Larry Ellison

Larry Ellison
Larry Ellison
Born	August 17, 1944 (age 82); New York City, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, business leader
Known for	Co-founder and former CEO of Oracle Corporation

Lawrence Joseph Ellison (born August 17, 1944) is an American entrepreneur and business leader who co-established the software firm Oracle Corporation. He held the position of Oracle's CEO from its inception in 1977 until 2014 and presently serves as the company's chief technology officer and executive chairman.

As of July 2025, Ellison is ranked as the world's second-richest person, with his net worth estimated at US$257 billion by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index and US$286.8 billion according to Forbes. Additionally, he possesses ownership of 98 percent of Lānaʻi, which is the sixth-largest island in Hawaii.

Early life and education

Born in New York City on August 17, 1944, Ellison was the son of Florence Spellman, a single Jewish mother. His biological father was an Italian-American pilot in the United States Army Air Corps. After suffering from pneumonia during infancy, Ellison was adopted by his aunt and uncle and did not meet his birth mother until he was 48 years old.

His upbringing took place in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood, predominantly a middle-class Jewish area. His adoptive mother, Lillian Spellman Ellison, was nurturing and affectionate, whereas his adoptive father, Louis Ellison—a government worker who lost a modest real estate fortune during the Great Depression—was stern and reserved. The family surname was chosen to honor Ellis Island, where his adoptive father had arrived.

Raised within a Reform Jewish household, Ellison remained skeptical of religion and chose not to have a bar mitzvah at age 13. While he respects Judaism as a cultural mythology, he does not adhere to its religious teachings. His connection to Israel is based on admiration for its technological advancements rather than faith.

Ellison attended South Shore High School before enrolling at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign as a pre-med student, where he earned the title of science student of the year. He left college after his sophomore year following the passing of his adoptive mother. He then pursued physics and mathematics for one term at the University of Chicago, where he first encountered computer design concepts. Afterward, he relocated to Berkeley, California, starting his career as a computer programmer with several companies.

1977–1994

During the 1970s, after a brief tenure at Amdahl Corporation, Ellison moved to Ampex Corporation, contributing to a CIA database initiative known as "Oracle".<ref>He drew inspiration from Edgar F. Codd’s research paper on relational databases titled "A Relational Model of Data for Large Shared Data Banks".<ref> In 1977, he co-founded Software Development Laboratories (SDL) with an initial investment of $2,000, $1,200 of which came from him.<ref> While possessing technical expertise himself, Ellison primarily concentrated on sales efforts while his partners managed product development.<ref>

By 1979, SDL had been renamed Relational Software, Inc. (RSI). Ellison’s goal was for Oracle’s product to be compatible with IBM’s System R database system based on Codd’s relational model; however, IBM did not release necessary error codes that limited this compatibility.<ref> Oracle launched its first product in 1979 under the name Oracle version 2.<ref> In 1983, the company changed its name to Oracle Systems Corporation after its flagship database product. Financial difficulties in 1990 forced a reduction of the workforce by 10% following losses attributed to an aggressive "up-front" sales approach that boosted immediate quarter revenues through future license sales. This practice led to earnings restatements and class-action lawsuits concerning inflated earnings reports. Ellison later described this episode as "an incredible business mistake".<ref>

While IBM maintained dominance over mainframe relational databases with DB2 and SQL/DS products, it delayed entering into Unix and Windows platforms. This created an opportunity for companies such as Oracle, Sybase, Ingres, Informix, and Microsoft to capture leadership positions within mid-range and microcomputer database markets. Between 1990 and 1993, Sybase grew faster than Oracle but lost momentum after merging with Powersoft in 1996. In 1993, Sybase sold its Windows rights to Microsoft, which marketed it under the name SQL Server.

Ellison received early recognition for his entrepreneurial achievements by winning the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the High Technology category.<ref>

1994–2010

In 1994, Informix overtook Sybase to become Oracle's chief competitor, igniting a widely publicized rivalry between Informix CEO Phil White and Larry Ellison. Informix encountered a significant revenue deficit in 1997, which resulted in earnings restatements and eventually led to White's incarceration. IBM acquired Informix in 2001. That same year, Ellison joined Apple's board following Steve Jobs' return but stepped down in 2002. After the decline of Informix and Sybase, Oracle held a dominant position in the database market until the late 1990s when Microsoft SQL Server gained traction and IBM enhanced DB2 through its acquisition of Informix. By 2013, Oracle’s primary competitors for database licenses on UNIX, Linux, and Windows platforms were IBM DB2 and Microsoft SQL Server, with DB2 maintaining leadership within the mainframe sector.

In 2005, Ellison resolved an insider trading lawsuit by agreeing to donate $100 million to charity on behalf of Oracle. That year, his total compensation comprised a $975,000 salary, a $6.5 million bonus, and additional payments amounting to $955,100. By 2007, his overall remuneration exceeded $61 million, including a $1 million salary and $50 million in stock options. In 2008, his income approached $85 million with a substantial portion from stock options; in 2009, his earnings totaled $56.8 million. Forbes recognized him as California’s wealthiest resident in 2006.

In April 2009, Oracle revealed plans to acquire Sun Microsystems after competing with IBM and Hewlett-Packard. On July 2 of that year, Ellison was granted another 7 million stock options by Oracle’s board for the fourth year running. Nonetheless, for the fiscal year 2010, his base salary was lowered to $1 from the previous year's $1 million.

Since 2010

The European Union approved Oracle’s purchase of Sun Microsystems on January 21, 2010, highlighting the opportunity to rejuvenate assets and develop innovative products. This deal included ownership of the widely used MySQL open source database that Sun had acquired in 2008. On August 9, 2010, Ellison publicly criticized Hewlett-Packard’s board for dismissing CEO Mark Hurd, a close associate. Subsequently, on September 6, Oracle appointed Hurd as co-president alongside Safra Catz, while Ellison retained his existing role.

In March 2010, Forbes ranked Ellison as the sixth wealthiest individual worldwide and third richest American, with net worth exceeding $28 billion. By July that year, The Wall Street Journal reported him as the highest-paid executive of the decade with earnings of $1.84 billion. His net worth increased to approximately $36.5 billion by September 2011 and reached $44 billion by September 2012, placing him among the globe’s richest individuals. He holds investments in companies such as Salesforce.com, NetSuite, and Astex Pharmaceuticals. In June 2012, Ellison purchased about 98 percent of Hawaii’s Lānaʻi island for between $500 and $600 million.

Bloomberg listed him as the eighth wealthiest person globally in October 2012. In 2013, The Wall Street Journal reported his income at $94.6 million. On September 18, 2014, Ellison named Mark Hurd and Safra Catz as co-CEOs of Oracle while assuming the roles of chief technology officer and executive chairman.

Oracle completed its acquisition of NetSuite in November 2016 for $9.3 billion; at that time Ellison owned a 35% stake in NetSuite, resulting in personal proceeds of around $3.5 billion. In 2017, Forbes ranked him as the fourth wealthiest figure in technology. By June 2018, his net worth was estimated at roughly $54.5 billion.

In December 2018, Ellison joined the board of Tesla, Inc. after acquiring three million shares but departed in August 2022. As of June 2020, his net worth stood at $66.8 billion. By 2022 he controlled approximately 42.9% of Oracle Corporation shares and held a 1.4% ownership stake in Tesla as of June 2023.

Ellison co-founded Project Ronin alongside David Agus and Dave Hodgson—a software startup aimed at revolutionizing cancer treatment through analysis of electronic medical records data; however, it ceased operations in 2024.

Other pursuits

In 1992, Ellison endured a serious elbow injury from a bicycle accident and subsequently contributed $5 million to create the Lawrence J. Ellison Musculo-Skeletal Research Center at the University of California, Davis. The Lawrence J. Ellison Ambulatory Care Center was inaugurated on the UC Davis Medical Center grounds in 1998.

To resolve an insider trading lawsuit related to his sale of nearly $1 billion in Oracle shares, Ellison was permitted to donate $100 million to his charitable foundation without admitting any fault. Nonetheless, a California judge rejected Oracle's request to cover Ellison's $24 million legal expenses, as such payment might suggest culpability. His financial gifts to Stanford University sparked concerns regarding the impartiality of professors overseeing Oracle’s case. After the events of September 11, Ellison controversially proposed software solutions to the federal government for creating a national ID registry and issuing identification cards.

By 2004, Ellison had given around $151 million—roughly one percent of his net worth—and in 2010 he became a member of The Giving Pledge, committing to ongoing philanthropy. In 2006, he rescinded a $115 million pledge to Harvard University following the resignation of President Lawrence Summers, whom Ellison acknowledged as the initial proponent of the donation.

Additional contributions from Ellison include $500,000 in 2007 to reinforce a community center in Sderot, Israel against rocket attacks, along with donations of $10 million in 2014 and $16.6 million in 2017 to Friends of the Israel Defense Forces for wellness facilities on a new campus serving co-ed conscripts.

In 2016, Ellison gifted $200 million to the University of Southern California to found the Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine, later renamed the Ellison Institute of Technology. A further campus was launched in Oxford in 2023, providing scholarships for twenty students each year.

In 2023, his foundation allocated more than £52 million to the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and committed an additional $218 million.

Aviation

As a certified pilot, Ellison has owned multiple aircraft. The city of San Jose cited him for breaching late-night noise restrictions at San Jose Mineta International Airport concerning planes exceeding 75,000 pounds. In 2000, Ellison filed suit contending that his Gulfstream V consistently landed at or below the 75,000-pound limit as certified. In 2001, US District Judge Jeremy Fogel ruled in Ellison’s favor by granting an exemption for his jet while upholding the curfew.

Ellison’s aviation collection also includes military jets such as an Italian SIAI-Marchetti S.211 and a retired Soviet MiG-29, which has been barred from importation by US authorities.

Film appearance

Ellison appeared briefly in the 2010 motion picture Iron Man 2.

Dining establishment

In July 2013, Ellison launched Nikita, a restaurant located in Malibu; it ceased operations in December 2014.

Agriculture

In 2017, Ellison invested in Sensei Ag, an agricultural enterprise focused on revolutionizing food production worldwide through artificial intelligence, robotics, and software solutions. However, a Wall Street Journal report from 2025 criticized the venture for underperforming expectations due to technological decisions, leadership challenges, and insufficient expertise.

Tennis

In 2009, Ellison purchased the Indian Wells Tennis Garden along with the Indian Wells Masters tournament for $100 million, subsequently investing an additional $100 million to enhance the venue. The following year, he acquired a 50% ownership share in the BNP Paribas Open event.

Yachting

After the economic downturn in 2010, Ellison sold his interest in the 453-foot yacht Rising Sun, which was valued at more than $200 million, becoming a partner to sole owner David Geffen. He then opted for a smaller vessel, acquiring the 288-foot Feadship yacht named Musashi.

Ellison is actively involved in competitive sailing through Oracle Team USA, having established BMW Oracle Racing for the 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup. His team pioneered kite yachting in America's Cup competition in 2002. BMW Oracle Racing acted as Challenger of Record for the 2007 America's Cup but was eliminated during the semi-final stage.

In February 2010, Ellison's yacht USA 17 secured victory in the 33rd America's Cup, marking the first time a challenger won in a deed of gift match and bringing the trophy back to American shores. Ellison himself was part of the crew during this winning race. Prior to this success, he launched legal disputes against defender Ernesto Bertarelli’s management of the event.

On September 25, 2013, Oracle Team USA triumphed over Emirates Team New Zealand to claim the 34th America's Cup held in San Francisco Bay. Despite receiving a two-point penalty for rule violations during preliminary events, Oracle managed an extraordinary comeback from a 1–8 deficit to win 9–8—a turnaround widely regarded as one of sport’s most remarkable.

In 2019, Ellison co-launched SailGP alongside Russell Coutts. This international racing series features F50 foiling catamarans—the fastest vessels ever raced—and has conducted global regattas attracting over 1.8 billion viewers during its inaugural season. Ellison committed funding for five years to develop SailGP into a financially independent organization.

Political involvement

Ellison publicly criticized NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, asserting Snowden failed to identify any individuals "wrongly injured" by NSA surveillance activities. In 2012, he made contributions to politicians from both the Democratic and Republican parties and hosted Republican senator Rand Paul at a fundraiser held at his residence in 2014.

He emerged as a leading donor to Conservative Solutions PAC, backing Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign with donations totaling $4 million by February of that year. In 2020, Ellison permitted President Donald Trump to conduct a fundraiser at his estate in Rancho Mirage, although Ellison himself did not attend. In January 2022, he contributed $15 million to the Opportunity Matters Fund super PAC aligned with Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), representing one of the largest single donations during that election cycle.

According to a May 2022 report by The Washington Post, Ellison took part in a post-2020 election conference call focused on strategies to contest the legitimacy of the vote count. Other attendees included Sean Hannity, Senator Lindsey Graham, Trump attorney Jay Sekulow, and lawyer James Bopp.

In January 2025, Ellison joined Sam Altman of OpenAI and Masayoshi Son of Softbank at the White House to unveil The Stargate Project, a $500 billion initiative aimed at investing in artificial intelligence technologies.

Archaeological support in Jerusalem and connections with Netanyahu

In 2019, Larry Ellison financed an archaeological dig in East Jerusalem, which sparked controversy among Palestinians, Israeli peace advocates, and certain archaeologists. That same year, a $1 billion lawsuit was initiated against Ellison and other supporters of Israel, alleging a conspiracy to ethnically cleanse Palestinians, accusations of war crimes, and financing genocide. This lawsuit was ultimately dismissed in February 2024.

Reports indicate that Ellison persuaded Israeli billionaire Arnon Milchan to dismiss his attorney, enabling then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—who was under investigation for corruption—to retain the lawyer. In 2021, it also emerged that Ellison had extended an offer to Netanyahu for a high-paying role at Oracle.

Honors

Ellison was awarded the Golden Plate Award by the American Academy of Achievement in 1997.

His influence on the Bay Area business environment was acknowledged with his induction into the Bay Area Business Hall of Fame in 2013.

In 2019, the Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine at USC presented him with the first-ever Rebels With A Cause Award in recognition of his sustained philanthropic efforts.

Time magazine included Ellison among the 100 most influential individuals worldwide in 2024.

Marital history

Ellison has entered into matrimony six times:

His first marriage was to Adda Quinn in 1967; they divorced in 1974.
He wed Nancy Wheeler Jenkins toward the end of 1976; their marriage ended in 1978, with Wheeler selling her SDL shares back to Ellison for $500.
Between 1983 and 1986, Ellison was married to Barbara Boothe, formerly a receptionist at RSI. They have two children, David and Megan, who are both producers in the film industry at Skydance Media and Annapurna Pictures, respectively.
On December 18, 2003, he married romance author Melanie Craft at his estate in Woodside. The wedding photographer was Steve Jobs, and Representative Tom Lantos officiated. The couple divorced in 2010.
From 2010 until 2020, Ellison was married to Ukrainian-American model and actress Nikita Kahn; their marriage ended in divorce in 2020.
As of 2024, Ellison is married to Jolin (Keren) Ellison (), who graduated from the University of Michigan.

Wellness

Ellison refrains from consuming alcohol and drugs, explaining that "I can't stand anything that clouds my mind."

Automobiles

Among his collection of exotic vehicles are an Audi R8 and a McLaren F1. His preferred car is the Acura NSX, which he reportedly gifted annually throughout its production run. He is also believed to own a Lexus LFA.

Residences

Ellison’s Woodside estate in California, valued at approximately $110 million, is designed with inspiration from feudal Japanese architecture and includes a man-made lake along with extensive seismic reinforcements. Between 2004 and 2005, he acquired over a dozen Malibu properties totaling more than $180 million, including five adjacent lots at Carbon Beach purchased for $65 million—then the priciest residential sale in the U.S. His residence in Pacific Heights, San Francisco features an entertainment system worth $1 million, equipped with a concert-grade video projector and a uniquely engineered subwoofer.

In 2010, he bought the historic Astors' Beechwood Mansion located in Newport, Rhode Island for $10.5 million. The following year saw him acquire the Porcupine Creek Estate along with its private golf course in Rancho Mirage, California, formerly owned by Yellowstone Club founders Edra and Tim Blixseth, for $42.9 million.

Ellison moved from California to Lānaʻi, Hawaii in December 2020, where he holds ownership of approximately 98% of the island. In 2022, he set a new record in Florida by purchasing a sprawling 22-acre estate in Manalapan, Florida for $173 million from Jim Clark; Clark had previously purchased it from the Ziff family.

Books

Softwar: An Intimate Portrait of Larry Ellison and Oracle, authored by Matthew Symonds and Larry Ellison (2004), published by Simon & Schuster, New York.

External links