George Soros
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| George Soros | |
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| Name | George Soros |
| Caption | Soros in 2018 |
| Birth name | György Schwartz |
| Birth date | 12 August 1930 |
| Birth place | Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary |
| Nationality | Hungarian-American |
| Education | London School of Economics (BSc, PhD) |
| Occupation | Investor, philanthropist |
| Known for | Quantum Fund, Open Society Foundations, Black Wednesday |
| Networth | US$6.7 billion (2024) |
| Spouse | Annaliese Witschak (m. 1960; div. 1983), Susan Weber (m. 1983; div. 2005), Tamiko Bolton (m. 2013) |
| Children | 5, including Alexander |
George Soros is a Hungarian-American investor, philanthropist, and political activist. He is best known for founding the Quantum Fund, one of history's most successful hedge funds, and for establishing the global Open Society Foundations. His financial activities, particularly his role in the Black Wednesday currency crisis, and his extensive funding of liberal and democratic causes worldwide have made him a highly influential and controversial figure.
Early life and education
He was born György Schwartz in 1930 in Budapest to a non-observant Jewish family. His father, Tivadar Soros, was a lawyer and a veteran of World War I who changed the family surname to Soros in 1936 to avoid growing antisemitism. The family survived the Nazi occupation of Hungary during the Holocaust by obtaining false papers and hiding their identity. In 1947, he emigrated from the communist Hungary to England. He attended the London School of Economics, where he studied under philosopher Karl Popper, whose concept of the "open society" profoundly influenced his thinking. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1952 and later earned a Doctor of Philosophy in 1954.
Financial career and the Quantum Fund
He began his career at merchant banks in London and New York City before founding his first investment fund in 1969. In 1973, he co-founded the Quantum Fund with Jim Rogers, a hedge fund that became legendary for its aggressive global macro strategy and spectacular returns. The fund famously made over $1 billion in profit by shorting the British pound during the Black Wednesday crisis of 1992, an event that forced the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism. His investment philosophy, detailed in his book The Alchemy of Finance, was based on his theory of reflexivity, which challenges conventional economic theories. Through his firm, Soros Fund Management, he amassed a multi-billion dollar fortune.
Philanthropy and political activism
His philanthropic work began in 1979 with scholarships for Black South Africans under apartheid. In 1984, he founded the Open Society Foundations in Hungary, aiming to promote democratic governance, human rights, and civil society in post-communist states. The network expanded globally, spending billions on initiatives across Central and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Africa, Asia, and the United States. Major focuses have included supporting the European University at St. Petersburg, funding the Central European University in Budapest and Vienna, and backing criminal justice reform via the Justice Collaborative. His giving has also heavily supported public health, notably through contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
Political involvement and controversies
His financial support for progressive and Democratic causes in the United States and for pro-democracy movements abroad has drawn intense criticism and numerous conspiracy theories. He was a major donor to the American Civil Liberties Union, MoveOn.org, and Priorities USA Action. Internationally, his foundations were active during the Colour revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine. These activities have made him a frequent target of right-wing and nationalist politicians, including Viktor Orbán in Hungary, Vladimir Putin in Russia, and figures within the Republican Party. Accusations, often antisemitic in nature, have falsely claimed he masterminds various global events, which he and his organizations consistently deny.
Personal life and family
He has been married three times: to Annaliese Witschak, art historian Susan Weber, and, since 2013, to Tamiko Bolton. He has five children from his marriages. His son, Alexander, now chairs the Open Society Foundations. A lifelong philanthropist, he has signed the Giving Pledge and has donated over $32 billion to his foundations. He maintains residences in New York State, Southampton, and Bedford.
Publications and philosophy
He is the author of several books on finance, politics, and philosophy, elaborating on his core ideas. These works include The Alchemy of Finance (1987), The Crisis of Global Capitalism (1998), Open Society: Reforming Global Capitalism (2000), and In Defense of Open Society (2019). His intellectual framework is built upon the Popperian ideal of the open society, which he defines as a system that thrives on critical thinking, democratic institutions, and the protection of minority rights. He argues that his theory of reflexivity explains inherent instabilities in financial markets and political systems, forming the basis for both his investment strategies and his philanthropic mission to counter authoritarianism.
Category:1930 births Category:American billionaires Category:American philanthropists Category:Hungarian emigrants to the United States Category:Living people