How much is Jeff Bezos worth and does he still own Amazon?

How much is Jeff Bezos worth and does he still own Amazon?

This article first appear at How much is Jeff Bezos worth and does he still own Amazon?

It’s not hyperbolic to say that some companies or services transcend being simple shopping outlets and become a part of the everyday life experience for many.

You don’t search for something – you Google it.

While ‘Amazon it’ has yet to quite become the catch-on phrase that others have, ordering from the site has become commonplace for millions, if not billions, of people across the globe.

Despite controversies about the treatment of works and taxation, for Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos, the success of the company he started in his garage in 1994 brought enormous wealth and success.

But how much is he worth now, and does he still control Amazon?

Here is what you need to know ahead of Channel 4’s new documentary The Billionaires Who Made Our World: Jeff Bezos, airing tonight at 10pm.

How much is Jeff Bezos worth?

As is the case with many high net-worth individuals, Jeff Bezos’ wealth fluctuates, usually down to the price and value of stock.

Jeff Bezos’s current net worth, as of 19 February 2023, stands at $120.4 billion (approx. £99.6 billion), according to Forbes.

The billionaire reportedly plans to give away much of his wealth during his lifetime and donated around $400 million (£330.9 million) to non-profits in 2022.

He runs the Bezos Earth Fund and the Bezos Day 1 Families fund.

For a time, Jeff Bezos was the wealthiest man in the world – a title he eventually relinquished to Telsa and Space X founder Elon Musk.

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon, the source of much of his wealth, on July 5, 1994, after quitting his successful career on Wall Street.

Bezos’ parents invested about a quarter of a million dollars in the company, with Amazon making its initial public offering on May 15, 1997 – and since then, the split-adjusted stock price has increased over 170,000%.

Originally a book-selling business, the shopping platform has since expanded into everything from developing technology to grocery delivery to a successful streaming service.

Does Jeff Bezos still own Amazon?

Again, according to Forbes, the founder of Amazon now owns just under 10% of the company – though he is still the majority stakeholder.

When he divorced MacKenzie Scott, his wife of 25 years, he reportedly transferred around a quarter of his (then-16%) Amazon stake to her.

In 2021, he stepped down as Amazon CEO, handing the reigns of the firm to Andy Jassy and transitioning to the role of Executive Chair and advisor to Mr Jassy.

Mr Bezos is not only involved in Amazon but also founded the space travel firm Blue Origin and owns the American newspaper The Washington Post.

The Billionaires Who Made Our World: Jeff Bezos airs on Channel 4 tonight at 10pm.

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First appear at How much is Jeff Bezos worth and does he still own Amazon?