Bill Ackman

Bill Ackman
Ackman testifying before Congress in 2016
Born
William Albert Ackman

(1966-05-11) May 11, 1966 (age 58)[1]
Chappaqua, New York, U.S.
EducationHarvard University (BA, MBA)
OccupationHedge fund manager
Title
Spouses
Karen Herskovitz
​
​
(m. 1994; div. 2018)​
[4]
​
(m. 2019)​
[2]
Children4[5]
FatherLawrence D. Ackman
Websitepershingsquarecapital.com
Signature

William Albert Ackman (born May 11, 1966) is an American billionaire hedge fund manager who is the founder and chief executive officer of Pershing Square Capital Management, a hedge fund management company.[6] His investment approach has made him an activist investor.[7][8][9] As of June 2024, Ackman's net worth was estimated at $9.3 billion by Forbes.[10]

Ackman is a prolific philanthropist and signatory of The Giving Pledge, committing to give away at least 50% of his wealth by the end of his life to charitable causes. As of 2024, he is one of the largest donors to Planned Parenthood.

His doxxing of pro-Palestinian student protesters and human rights activists, has been condemned as targeted intimidation against individuals for their political beliefs.[11][12] Furthermore, his WhatsApp conversations with Israeli officials [13] have been described by astronomer Lucianne Walkowicz as revealing active complicity in the genocide in Gaza.[14]

  1. ^ Gordon, Amanda (May 12, 2013). "Scene Last Night: Icahn, Ackman, Bruce Richards, Gloria Steinem". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on November 22, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "#1941 William Ackman". Forbes. Forbes Media LLC. November 12, 2019. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved February 12, 2018.
  3. ^ Lin, Ed (December 30, 2022). "Bill Ackman's Pershing Square Lifts Stake in Developer Howard Hughes". Barron's. Archived from the original on May 15, 2023.
  4. ^ "Bill Ackman reportedly splitting with wife in big-money divorce". CNBC. Archived from the original on February 24, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017.
  5. ^ Celarier, Michelle (June 16, 2021). "Bill Ackman Sent a Text to the CEO of Mastercard. What Happened Next Is a Parable for ESG". Institutional Investor. ISSN 0020-3580. Archived from the original on February 5, 2023.
  6. ^ O'Donnell, Carl; Herbst-Bayliss, Svea (November 23, 2015). "Ackman boosts stake in drugmaker Valeant". New York, N.Y., United States: Reuters. Thomson Reuters. Archived from the original on November 10, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
  7. ^ "What Activist Investors Do, According to Bill Ackman". finance.yahoo.com. March 25, 2020. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  8. ^ "Bill Ackman: what I think of GameStop and shareholder activism". www.ii.co.uk. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  9. ^ English, Carleton. "Activist investor Bill Ackman is now feeling positive about the markets". www.fnlondon.com. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  10. ^ "William Ackman". Forbes. 2022. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  11. ^ Bill Ackman Says ‘Doxxing Trucks’ Could Teach Harvard’s President Empathy.” Business Insider, Dec. 2023, www.businessinsider.com/bill-ackman-says-doxxing-trucks-could-teach-harvard-president-empathy-2023-12. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
  12. ^ "Bill Ackman and the Crusade Against Free Speech” The Harvard Crimson, 8 Jan. 2024, www.thecrimson.com/article/2024/1/8/wynn-ackman-free-speech/. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
  13. ^ A WhatsApp chat started by some wealthy Americans after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack reveals their focus on Mayor Eric Adams and their work to shape U.S. opinion of the Gaza war.” The Washington Post, 16 May 2024, www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/05/16/business-leaders-chat-group-eric-adams-columbia-protesters/. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
  14. ^ “TED Fellows Resign After Bill Ackman Announced as Speaker at Conference.” The Guardian, 24 Jan. 2024, www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/jan/24/ted-fellows-resign-bill-ackman-speaker-conference/. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.