short-term profitability, became a widely studied model in business schools and corporate boardrooms. His annual shareholder letters, beginning with the 1997 letter that accompanied Amazon's IPO, are frequently cited in discussions of corporate strategy and leadership.

His purchase of The Washington Post represented a notable instance of a technology entrepreneur acquiring a major legacy media institution, raising questions about the evolving relationship between the technology sector and journalism. The Post's subsequent digital growth under his ownership became a case study in media transformation, though the paper also faced ongoing challenges related to the broader economic pressures on the news industry.

Through Blue Origin, Bezos contributed to the development of reusable rocket technology and the commercialization of spaceflight, joining a cohort of billionaire entrepreneurs—including Elon Musk and Richard Branson—who invested private capital in space exploration ventures during the early 21st century.

References

  1. ↑ "Jeff Bezos".CNBC.2017-08-29.https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/29/inside-jeff-bezos-80-billion-empire.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  2. ↑ "Donald Trump Suck-Up Jeff Bezos Claims Major Milestone".The Daily Beast.2026-02-20.https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-suck-up-jeff-bezos-claims-major-milestone/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "The Inner Bezos".Wired.1999-03.https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/7.03/bezos_pr.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Jeffrey P. Bezos Executive Profile".Portfolio.com.https://web.archive.org/web/20090204204126/http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-profiles/Jeffrey-P-Bezos-1984.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  5. ↑ "Jeff Bezos Reveals the Brutal Fundraising Fight Behind Amazon's Origin Story".Inc.com.2026-02-20.https://www.inc.com/ava-levinson/jeff-bezos-reveals-the-brutal-fundraising-fight-behind-amazons-origin-story/91305757.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  6. ↑ "Charging ahead – e-book design and popularity win Kindle creators Innovation Award".The Economist.https://web.archive.org/web/20120414143656/http://www.economistconferences.co.uk/press-release/charging-ahead-e-book-design-and-popularity-win-kindle-creators-innovation-award/5908.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  7. ↑ "Donald Trump Suck-Up Jeff Bezos Claims Major Milestone".The Daily Beast.2026-02-20.https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-suck-up-jeff-bezos-claims-major-milestone/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  8. ↑ "Inside Jeff Bezos' $80 billion empire".CNBC.2017-08-29.https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/29/inside-jeff-bezos-80-billion-empire.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  9. ↑ "Apollo Rocket Engines Recovered by Jeff Bezos Expedition".Space.com.http://www.space.com/22044-apollo-rocket-engines-bezos.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  10. ↑ "Washington Post to be sold to Jeff Bezos".The Washington Post.2013-08-05.https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/washington-post-to-be-sold-to-jeff-bezos/2013/08/05/ca537c9e-fe0c-11e2-9711-3708310f6f4d_story.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  11. ↑ "For Bezos, the Post represents a new frontier".The Washington Post.2013-08-10.https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/for-bezos-the-post-represents-new-frontier/2013/08/10/ba7cfeb6-013c-11e3-9a3e-916de805f65d_story.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  12. ↑ "Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos stays silent as employees brace for cuts".The Guardian.2026-02-03.https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/feb/03/washington-post-layoffs-jeff-bezos.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  13. ↑ "The Story of Jeff Bezos' $250,000 Investment in Google in 1998".Growthink.http://www.growthink.com/content/story-jeff-bezos%E2%80%99-250000-investment-google-1998.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  14. ↑ "Google co-founders and Silicon Valley billionaires try to live forever".CNBC.2017-03-31.https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/31/google-co-founders-and-silicon-valley-billionaires-try-to-live-forever.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  15. ↑ "Apollo Rocket Engines Recovered by Jeff Bezos Expedition".Space.com.http://www.space.com/22044-apollo-rocket-engines-bezos.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  16. ↑ "Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos among names interested in buying the Seahawks".Touchdown Wire.2026-02-23.https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/touchdown/2026/02/23/elon-musk-and-jeff-bezos-among-names-interested-in-buying-the-seahawks/88827158007/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  17. ↑ "Jeff Bezos's ex-wife MacKenzie Scott's record $7.2 billion donation in 2025".The Times of India.2026-02-22.https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/jeff-bezoss-ex-wife-mackenzie-scotts-record-7-2-billion-donation-in-2025-called-bad-donation-and-elon-musk-agrees-with-it-says-/articleshow/128639354.cms.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  18. ↑ "Jeff and Lauren Sánchez Bezos Will Be Honorary Chairs of the Met Gala".The New York Times.2026-02-23.https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/23/style/jeff-and-lauren-sanchez-bezos-honorary-chairs-met-gala.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  19. ↑ "Billionaire Jeff Bezos Told Kids Anxiety Shrinks Once You Face Your Problems".Yahoo.2026-02-20.https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/billionaire-jeff-bezos-told-kids-133050173.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  20. ↑ "Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos Flip the Switch on New Bezos Center for Innovation at MOHAI".MOHAI.http://www.mohai.org/press-media/press-releases/item/2612-jeff-and-mackenzie-bezos-flip-the-switch-on-new-bezos-center-for-innovation-at-mohai-kicking-off-saturday-launch-celebration.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  21. ↑ "Jeffrey Preston Bezos – Person of the Year".Time.1999.http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,992927,00.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  22. ↑ "America's Best Leaders: Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com CEO".U.S. News & World Report.2008-11-19.https://www.usnews.com/articles/news/best-leaders/2008/11/19/americas-best-leaders-jeff-bezos-amazoncom-ceo.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  23. ↑ "Bilderberg Meetings – Participants 2011".Bilderberg Meetings.2011.https://web.archive.org/web/20110828210925/http://www.bilderbergmeetings.org/participants_2011.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  24. ↑ "Jeff Bezos just sold $534 million worth of Amazon".Puget Sound Business Journal.2015-08.http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/morning_call/2015/08/jeff-bezos-just-sold-534-million-worth-of-amazon.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.

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