Larry Ellison is the founder of one of the world’s most influential database software companies and is widely regarded as a pioneering figure in the global technology industry.

Larry Ellison, whose full name is Lawrence Joseph Ellison, was born on August 17, 1944, in Manhattan, New York City, to an unmarried mother, Florance Spellman. After suffering from pneumonia at the age of nine months, he was sent to Chicago to live with his aunt Lillian and uncle Louis, who later adopted him. His adoptive father Louis was a Russian immigrant who lost all his wealth during the Great Depression while working in real estate.

After graduating from South Shore High School, Larry Ellison studied Computer Design at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign between 1962 and 1964. Following the death of his aunt—whom he regarded as his mother—he dropped out. He later attended the University of Chicago from 1964 to 1966 but again left without graduating. Despite this, he later completed his education and earned two master’s degrees. In 1966, at the age of 22, he moved to Berkeley, California, near Silicon Valley, which was emerging as the center of the technology industry.

After relocating to California, Larry Ellison worked in various technology-related roles, ranging from Wells Fargo to mainframe manufacturer Amdahl, steadily improving his programming and computer skills. In the 1970s, he worked at Ampex, a company that had a database development contract with the CIA known internally as “Oracle.”

While working at IBM, Larry Ellison read a groundbreaking paper by British computer scientist Edgar Codd, which introduced the concept of relational databases. Deeply influenced by this work, Ellison decided to establish his own company. In 1977, together with partners Bob Miner and Ed Oates, he founded Software Development Laboratories, contributing $1,200 of his own money to the company’s initial $2,000 capital.

Inspired by the CIA project, the company named its first product Oracle 2—Oracle 1 never existed, as it referred to the confidential Ampex-CIA work that was never publicly released. In 1979, the company changed its name to Relational Software Inc., referencing the relational database concept, and in 1982, it was renamed Oracle Corporation after its flagship product.

Oracle grew rapidly and went public in 1986, raising $55 million and marking its first major step toward becoming a global technology giant. According to Forbes data from 2017, Larry Ellison’s net worth was estimated at $59.2 billion.

A certified pilot, Larry Ellison is known for his passion for aviation and owns two Soviet-made Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jets. His entry into the business world began through projects developed for the CIA, and his fortune was largely built through the success of Oracle.

In 2004, Oracle acquired PeopleSoft for $10 billion, significantly expanding its offerings in human resources, supply chain management, and financial software. In 2009, following intense competition with IBM and Hewlett-Packard, Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems, thereby gaining control of the MySQL database and strengthening its position in server hardware.

In 1997, Larry Ellison was invited by Steve Jobs to join Apple’s board of directors but declined. After turning 65 in 2010, he delegated daily management of Oracle to trusted executives such as Mark Hurd and Safra Catz.

In 2012, Larry Ellison purchased approximately 98% of Lanai Island in Hawaii for about $500 million. He renovated the island’s hotels, acquired two airlines to facilitate transportation, and invested heavily in renewable energy, transforming Lanai into an environmentally focused experimental community. In 2014, he officially stepped down as Oracle’s CEO.

Known for his taste for luxury, Larry Ellison purchased a $48 million home in Malibu’s exclusive Billionaires’ Beach in 2017. His first major real estate purchase was a $3.9 million home in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights in 1988. One of his most notable properties is a $70 million estate in Woodside, California, inspired by 16th-century Japanese imperial architecture and spread across nine hectares.

Following the death of his business partner Bob Miner in 1994, Larry Ellison reduced his extravagant lifestyle and began focusing more on science and philanthropy. Recognized as a major entrepreneur, he frequently participates in global seminars, conferences, and discussions, and donates millions of dollars worldwide.

Through the Lawrence Ellison Foundation and contributions to organizations such as the Red Cross, Larry Ellison has donated billions of dollars to humanitarian causes across Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. Known for his philanthropic philosophy, he once stated, “If I earn $200 per second sitting still, no one should go hungry.”

Marriages:
1st wife: Married Adda Quinn in 1967; divorced in 1974.
2nd wife: Married Nancy Wheeler Jenkins in 1977; divorced in 1978.
3rd wife: Married Barbara Boothe in 1983; divorced in 1986. He has two children from this marriage: David Ellison (born 1983) and Megan Ellison (born 1986).
4th wife: Married Melanie Craft in 2003; divorced in 2010.

Since 2010, Larry Ellison has been in a long-term relationship with model and actress Nikita Kahn.

Source: Biyografiler.com