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{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name         = Marc Benioff
| name         = Marc Benioff
| birth_name   = Marc Russell Benioff
| birth_name   = Marc Russell Benioff
| birth_date   = {{Birth date and age|1964|9|25}}
| birth_date   = {{Birth date and age|1964|9|25}}
| birth_place   = [[San Francisco]], [[California]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[San Francisco]], [[California]], U.S.
| nationality   = American
| nationality = American
| occupation   = Business executive, entrepreneur, philanthropist
| occupation   = Business executive, entrepreneur, philanthropist
| known_for     = Co-founder, chairman and CEO of [[Salesforce]]; owner of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''
| known_for   = Co-founder, chairman and CEO of [[Salesforce]]; owner of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]''
| education     = [[University of Southern California]] (BS)
| education   = [[University of Southern California]] (BS)
| spouse       = Lynne Krilich
| spouse       = Lynne Krilich
| children     = 2
| children     = 2
| awards       = ''Fortune'' World's Greatest Leaders (2016); ''The Economist'' Innovation Award
| awards       = ''Fortune'' World's Greatest Leaders (2016); ''The Economist'' Innovation Award
| website       = {{URL|https://www.salesforce.com/company/leadership/bios/bio-benioff}}
| website     = {{URL|https://www.salesforce.com/company/leadership/bios/bio-benioff}}
}}
}}


'''Marc Russell Benioff''' (born September 25, 1964) is an American internet entrepreneur, philanthropist, and business executive who co-founded the cloud computing company [[Salesforce]] and has served as its chairman and chief executive officer since its inception in 1999. Under his leadership, Salesforce grew from a startup operating out of a rented San Francisco apartment into one of the largest enterprise software companies in the world, helping to pioneer the [[software as a service]] (SaaS) model that fundamentally altered how businesses purchase and use software. In 2018, Benioff and his wife Lynne purchased ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine, adding media ownership to his portfolio of business interests.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://time.com/6102640/jane-goodall-environment-hope/ |title=The Enduring Hope of Jane Goodall |magazine=Time |date=September 30, 2021 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Beyond the technology sector, Benioff has attracted attention for his public advocacy on issues ranging from corporate philanthropy and stakeholder capitalism to, more recently, [[artificial intelligence]] regulation and urban public safety. His career has been marked by a willingness to engage in social and political debates, a stance that has at times generated both praise and controversy among employees, business leaders, and the broader public.
'''Marc Russell Benioff''' (born September 25, 1964) is an American internet entrepreneur, philanthropist, and business executive who co-founded [[Salesforce]], a cloud-based [[customer relationship management]] (CRM) software company, and has served as its chairman and chief executive officer since its inception. Under his leadership, Salesforce grew from a startup launched in a San Francisco apartment in 1999 into one of the largest enterprise software companies in the world. In 2018, Benioff and his wife Lynne purchased ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine, adding media ownership to his portfolio of business interests. A native of San Francisco, Benioff has been a prominent figure in Silicon Valley for decades, drawing attention both for his corporate leadership and for his outspoken positions on social issues, philanthropy, and technology regulation. His career has spanned roles at [[Oracle Corporation]] beginning in his teenage years, a period as an entrepreneur, and ultimately the founding of Salesforce, which pioneered the [[software as a service]] (SaaS) model of delivering enterprise applications over the internet. In recent years, Benioff has become an increasingly vocal advocate for [[artificial intelligence]] regulation and has attracted controversy for comments made at company events and for his public statements regarding civic issues in San Francisco.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-01-20 |title=Salesforce's Benioff calls for AI regulation, says models have become 'suicide coaches' |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/20/salesforce-benioff-ai-regulation-suicide-coaches.html |work=CNBC |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=2025-10-10 |title=Marc Benioff Says Trump Should Send Guard Troops to San Francisco |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/us/marc-benioff-san-francisco-guard.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


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


Marc Russell Benioff was born on September 25, 1964, in [[San Francisco]], [[California]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Benioff |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/marc-benioff/ |publisher=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He grew up in the [[San Francisco Bay Area]], where he developed an early interest in computers and technology. As a teenager, Benioff demonstrated entrepreneurial aptitude, reportedly writing and selling software programs while still in high school. His early exposure to the technology culture of the Bay Area—then on the cusp of the personal computer revolution—shaped his ambitions and career trajectory.
Marc Russell Benioff was born on September 25, 1964, in [[San Francisco]], [[California]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Benioff |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/marc-benioff/ |publisher=Forbes |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. From a young age, Benioff demonstrated an interest in computers and technology. As a teenager, he began developing software, an early indication of the entrepreneurial drive that would define his career. His family connections in the Bay Area placed him in proximity to the burgeoning technology industry of the 1980s.<ref>{{cite web |title=How These Famous Benioffs Are Related |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/how-these-famous-benioffs-are-related-2015-4 |publisher=Business Insider |date=2015-04 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Benioff has spoken publicly about the influence of his upbringing in San Francisco on his worldview and business philosophy. The city would later become central to his professional identity, with Salesforce establishing its global headquarters there and Benioff involving himself in local civic matters. His family background included connections to the entertainment and business worlds; the Benioff surname has been associated with other notable figures in American media and culture.<ref>{{cite web |title=How These Famous Benioffs Are Related |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/how-these-famous-benioffs-are-related-2015-4 |publisher=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Benioff's precocity with technology led him to his first significant professional opportunity while still in his teens. He secured a position at [[Oracle Corporation]], one of the dominant enterprise software companies of the era, where he would go on to spend a formative stretch of his early career. This early exposure to large-scale enterprise software development and corporate culture at Oracle played a significant role in shaping Benioff's understanding of the software industry, the needs of business customers, and the limitations of existing software delivery models—insights that would later inform his founding of Salesforce.<ref>{{cite web |title=How to Turn a Simple Idea Into a High-Growth Company |url=https://www.salesforce.com/blog/2013/03/how-to-turn-a-simple-idea-into-a-high-growth-company.html |publisher=Salesforce |date=2013-03 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Education ==
== Education ==


Benioff attended the [[University of Southern California]] (USC), where he earned a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bio - Marc Benioff |url=https://www.salesforce.com/company/leadership/bios/bio-benioff |publisher=Salesforce |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> His time at USC coincided with a period of rapid growth in the technology industry during the mid-1980s. During his college years, Benioff continued to develop his technical and business skills, which he would later apply during a career at [[Oracle Corporation]] before founding Salesforce. The university education provided him with a foundation in business and technology that informed his approach to enterprise software and cloud computing.
Benioff attended the [[University of Southern California]] (USC), where he earned a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bio - Marc Benioff |url=https://www.salesforce.com/company/leadership/bios/bio-benioff |publisher=Salesforce |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> His time at USC provided him with a formal foundation in business and technology that complemented the practical experience he had already begun accumulating at Oracle. After completing his undergraduate studies, Benioff returned to Oracle, where he continued to advance rapidly through the company's ranks.


== Career ==
== Career ==
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=== Oracle Corporation ===
=== Oracle Corporation ===


After graduating from USC, Benioff joined [[Oracle Corporation]], then one of the fastest-growing enterprise software companies in the world, led by [[Larry Ellison]]. He spent approximately thirteen years at Oracle, rising through the ranks to become a vice president by the age of 26. During his tenure at Oracle, Benioff gained deep experience in enterprise software sales, marketing, and product development. He has cited Ellison as a significant mentor who shaped his approach to business leadership and competitive strategy.
Benioff joined [[Oracle Corporation]] at a young age and spent approximately thirteen years at the company. During his tenure at Oracle, he rose through the ranks and became one of the youngest vice presidents in the company's history. Working under Oracle co-founder [[Larry Ellison]], Benioff gained extensive experience in enterprise software sales, product development, and corporate strategy. Ellison served as a mentor to Benioff during this period, and the two developed a close professional relationship.<ref>{{cite web |title=How to Turn a Simple Idea Into a High-Growth Company |url=https://www.salesforce.com/blog/2013/03/how-to-turn-a-simple-idea-into-a-high-growth-company.html |publisher=Salesforce |date=2013-03 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Benioff's years at Oracle exposed him to the complexities and limitations of traditional on-premises enterprise software—systems that required companies to purchase expensive licenses, install software on their own servers, and manage ongoing maintenance and upgrades. These experiences planted the seeds for what would become his central business insight: that enterprise software could be delivered more efficiently and affordably through the internet, as a service rather than a product.
During his years at Oracle, Benioff observed firsthand the complexities and frustrations associated with traditional enterprise software, which typically required extensive on-premises installation, customization, and maintenance. These observations seeded the concept that would become the foundation of Salesforce: the delivery of enterprise software applications over the internet, eliminating the need for customers to install and manage complex infrastructure on their own servers.


=== Founding of Salesforce ===
=== Founding of Salesforce ===


In March 1999, Benioff co-founded Salesforce with Parker Harris, Dave Moellenhoff, and Frank Dominguez.<ref>{{cite web |title=How to Turn a Simple Idea Into a High-Growth Company |url=https://www.salesforce.com/blog/2013/03/how-to-turn-a-simple-idea-into-a-high-growth-company.html |publisher=Salesforce |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The company launched with the concept of delivering [[customer relationship management]] (CRM) software via the internet—an approach that was novel at the time and would come to be known as [[cloud computing]] or [[software as a service]] (SaaS). Salesforce began operations in a rented apartment in San Francisco, reflecting the lean startup culture that Benioff embraced.
In 1999, Benioff co-founded Salesforce in a rented apartment in San Francisco. The company was built around the revolutionary premise of delivering [[customer relationship management]] (CRM) software as a service over the internet—a model that would come to be known as [[software as a service]] (SaaS). At the time, the dominant paradigm in enterprise software involved selling licenses for products that customers would install and run on their own hardware, a process that was costly, time-consuming, and required significant technical expertise. Benioff's vision was to make enterprise software as easy to use as a consumer website, accessible through a web browser with no software to install.<ref>{{cite web |title=How to Turn a Simple Idea Into a High-Growth Company |url=https://www.salesforce.com/blog/2013/03/how-to-turn-a-simple-idea-into-a-high-growth-company.html |publisher=Salesforce |date=2013-03 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


The founding thesis of Salesforce was that businesses should not need to install and maintain complex software on their own hardware. Instead, applications could be hosted on remote servers and accessed through a web browser, dramatically reducing costs and complexity for customers. This model, which Benioff championed under the slogan "The End of Software," challenged the established business practices of incumbent enterprise software companies such as Oracle, [[SAP SE|SAP]], and [[Siebel Systems]].
The company adopted the provocative slogan "No Software," complete with a logo depicting the word "software" inside a red circle with a line through it, to emphasize its break from the traditional model. Salesforce's approach was initially met with skepticism from established enterprise software vendors and some industry analysts, but the company's subscription-based, cloud-delivered model quickly gained traction among businesses seeking more flexible and cost-effective CRM solutions.


Salesforce's early marketing was notable for its aggressive and unconventional tactics. Benioff organized protests at competitor conferences and leveraged media attention to position Salesforce as a disruptive upstart challenging the status quo. These strategies drew attention to the company and helped establish its brand identity as an innovator in enterprise technology.
Salesforce held its [[initial public offering]] (IPO) on the [[New York Stock Exchange]], marking a significant milestone in the company's growth and in the broader acceptance of the SaaS model. Under Benioff's leadership as chairman and CEO, Salesforce expanded well beyond its original CRM focus, growing through both organic development and strategic acquisitions into a comprehensive cloud computing platform serving sales, customer service, marketing, analytics, and application development functions.


=== Growth and Public Offering ===
=== Growth and Leadership at Salesforce ===


Salesforce grew rapidly during the early 2000s, benefiting from increasing internet adoption among businesses and a growing recognition that the SaaS model offered tangible advantages in terms of cost, scalability, and ease of deployment. The company went public in June 2004, listing on the [[New York Stock Exchange]]. The initial public offering was a notable event in the technology sector, as it validated the commercial viability of the cloud computing model at a time when many established technology companies remained skeptical.
As CEO of Salesforce, Benioff oversaw the company's transformation from a single-product CRM startup into a multi-cloud enterprise platform. The company's growth trajectory made it one of the most significant enterprise technology companies to emerge from the early 2000s. Benioff cultivated a distinctive corporate culture at Salesforce, emphasizing values including trust, customer success, innovation, and equality. The company became known for its annual [[Dreamforce]] conference, which grew into one of the largest technology conferences in the world, regularly attracting tens of thousands of attendees to San Francisco.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bio - Marc Benioff |url=https://www.salesforce.com/company/leadership/bios/bio-benioff |publisher=Salesforce |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Under Benioff's leadership as CEO, Salesforce expanded beyond its original CRM product to become a broad platform for business applications. The company developed and acquired a range of tools for sales, marketing, customer service, analytics, and application development. Key strategic moves included the creation of the Salesforce Platform (formerly Force.com), which allowed third-party developers to build and distribute applications on top of Salesforce's infrastructure, and the AppExchange marketplace, which facilitated the distribution of these applications.
Benioff has been a consistent advocate for what he has termed "stakeholder capitalism," arguing that corporations have responsibilities not only to shareholders but also to employees, communities, and the broader society. This philosophy manifested in Salesforce's 1-1-1 philanthropic model, which pledges one percent of the company's equity, one percent of employee time, and one percent of its product to charitable causes. The model has been adopted by numerous other technology companies.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Gospel of Wealth According to Marc Benioff |url=https://www.wired.com/story/gospel-of-wealth-according-to-marc-benioff/ |publisher=Wired |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Salesforce pursued an aggressive acquisition strategy throughout the 2010s and into the 2020s, purchasing companies such as [[ExactTarget]], [[MuleSoft]], [[Tableau Software]], and [[Slack Technologies]]. These acquisitions expanded Salesforce's capabilities and product portfolio, positioning the company as a comprehensive enterprise platform rather than solely a CRM provider.
Under Benioff's leadership, Salesforce completed a series of major acquisitions to expand its platform capabilities. These acquisitions helped Salesforce diversify its product portfolio and position itself as a competitor to other major enterprise technology providers.


=== Corporate Philosophy and the 1-1-1 Model ===
=== Ownership of ''Time'' Magazine ===


Early in Salesforce's history, Benioff established what became known as the 1-1-1 model of corporate philanthropy, which committed the company to donating 1% of its equity, 1% of its product, and 1% of its employees' time to charitable causes. This model was integrated into Salesforce's corporate structure from its founding and became a signature element of the company's identity. The 1-1-1 model was subsequently adopted by other companies and formalized through the Pledge 1% movement, which encourages startups and established businesses to allocate resources to philanthropic efforts.
In 2018, Marc Benioff and his wife Lynne Krilich purchased ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine from [[Meredith Corporation]]. The acquisition was made in a personal capacity, separate from Salesforce. Benioff assumed the role of co-chair and owner of the publication. The purchase positioned Benioff among a group of technology billionaires who have acquired major media properties, a trend that has raised questions about the intersection of technology wealth and journalism.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://time.com/6102640/jane-goodall-environment-hope/ |title=The Enduring Hope of Jane Goodall |magazine=Time |date=September 30, 2021 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Benioff has been an outspoken advocate for what he has described as "stakeholder capitalism"—the idea that corporations have responsibilities not only to shareholders but also to employees, customers, communities, and the broader society. This philosophy has been reflected in Salesforce's public stances on social issues, including [[LGBTQ rights]], equal pay, homelessness, and environmental sustainability.
=== Artificial Intelligence Advocacy ===


=== Acquisition of Time Magazine ===
In recent years, Benioff has positioned himself as a prominent voice on the regulation of [[artificial intelligence]] (AI). In January 2026, speaking at the [[World Economic Forum]] in [[Davos]], Switzerland, Benioff called for regulation of AI, citing documented cases in which AI systems had been linked to harm, including instances where AI chatbots were described as having acted as "suicide coaches." He challenged the technology sector with the question: "What's more important to us, growth or our kids?"<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-01-20 |title=Salesforce's Benioff calls for AI regulation, says models have become 'suicide coaches' |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/20/salesforce-benioff-ai-regulation-suicide-coaches.html |work=CNBC |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=2026-01-20 |title=Billionaire Marc Benioff challenges the AI sector: 'What's more important to us, growth or our kids?' |url=https://fortune.com/2026/01/20/billionaire-marc-benioff-section-230-ai-whats-more-important-growth-or-kids/ |work=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In September 2018, Benioff and his wife Lynne purchased ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine from [[Meredith Corporation]] for $190 million. The acquisition was made in a personal capacity rather than through Salesforce. Benioff stated that the purchase was motivated by a desire to support quality journalism and that he and his wife would serve as stewards of the publication's legacy.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://time.com/6102640/jane-goodall-environment-hope/ |title=The Enduring Hope of Jane Goodall |magazine=Time |date=September 30, 2021 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The ownership of ''Time'' placed Benioff among a group of technology billionaires who have acquired major media properties, a trend that has raised broader questions about the intersection of technology wealth and journalism.
Benioff's advocacy for AI regulation represented a notable stance within the technology industry, where many executives have resisted calls for government oversight of emerging technologies. At the Davos event, Benioff also raised concerns about [[Section 230]] of the [[Communications Decency Act]] and its applicability to AI-generated content, arguing that existing legal frameworks were insufficient to address the risks posed by increasingly capable AI systems.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-01-20 |title=Billionaire Marc Benioff challenges the AI sector: 'What's more important to us, growth or our kids?' |url=https://fortune.com/2026/01/20/billionaire-marc-benioff-section-230-ai-whats-more-important-growth-or-kids/ |work=Fortune |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
=== Advocacy on Artificial Intelligence Regulation ===
 
In January 2026, Benioff made public statements calling for regulation of [[artificial intelligence]], arguing that AI models had in some documented cases functioned as what he termed "suicide coaches." Speaking at the [[World Economic Forum]] meeting in [[Davos]], Switzerland, Benioff challenged the AI sector with the question, "What's more important to us, growth or our kids?"<ref>{{cite news |title=Billionaire Marc Benioff challenges the AI sector: 'What's more important to us, growth or our kids?' |url=https://fortune.com/2026/01/20/billionaire-marc-benioff-section-230-ai-whats-more-important-growth-or-kids/ |work=Fortune |date=January 20, 2026 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> He called for accountability in the development and deployment of AI technologies, framing the issue in terms of public safety and the protection of minors.<ref>{{cite news |title=Salesforce's Benioff calls for AI regulation, says models have become 'suicide coaches' |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/20/salesforce-benioff-ai-regulation-suicide-coaches.html |work=CNBC |date=January 20, 2026 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
These remarks positioned Benioff among a growing number of technology executives who have called for regulatory frameworks around AI, though critics have noted the tension between such advocacy and the technology industry's own rapid development and commercialization of AI products, including Salesforce's own AI features.


=== Controversies ===
=== Controversies ===


==== Public Safety Remarks and San Francisco ====
==== ICE Contract and Employee Backlash (2026) ====


In October 2025, Benioff made headlines when he suggested that [[President of the United States|President]] [[Donald Trump]] should send [[National Guard]] troops to San Francisco to address public safety concerns. The remarks drew attention given Benioff's long history as a prominent civic figure in the city and his previous support for progressive causes.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=October 10, 2025 |title=Marc Benioff Says Trump Should Send Guard Troops to San Francisco |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/us/marc-benioff-san-francisco-guard.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In February 2026, Benioff generated significant controversy when he made remarks at a Salesforce company event that were perceived as joking about [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] (ICE) monitoring international employees who had traveled to the United States. The comments provoked an immediate and intense backlash among Salesforce employees. Internal communications on the company's [[Slack (software)|Slack]] channels showed widespread employee anger over the remarks.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-11 |title=Salesforce workers outraged after CEO makes joke about ICE watching them |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/11/salesforce-marc-benioff-ice-joke-employees |work=The Guardian |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Marc Benioff 'Jokes' ICE Is Watching Salesforce Employees Who Traveled to the U.S. |url=https://www.404media.co/marc-benioff-jokes-ice-is-watching-salesforce-employees-who-traveled-to-the-u-s/ |publisher=404 Media |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


==== ICE Comments and Employee Backlash ====
In the aftermath, more than 1,400 Salesforce employees signed an open letter demanding that Benioff cease business operations with ICE. The letter came as employees had reportedly already been planning to urge the company to cancel its contracts with the agency.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02-20 |title=Salesforce employees respond to CEO Marc Benioff's insensitive ICE comment. Here's what HR needs to know. |url=https://www.hr-brew.com/stories/2026/02/20/salesforce-employees-respond-to-ceo-marc-benioff-s-insensitive-ice-comment-here-s-what-hr-needs-to-know |work=HR Brew |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Salesforce Workers Circulate Open Letter Urging CEO Marc Benioff to Denounce ICE |url=https://www.wired.com/story/letter-salesforce-employees-sent-after-marc-benioffs-ice-comments/ |work=Wired |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In February 2026, Benioff generated significant internal and external controversy when he made comments during a company event that were interpreted as joking that [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] (ICE) was monitoring Salesforce employees who had traveled to the United States. The remarks provoked a strong backlash among employees, with internal Slack channels reportedly flooding with criticism.<ref>{{cite news |title=Marc Benioff 'Jokes' ICE Is Watching Salesforce Employees Who Traveled to the U.S. |url=https://www.404media.co/marc-benioff-jokes-ice-is-watching-salesforce-employees-who-traveled-to-the-u-s/ |work=404 Media |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Salesforce co-founder and chief technology officer Parker Harris publicly addressed the situation, stating that Benioff's jokes were "not OK."<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02 |title=A top Salesforce executive says Benioff's ICE jokes were 'not OK' |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-cofounder-criticizes-benioff-ice-jokes-2026-2 |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The incident highlighted tensions between Salesforce's stated corporate values of trust and equality and its business relationships with government agencies involved in immigration enforcement. It also reflected broader debates within the technology industry over the ethical implications of providing technology services to government agencies engaged in controversial activities.


More than 1,400 Salesforce employees signed an open letter demanding that Benioff cease business operations with ICE. The letter came amid a broader debate within the technology industry about contracts with immigration enforcement agencies.<ref>{{cite news |title=Salesforce Workers Circulate Open Letter Urging CEO Marc Benioff to Denounce ICE |url=https://www.wired.com/story/letter-salesforce-employees-sent-after-marc-benioffs-ice-comments/ |work=WIRED |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Salesforce employees respond to CEO Marc Benioff's insensitive ICE comment. Here's what HR needs to know. |url=https://www.hr-brew.com/stories/2026/02/20/salesforce-employees-respond-to-ceo-marc-benioff-s-insensitive-ice-comment-here-s-what-hr-needs-to-know |work=HR Brew |date=February 20, 2026 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Salesforce co-founder and chief technology officer Parker Harris publicly addressed the incident, stating that Benioff's jokes were "not OK."<ref>{{cite news |title=A top Salesforce executive says Benioff's ICE jokes were 'not OK' |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-cofounder-criticizes-benioff-ice-jokes-2026-2 |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
==== San Francisco Public Safety Comments (2025) ====


The controversy reflected ongoing tensions within Salesforce and the broader technology industry regarding government contracts, employee activism, and the responsibilities of corporate leaders in politically charged environments.<ref>{{cite news |title=Salesforce workers outraged after CEO makes joke about ICE watching them |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/11/salesforce-marc-benioff-ice-joke-employees |work=The Guardian |date=February 11, 2026 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In October 2025, Benioff drew attention when he publicly stated that President [[Donald Trump]] should send [[National Guard]] troops to San Francisco to address public safety concerns. The statement marked a shift from his earlier political positioning and prompted discussion about the evolving views of prominent technology executives on urban governance and law enforcement.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-10-10 |title=Marc Benioff Says Trump Should Send Guard Troops to San Francisco |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/us/marc-benioff-san-francisco-guard.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Personal Life ==
== Personal Life ==


Marc Benioff is married to Lynne Krilich, and the couple have two children.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bio - Marc Benioff |url=https://www.salesforce.com/company/leadership/bios/bio-benioff |publisher=Salesforce |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The family resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. Benioff and his wife have been active in philanthropic activities, both through Salesforce's corporate giving programs and through personal donations. Their purchase of ''Time'' magazine in 2018 was made as a joint personal investment.
Marc Benioff is married to Lynne Krilich. The couple has two children.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bio - Marc Benioff |url=https://www.salesforce.com/company/leadership/bios/bio-benioff |publisher=Salesforce |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The Benioffs reside in the San Francisco Bay Area. Together, they purchased ''Time'' magazine in 2018 as a personal investment, separate from Salesforce.


Benioff has publicly discussed the influence of mindfulness, meditation, and Eastern philosophy on his personal and professional life. He has credited time spent in [[Hawaii]] and exposure to Hawaiian culture with shaping his approach to business leadership and philanthropy.
Benioff has been active in philanthropy, both through Salesforce's corporate giving programs and through personal donations. His philanthropic efforts have focused on areas including children's health, education, and homelessness. He and his wife have made substantial donations to [[UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals]] in San Francisco and Oakland, among other institutions.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Gospel of Wealth According to Marc Benioff |url=https://www.wired.com/story/gospel-of-wealth-according-to-marc-benioff/ |publisher=Wired |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In addition to his work at Salesforce, Benioff has authored and co-authored several books on business, technology, and corporate responsibility, including ''Behind the Cloud'' (2009), which detailed the founding and growth of Salesforce, and ''Trailblazer'' (2019), which outlined his views on stakeholder capitalism and corporate values.<ref>{{cite web |title=Behind the Cloud |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XX5QJ7hfDW8C&pg=PR18 |publisher=Google Books |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Benioff has spoken publicly about the influence of meditation and mindfulness practices on his leadership style and personal life. He has credited time spent in [[Hawaii]] and exposure to Hawaiian culture with shaping his approach to business and community.


== Recognition ==
== Recognition ==


Benioff has received numerous accolades over the course of his career. In 2016, ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'' named him among its "World's Greatest Leaders" list, recognizing his influence in both the technology industry and the broader business world.<ref>{{cite web |title=World's Greatest Leaders 2016 |url=http://fortune.com/2016/03/24/worlds-greatest-leaders-2016-intro/ |publisher=Fortune |date=March 24, 2016 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In 2014, he was selected as ''Fortune'''s "Businessperson of the Year" by reader vote.<ref>{{cite web |title=Businessperson of the Year: Reader's Choice |url=http://fortune.com/2014/11/12/businessperson-year-readers-choice/ |publisher=Fortune |date=November 12, 2014 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Benioff has received numerous awards and honors for his business leadership and philanthropic activities. In 2016, ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'' named him to its list of the World's Greatest Leaders.<ref>{{cite web |title=World's Greatest Leaders 2016 |url=http://fortune.com/2016/03/24/worlds-greatest-leaders-2016-intro/ |publisher=Fortune |date=2016-03-24 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In 2014, he was selected as ''Fortune'' Businessperson of the Year in the publication's readers' choice poll.<ref>{{cite web |title=Businessperson of the Year Readers' Choice |url=http://fortune.com/2014/11/12/businessperson-year-readers-choice/ |publisher=Fortune |date=2014-11-12 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
''[[The Economist]]'' honored Benioff with an Innovation Award, recognizing his role in pioneering the cloud computing and SaaS model that transformed the enterprise software industry.<ref>{{cite web |title=Innovation Awards |url=https://www.economist.com/news/technology-quarterly/21567206-innovation-awards-our-annual-prizes-recognise-successful-innovators-eight |publisher=The Economist |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


''[[The Economist]]'' recognized Benioff with an Innovation Award, citing his contributions to the development of cloud computing and the SaaS business model.<ref>{{cite web |title=Innovation Awards |url=https://www.economist.com/news/technology-quarterly/21567206-innovation-awards-our-annual-prizes-recognise-successful-innovators-eight |publisher=The Economist |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> ''[[Barron's (newspaper)|Barron's]]'' has also featured Benioff in its coverage of technology industry leadership.<ref>{{cite web |title=Barron's Feature |url=http://www.barrons.com/articles/SB50001424053111904797004577283662192414888 |publisher=Barron's |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 2009, the [[World Economic Forum]] named Benioff a Young Global Leader, a distinction shared that year with other technology industry figures including [[Mark Zuckerberg]], [[Chad Hurley]], and [[Kevin Rose]].<ref>{{cite news |date=2009-02-25 |title=World Economic Forum Announces New Batch of Young Global Leaders: Mark Zuckerberg, Chad Hurley, Kevin Rose, and More |url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/02/25/world-economic-forum-announces-new-batch-of-young-global-leaders-mark-zuckerberg-chad-hurley-kevin-rose-and-more/ |work=TechCrunch |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In 2009, the [[World Economic Forum]] named Benioff a [[Young Global Leader]], placing him among a cohort that included other technology executives such as [[Mark Zuckerberg]] and [[Chad Hurley]].<ref>{{cite news |title=World Economic Forum Announces New Batch Of Young Global Leaders: Mark Zuckerberg, Chad Hurley, Kevin Rose And More |url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/02/25/world-economic-forum-announces-new-batch-of-young-global-leaders-mark-zuckerberg-chad-hurley-kevin-rose-and-more/ |work=TechCrunch |date=February 25, 2009 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
''[[Barron's (newspaper)|Barron's]]'' has included Benioff in its coverage of significant business leaders and technology executives.<ref>{{cite web |title=Barron's |url=http://www.barrons.com/articles/SB50001424053111904797004577283662192414888 |publisher=Barron's |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Benioff's role in establishing the 1-1-1 philanthropic model has been the subject of extensive media coverage and has been cited as an influential framework for corporate social responsibility in the technology sector and beyond.
Benioff's marketing approach at Salesforce, including the company's branding, event strategy, and use of the "No Software" campaign, has been studied and cited as an example of effective technology marketing.<ref>{{cite web |title=Evolving Fashion: Marc Benioff's Marketing Genius |url=https://viralwegrow.com/blog/evolving-fashion-marc-benioffs-marketing-genius/ |publisher=ViralWeGrow |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==


Benioff's career is most closely associated with the mainstreaming of [[cloud computing]] and the SaaS model in enterprise software. Salesforce, under his leadership, demonstrated that business software could be delivered over the internet on a subscription basis, challenging the dominance of traditional on-premises software vendors. The success of this model influenced an entire generation of technology companies and contributed to a fundamental shift in how enterprise software is developed, distributed, and consumed.
Benioff's principal legacy is his role in establishing and popularizing the cloud computing and SaaS model for enterprise software. When Salesforce was founded in 1999, the concept of delivering business applications over the internet on a subscription basis was unproven at enterprise scale. The company's success demonstrated the viability of the model and contributed to a fundamental transformation of the software industry. Numerous enterprise software companies subsequently adopted SaaS delivery, and cloud computing became the dominant paradigm for enterprise technology in the 2010s and 2020s.


The 1-1-1 model of integrated corporate philanthropy, which Benioff established at Salesforce's founding, has been adopted by hundreds of other companies through the Pledge 1% initiative. This approach embedded philanthropy into the corporate structure from the outset, rather than treating it as an afterthought, and has been studied as a model for how companies can incorporate social responsibility into their business strategies.
The 1-1-1 philanthropic model that Benioff instituted at Salesforce has been adopted by hundreds of other companies, creating a framework for integrating philanthropy into corporate operations from the earliest stages of a company's development. The [[Pledge 1%]] movement, which grew out of Salesforce's model, has extended this approach globally.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Gospel of Wealth According to Marc Benioff |url=https://www.wired.com/story/gospel-of-wealth-according-to-marc-benioff/ |publisher=Wired |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Benioff's public engagement on social and political issues—from LGBTQ rights and equal pay to homelessness, AI regulation, and public safety—has made him one of the more politically visible CEOs in the American technology industry. This visibility has generated both support and criticism, reflecting broader debates about the role of corporate leaders in public policy and social advocacy. His ownership of ''Time'' magazine has further amplified his position at the intersection of technology, media, and public discourse.
Benioff's advocacy for stakeholder capitalism and corporate social responsibility has placed him at the center of ongoing debates about the role of businesses in addressing societal challenges. His willingness to take public positions on issues including [[LGBTQ rights]], equal pay, homelessness, and technology regulation has made him one of the more politically visible figures in the American technology industry. At the same time, controversies such as the 2026 ICE incident and his shifting public positions on urban governance have drawn scrutiny and complicated assessments of his public persona.


As covered by ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]'', Benioff's articulation of a business philosophy rooted in stakeholder capitalism and philanthropic commitment has shaped conversations about the responsibilities of wealth and corporate power in the 21st-century technology economy.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Gospel of Wealth According to Marc Benioff |url=https://www.wired.com/story/gospel-of-wealth-according-to-marc-benioff/ |publisher=Wired |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
His acquisition of ''Time'' magazine in 2018 placed Benioff among a cohort of technology billionaires who have invested in legacy media institutions, a development that continues to prompt discussion about the future of journalism and the influence of technology wealth on media.


== References ==
== References ==
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[[Category:American billionaires]]
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Revision as of 00:42, 24 February 2026


Marc Benioff
BornMarc Russell Benioff
25 9, 1964
BirthplaceSan Francisco, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
OccupationBusiness executive, entrepreneur, philanthropist
Known forCo-founder, chairman and CEO of Salesforce; owner of Time
EducationUniversity of Southern California (BS)
Spouse(s)Lynne Krilich
Children2
AwardsFortune World's Greatest Leaders (2016); The Economist Innovation Award
Website[https://www.salesforce.com/company/leadership/bios/bio-benioff Official site]

Marc Russell Benioff (born September 25, 1964) is an American internet entrepreneur, philanthropist, and business executive who co-founded Salesforce, a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) software company, and has served as its chairman and chief executive officer since its inception. Under his leadership, Salesforce grew from a startup launched in a San Francisco apartment in 1999 into one of the largest enterprise software companies in the world. In 2018, Benioff and his wife Lynne purchased Time magazine, adding media ownership to his portfolio of business interests. A native of San Francisco, Benioff has been a prominent figure in Silicon Valley for decades, drawing attention both for his corporate leadership and for his outspoken positions on social issues, philanthropy, and technology regulation. His career has spanned roles at Oracle Corporation beginning in his teenage years, a period as an entrepreneur, and ultimately the founding of Salesforce, which pioneered the software as a service (SaaS) model of delivering enterprise applications over the internet. In recent years, Benioff has become an increasingly vocal advocate for artificial intelligence regulation and has attracted controversy for comments made at company events and for his public statements regarding civic issues in San Francisco.[1][2]

Early Life

Marc Russell Benioff was born on September 25, 1964, in San Francisco, California.[3] He grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. From a young age, Benioff demonstrated an interest in computers and technology. As a teenager, he began developing software, an early indication of the entrepreneurial drive that would define his career. His family connections in the Bay Area placed him in proximity to the burgeoning technology industry of the 1980s.[4]

Benioff's precocity with technology led him to his first significant professional opportunity while still in his teens. He secured a position at Oracle Corporation, one of the dominant enterprise software companies of the era, where he would go on to spend a formative stretch of his early career. This early exposure to large-scale enterprise software development and corporate culture at Oracle played a significant role in shaping Benioff's understanding of the software industry, the needs of business customers, and the limitations of existing software delivery models—insights that would later inform his founding of Salesforce.[5]

Education

Benioff attended the University of Southern California (USC), where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree.[6] His time at USC provided him with a formal foundation in business and technology that complemented the practical experience he had already begun accumulating at Oracle. After completing his undergraduate studies, Benioff returned to Oracle, where he continued to advance rapidly through the company's ranks.

Career

Oracle Corporation

Benioff joined Oracle Corporation at a young age and spent approximately thirteen years at the company. During his tenure at Oracle, he rose through the ranks and became one of the youngest vice presidents in the company's history. Working under Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, Benioff gained extensive experience in enterprise software sales, product development, and corporate strategy. Ellison served as a mentor to Benioff during this period, and the two developed a close professional relationship.[7]

During his years at Oracle, Benioff observed firsthand the complexities and frustrations associated with traditional enterprise software, which typically required extensive on-premises installation, customization, and maintenance. These observations seeded the concept that would become the foundation of Salesforce: the delivery of enterprise software applications over the internet, eliminating the need for customers to install and manage complex infrastructure on their own servers.

Founding of Salesforce

In 1999, Benioff co-founded Salesforce in a rented apartment in San Francisco. The company was built around the revolutionary premise of delivering customer relationship management (CRM) software as a service over the internet—a model that would come to be known as software as a service (SaaS). At the time, the dominant paradigm in enterprise software involved selling licenses for products that customers would install and run on their own hardware, a process that was costly, time-consuming, and required significant technical expertise. Benioff's vision was to make enterprise software as easy to use as a consumer website, accessible through a web browser with no software to install.[8]

The company adopted the provocative slogan "No Software," complete with a logo depicting the word "software" inside a red circle with a line through it, to emphasize its break from the traditional model. Salesforce's approach was initially met with skepticism from established enterprise software vendors and some industry analysts, but the company's subscription-based, cloud-delivered model quickly gained traction among businesses seeking more flexible and cost-effective CRM solutions.

Salesforce held its initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange, marking a significant milestone in the company's growth and in the broader acceptance of the SaaS model. Under Benioff's leadership as chairman and CEO, Salesforce expanded well beyond its original CRM focus, growing through both organic development and strategic acquisitions into a comprehensive cloud computing platform serving sales, customer service, marketing, analytics, and application development functions.

Growth and Leadership at Salesforce

As CEO of Salesforce, Benioff oversaw the company's transformation from a single-product CRM startup into a multi-cloud enterprise platform. The company's growth trajectory made it one of the most significant enterprise technology companies to emerge from the early 2000s. Benioff cultivated a distinctive corporate culture at Salesforce, emphasizing values including trust, customer success, innovation, and equality. The company became known for its annual Dreamforce conference, which grew into one of the largest technology conferences in the world, regularly attracting tens of thousands of attendees to San Francisco.[9]

Benioff has been a consistent advocate for what he has termed "stakeholder capitalism," arguing that corporations have responsibilities not only to shareholders but also to employees, communities, and the broader society. This philosophy manifested in Salesforce's 1-1-1 philanthropic model, which pledges one percent of the company's equity, one percent of employee time, and one percent of its product to charitable causes. The model has been adopted by numerous other technology companies.[10]

Under Benioff's leadership, Salesforce completed a series of major acquisitions to expand its platform capabilities. These acquisitions helped Salesforce diversify its product portfolio and position itself as a competitor to other major enterprise technology providers.

Ownership of Time Magazine

In 2018, Marc Benioff and his wife Lynne Krilich purchased Time magazine from Meredith Corporation. The acquisition was made in a personal capacity, separate from Salesforce. Benioff assumed the role of co-chair and owner of the publication. The purchase positioned Benioff among a group of technology billionaires who have acquired major media properties, a trend that has raised questions about the intersection of technology wealth and journalism.[11]

Artificial Intelligence Advocacy

In recent years, Benioff has positioned himself as a prominent voice on the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI). In January 2026, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Benioff called for regulation of AI, citing documented cases in which AI systems had been linked to harm, including instances where AI chatbots were described as having acted as "suicide coaches." He challenged the technology sector with the question: "What's more important to us, growth or our kids?"[12][13]

Benioff's advocacy for AI regulation represented a notable stance within the technology industry, where many executives have resisted calls for government oversight of emerging technologies. At the Davos event, Benioff also raised concerns about Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and its applicability to AI-generated content, arguing that existing legal frameworks were insufficient to address the risks posed by increasingly capable AI systems.[14]

Controversies

ICE Contract and Employee Backlash (2026)

In February 2026, Benioff generated significant controversy when he made remarks at a Salesforce company event that were perceived as joking about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) monitoring international employees who had traveled to the United States. The comments provoked an immediate and intense backlash among Salesforce employees. Internal communications on the company's Slack channels showed widespread employee anger over the remarks.[15][16]

In the aftermath, more than 1,400 Salesforce employees signed an open letter demanding that Benioff cease business operations with ICE. The letter came as employees had reportedly already been planning to urge the company to cancel its contracts with the agency.[17][18]

Salesforce co-founder and chief technology officer Parker Harris publicly addressed the situation, stating that Benioff's jokes were "not OK."[19] The incident highlighted tensions between Salesforce's stated corporate values of trust and equality and its business relationships with government agencies involved in immigration enforcement. It also reflected broader debates within the technology industry over the ethical implications of providing technology services to government agencies engaged in controversial activities.

San Francisco Public Safety Comments (2025)

In October 2025, Benioff drew attention when he publicly stated that President Donald Trump should send National Guard troops to San Francisco to address public safety concerns. The statement marked a shift from his earlier political positioning and prompted discussion about the evolving views of prominent technology executives on urban governance and law enforcement.[20]

Personal Life

Marc Benioff is married to Lynne Krilich. The couple has two children.[21] The Benioffs reside in the San Francisco Bay Area. Together, they purchased Time magazine in 2018 as a personal investment, separate from Salesforce.

Benioff has been active in philanthropy, both through Salesforce's corporate giving programs and through personal donations. His philanthropic efforts have focused on areas including children's health, education, and homelessness. He and his wife have made substantial donations to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland, among other institutions.[22]

Benioff has spoken publicly about the influence of meditation and mindfulness practices on his leadership style and personal life. He has credited time spent in Hawaii and exposure to Hawaiian culture with shaping his approach to business and community.

Recognition

Benioff has received numerous awards and honors for his business leadership and philanthropic activities. In 2016, Fortune named him to its list of the World's Greatest Leaders.[23] In 2014, he was selected as Fortune Businessperson of the Year in the publication's readers' choice poll.[24]

The Economist honored Benioff with an Innovation Award, recognizing his role in pioneering the cloud computing and SaaS model that transformed the enterprise software industry.[25]

In 2009, the World Economic Forum named Benioff a Young Global Leader, a distinction shared that year with other technology industry figures including Mark Zuckerberg, Chad Hurley, and Kevin Rose.[26]

Barron's has included Benioff in its coverage of significant business leaders and technology executives.[27]

Benioff's marketing approach at Salesforce, including the company's branding, event strategy, and use of the "No Software" campaign, has been studied and cited as an example of effective technology marketing.[28]

Legacy

Benioff's principal legacy is his role in establishing and popularizing the cloud computing and SaaS model for enterprise software. When Salesforce was founded in 1999, the concept of delivering business applications over the internet on a subscription basis was unproven at enterprise scale. The company's success demonstrated the viability of the model and contributed to a fundamental transformation of the software industry. Numerous enterprise software companies subsequently adopted SaaS delivery, and cloud computing became the dominant paradigm for enterprise technology in the 2010s and 2020s.

The 1-1-1 philanthropic model that Benioff instituted at Salesforce has been adopted by hundreds of other companies, creating a framework for integrating philanthropy into corporate operations from the earliest stages of a company's development. The Pledge 1% movement, which grew out of Salesforce's model, has extended this approach globally.[29]

Benioff's advocacy for stakeholder capitalism and corporate social responsibility has placed him at the center of ongoing debates about the role of businesses in addressing societal challenges. His willingness to take public positions on issues including LGBTQ rights, equal pay, homelessness, and technology regulation has made him one of the more politically visible figures in the American technology industry. At the same time, controversies such as the 2026 ICE incident and his shifting public positions on urban governance have drawn scrutiny and complicated assessments of his public persona.

His acquisition of Time magazine in 2018 placed Benioff among a cohort of technology billionaires who have invested in legacy media institutions, a development that continues to prompt discussion about the future of journalism and the influence of technology wealth on media.

References

  1. ↑ "Salesforce's Benioff calls for AI regulation, says models have become 'suicide coaches'".CNBC.2026-01-20.https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/20/salesforce-benioff-ai-regulation-suicide-coaches.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  2. ↑ "Marc Benioff Says Trump Should Send Guard Troops to San Francisco".The New York Times.2025-10-10.https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/us/marc-benioff-san-francisco-guard.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  3. ↑ "Marc Benioff".Forbes.https://www.forbes.com/profile/marc-benioff/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  4. ↑ "How These Famous Benioffs Are Related".Business Insider.2015-04.http://www.businessinsider.com/how-these-famous-benioffs-are-related-2015-4.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  5. ↑ "How to Turn a Simple Idea Into a High-Growth Company".Salesforce.2013-03.https://www.salesforce.com/blog/2013/03/how-to-turn-a-simple-idea-into-a-high-growth-company.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  6. ↑ "Bio - Marc Benioff".Salesforce.https://www.salesforce.com/company/leadership/bios/bio-benioff.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  7. ↑ "How to Turn a Simple Idea Into a High-Growth Company".Salesforce.2013-03.https://www.salesforce.com/blog/2013/03/how-to-turn-a-simple-idea-into-a-high-growth-company.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  8. ↑ "How to Turn a Simple Idea Into a High-Growth Company".Salesforce.2013-03.https://www.salesforce.com/blog/2013/03/how-to-turn-a-simple-idea-into-a-high-growth-company.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  9. ↑ "Bio - Marc Benioff".Salesforce.https://www.salesforce.com/company/leadership/bios/bio-benioff.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  10. ↑ "The Gospel of Wealth According to Marc Benioff".Wired.https://www.wired.com/story/gospel-of-wealth-according-to-marc-benioff/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  11. ↑ Template:Cite magazine
  12. ↑ "Salesforce's Benioff calls for AI regulation, says models have become 'suicide coaches'".CNBC.2026-01-20.https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/20/salesforce-benioff-ai-regulation-suicide-coaches.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  13. ↑ "Billionaire Marc Benioff challenges the AI sector: 'What's more important to us, growth or our kids?'".Fortune.2026-01-20.https://fortune.com/2026/01/20/billionaire-marc-benioff-section-230-ai-whats-more-important-growth-or-kids/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  14. ↑ "Billionaire Marc Benioff challenges the AI sector: 'What's more important to us, growth or our kids?'".Fortune.2026-01-20.https://fortune.com/2026/01/20/billionaire-marc-benioff-section-230-ai-whats-more-important-growth-or-kids/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  15. ↑ "Salesforce workers outraged after CEO makes joke about ICE watching them".The Guardian.2026-02-11.https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/11/salesforce-marc-benioff-ice-joke-employees.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  16. ↑ "Marc Benioff 'Jokes' ICE Is Watching Salesforce Employees Who Traveled to the U.S.".404 Media.https://www.404media.co/marc-benioff-jokes-ice-is-watching-salesforce-employees-who-traveled-to-the-u-s/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  17. ↑ "Salesforce employees respond to CEO Marc Benioff's insensitive ICE comment. Here's what HR needs to know.".HR Brew.2026-02-20.https://www.hr-brew.com/stories/2026/02/20/salesforce-employees-respond-to-ceo-marc-benioff-s-insensitive-ice-comment-here-s-what-hr-needs-to-know.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  18. ↑ "Salesforce Workers Circulate Open Letter Urging CEO Marc Benioff to Denounce ICE".Wired.https://www.wired.com/story/letter-salesforce-employees-sent-after-marc-benioffs-ice-comments/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  19. ↑ "A top Salesforce executive says Benioff's ICE jokes were 'not OK'".Business Insider.2026-02.https://www.businessinsider.com/salesforce-cofounder-criticizes-benioff-ice-jokes-2026-2.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  20. ↑ "Marc Benioff Says Trump Should Send Guard Troops to San Francisco".The New York Times.2025-10-10.https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/us/marc-benioff-san-francisco-guard.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  21. ↑ "Bio - Marc Benioff".Salesforce.https://www.salesforce.com/company/leadership/bios/bio-benioff.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  22. ↑ "The Gospel of Wealth According to Marc Benioff".Wired.https://www.wired.com/story/gospel-of-wealth-according-to-marc-benioff/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  23. ↑ "World's Greatest Leaders 2016".Fortune.2016-03-24.http://fortune.com/2016/03/24/worlds-greatest-leaders-2016-intro/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  24. ↑ "Businessperson of the Year Readers' Choice".Fortune.2014-11-12.http://fortune.com/2014/11/12/businessperson-year-readers-choice/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  25. ↑ "Innovation Awards".The Economist.https://www.economist.com/news/technology-quarterly/21567206-innovation-awards-our-annual-prizes-recognise-successful-innovators-eight.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  26. ↑ "World Economic Forum Announces New Batch of Young Global Leaders: Mark Zuckerberg, Chad Hurley, Kevin Rose, and More".TechCrunch.2009-02-25.https://techcrunch.com/2009/02/25/world-economic-forum-announces-new-batch-of-young-global-leaders-mark-zuckerberg-chad-hurley-kevin-rose-and-more/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  27. ↑ "Barron's".Barron's.http://www.barrons.com/articles/SB50001424053111904797004577283662192414888.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  28. ↑ "Evolving Fashion: Marc Benioff's Marketing Genius".ViralWeGrow.https://viralwegrow.com/blog/evolving-fashion-marc-benioffs-marketing-genius/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  29. ↑ "The Gospel of Wealth According to Marc Benioff".Wired.https://www.wired.com/story/gospel-of-wealth-according-to-marc-benioff/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.

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