billionaire

And They’re Off! Groupon IPOs With a Pop.

Peter Kafka in Commerce on November 4, 2011 at 7:48 am PT

Andrew Mason is worth $1.3 billion, at least for the moment.

Microsoft Co-Founder Hits Out at Gates

Nick Wingfield and Robert A. Guth, Reporters, The Wall Street Journal in News on March 30, 2011 at 8:35 am PT

Bill Gates schemed to take shares in Microsoft Corp. from his co-founder during the early days of the software company following his partner’s treatment for cancer, according to a new memoir by the billionaire co-founder, Paul Allen. The allegation is part of a critical portrait in the book of Mr. Gates, with whom Mr. Allen formed a friendship in grade school that evolved into one of the iconic partnerships of American business.

The Top 10 List for New Yahoo U.S. Head Ross Levinsohn–the BoomTown Rules

Kara Swisher in News on October 28, 2010 at 8:30 am PT

Dear Ross: Perhaps more than anyone, BoomTown is thrilled to have you back in the Internet ops game, after several years on the sidelines. Besides introducing an exciting new character and plotline into the daily digital drama set in Sunnyvale, Calif.–kind of like when one of Alexis Carrington's ex-husbands returned after a bout with amnesia on "Dynasty"–it's clear you are not going to be a shrinking violet.

Rich Dude Who Backed New York Times Bumps Tech's Gates as World's Wealthiest Man

Kara Swisher in News on March 11, 2010 at 9:31 am PT

Microsoft bigwig Bill Gates got hip-checked off the top perch as the richest man in the world by Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim on the annual Forbes list of the world’s Richie Richs. Often in the No. 1 spot, Gates actually got shoved off in 2008 by investor Warren Buffett (now No. 3), with whom he is good friends. Gates returned to the top rank in 2009, and now Slim–a telecom and more tycoon–has surpassed Gates’s net worth of $53 billion slightly with a $53.5 billion kitty.

Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg Opens Up (And Wants You To Do It, Too)

Peter Kafka in Media on December 11, 2009 at 5:37 am PT

Facebook had to imagine it would hear from lots of people who are upset about changes to its “privacy” policy, which encourages users to abandon traditional notions of “privacy.” So give Mark Zuckerberg credit: By allowing anyone in the world to see his own profile–and everything associated with it–the Facebook founder is at least putting on a good show.

Not With a Bang, but a Whimper: Icahn Leaves Yahoo Board (Plus His Entire Letter)

Kara Swisher in News on October 23, 2009 at 3:00 pm PT

Carl Icahn, the activist billionaire investor who made such a noisy fuss in his quest to force management and other changes at Yahoo, is taking a much quieter leave from the Internet giant’s board. He said “there was not a need at this time for an activist investor” on Yahoo’s board. That’s true, of course, but here’s BoomTown’s quickie analysis: Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz completely ignores him.

A Google Guy Keeps His Charity in the Family

Peter Kafka in Media on August 28, 2009 at 8:15 am PT

Google guy Sergey Brin and his wife, 23andme CEO Anne Wojcicki, have donated $500,000 to Creative Commons, the nonprofit that’s trying to reinvent copyright. It also happens to have a direct tie to the couple, in the form of Wojcicki’s mother, Esther.

BusinessWeek Explains Why BusinessWeek Is for Sale: It’s a Money Pit

Peter Kafka in Media on July 24, 2009 at 5:44 am PT

Earlier this year, a top BusinessWeek editor assured me that McGraw-Hill wouldn’t part with the publication–because even if it was losing money it was still a trophy asset for the publisher. But perhaps my source didn’t comprehend how much money his employer was actually losing.