Steve Ballmer, Former Microsoft Assistant, Ranks as World’s Fifth Richest Individual
According to Bloomberg’s real-time assessment, Steve Ballmer, previously an assistant to Bill Gates at Microsoft, has emerged as the world’s fifth-richest person. Ballmer, who started as the 24th employee at Microsoft in 1980, has experienced a substantial surge in wealth over the past year, amassing an estimated $117 billion, placing him just behind Bill Gates, whose net worth is estimated at $122 billion. Notably, Gates has been actively involved in philanthropy, contributing large sums of money since departing from Microsoft.
Ballmer’s fortune positions him at fifth place on Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index. His wealth has notably soared by over $30 billion since the beginning of the year. Ahead of Ballmer are only Elon Musk, Bernard Arnault, Jeff Bezos, and Bill Gates. The following positions in the top 10, after Ballmer, are held by Larry Ellison, Warren Buffet, Larry Page, Mark Zuckerberg, and Sergey Brin. Notably, Ballmer stands out among the top 10 billionaires as the only individual who is not a founder of a major business empire.
A Harvard University graduate in applied mathematics and economics, Ballmer crossed paths with Gates during their time at the university. While Gates chose to drop out and initiate Microsoft, Ballmer finished his education in 1977. He commenced his career at Microsoft as an assistant to the president, taking on a role that primarily involved managing the swiftly expanding software company. Ballmer steadily progressed within the company, eventually assuming the roles of president and later CEO, succeeding Gates. He concluded his tenure as CEO in 2014, simultaneously acquiring the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team.
The major portion of Ballmer’s wealth remains intertwined with Microsoft stock. Bloomberg’s estimations indicate that Ballmer retains approximately a 4% stake in the company. Microsoft’s shares have surged by about 40% in 2023 alone, primarily influenced by an AI-driven resurgence in the technology sector.
