William S. Fisher

William Sydney Fisher
Born	Template:Birth year and age
Nationality	American
Occupation(s)	Hedge fund executive, investor
Known for	Founder and CEO of Manzanita Capital Limited; board member of Gap Inc.
Spouse	Sakurako Fisher
Children	3
Parent(s)	Donald Fisher, Doris F. Fisher
Relatives	Robert J. Fisher (brother), John J. Fisher (brother)

William Sydney Fisher (born 1958) is an American hedge fund executive, the founder and chief executive officer of Manzanita Capital Limited, and has served as a board member of Gap Inc. since 2009. As the son of Gap's founders, Donald Fisher and Doris F. Fisher, he has maintained a close association with the company for almost three decades.

By January 2018, Fisher's net worth was valued at approximately US$1.85 billion.

Early life and education

Fisher was born to Doris Feigenbaum Fisher and Donald Fisher, the original founders of Gap, Inc.. He has two siblings, Robert J. Fisher and John J. Fisher. His education includes attending Phillips Exeter Academy, earning a bachelor's degree from Princeton University in 1979, and completing an MBA at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 1984.

Investment career

Following his MBA, Fisher took on roles at The Gap starting as store director for Banana Republic and later as general manager for Gap Canada. He advanced to president of Gap’s international division, where he oversaw expansion into markets such as Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan. In 2001, he established Manzanita Capital, a private equity firm based in London that specializes in branded luxury enterprises across Europe as well as consumer goods and retail industries. He joined Gap’s board of directors in 2009.

Political views

In 2019, it was disclosed that Fisher, alongside his mother Doris F. Fisher and brothers Robert J. Fisher and John J. Fisher, contributed nearly $9 million to a dark money organization opposing Barack Obama during the 2012 election.

Personal life

Fisher is married to Sakurako Fisher; together they have three children. His wife, who graduated from Stanford in 1982 and was born in Japan to an American father and Japanese mother, holds leadership positions as president of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and chairperson of the Smithsonian National Board.

Wealth and philanthropy

According to Forbes Magazine, Fisher's estimated net worth stands at $1.85 billion.

He is a prominent benefactor of Stanford University, endowing a professorship and donating $1 million in 2011 to support the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies. Additionally, Fisher serves as vice chairman of San Francisco’s science museum, the Exploratorium. Consistent with other members of the Fisher family, he backs candidates who advocate for pro-charter school policies.

In September 2022, Fisher donated $980,000 to oppose California's Proposition 30 on the ballot; this measure aimed to raise taxes on incomes exceeding $2 million but was ultimately rejected by voters.