Michael Dell

Michael Saul Dell is an American businessman, investor, philanthropist, and author. He is the founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, one of the world's largest technology infrastructure companies. He is ranked as the 37th richest person in the world by Forbes, with a net worth of US$20.8 billion as of February 2017.

In 2011, his 243.35 million shares of Dell Inc. stock were worth $3.5 billion, giving him 12% ownership of the company. His remaining wealth of roughly $10 billion is invested in other companies and is managed by a firm whose name, MSD Capital, incorporates Dell's initials. On January 5, 2013 it was announced that Michael Dell had bid to take Dell Inc. private for $24.4 billion in the biggest management buyout since the Great Recession. Dell Inc. officially went private on October 29, 2013.

On October 12, 2015, Dell Inc. announced its intent to acquire the enterprise software and storage company EMC Corporation. At $67 billion, it has been labeled the "highest-valued tech acquisition in history". The acquisition was finalized September 7, 2016.

Dell is the founder of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation which provides philanthropic support to a variety of global causes. He is an honorary member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum and is an executive committee member of the International Business Council. As well, he is also a member of the Technology CEO Council, the U.S. Business Council, and the Business Roundtable. Dell serves on the governing board of the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, India and is a board member of Catalyst. He has also served as the United Nations Foundation's first Global Advocate for Entrepreneurship.