Marc Benioff

$7.64 B

Ranked #461 in World

About Marc Benioff

Marc Russell Benioff, an American internet entrepreneur and philanthropist, is well-known as the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Salesforce, a prominent technology company. In addition to his role at Salesforce, he is the owner of Time magazine since 2018. Benioff started his career by selling his first application, How to Juggle, while still in high school. He went on to found Liberty Software and worked at Oracle Corporation before establishing Salesforce in 1999. Over the years, Benioff has made significant contributions to various fields, including philanthropy, social activism, and co-written works. His estimated net worth as of February 2022 is approximately US$8.31 billion.

Born

September 25, 1964 in San Francisco, California, U.S.

Age

61 years

Source Of Wealth

Business Software

Industries

Technology

Citizenship

United States

Residence

San Francisco, California

Education

Bachelor of Arts/Science, University of Southern California

Spouse

Lynne Krilich

Children

Marc Russell Benioff was born on September 25, 1964, in San Francisco, California. He was raised in a Jewish family in the San Francisco Bay Area. Benioff graduated from Burlingame High School in 1982 and received a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Southern California in 1986. He is the second cousin of showrunner and television writer David Benioff.

Marc Benioff: Family

Marc Benioff is married to Lynne Benioff and they have two children together. His wife, Lynne, is a former teacher and the founder of the Benioff Children's Hospital in San Francisco. She is also involved in various philanthropic activities and serves on the board of several non-profit organizations.

Marc Benioff: Career Highlights

Marc Benioff's career in the tech industry began at a young age when he sold his first application, How to Juggle, for $75 while still in high school. He founded Liberty Software in 1979, creating and selling games for the Atari 8-bit. After graduating from college, Benioff joined Oracle Corporation in a customer-service role and worked there for 13 years in various sales, marketing, and product development roles. He was named Oracle's Rookie of the Year at 23 and became the youngest person in the company's history to earn the title of vice president at 26.

In 1999, Benioff co-founded Salesforce in a San Francisco apartment with the mission of "The End of Software." He defined Salesforce's mission as "The End of Software." He extended Salesforce's offerings in the early 2000s with the idea of a platform that allowed developers to create applications. Benioff serves on the World Economic Forum's board of trustees and USC board of trustees. In 2018, he bought Time for $190 million and started Time Ventures, a venture capital fund, in 2019. He became co-CEO of Salesforce in 2021 and the sole CEO again in 2022.

Marc Benioff: Companies

Marc Benioff is the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Salesforce, a cloud-based software company that provides customer relationship management (CRM) solutions.

He is also the owner of Time magazine since 2018.

Marc Benioff: Major Achievements

Marc Benioff is widely recognized for his contributions to the tech industry and his leadership in corporate philanthropy. Some of his major achievements include:

Co-founding Salesforce, which has become a global leader in cloud-based CRM solutions.
Defining Salesforce's mission as "The End of Software" and transforming the software industry.
Establishing the Salesforce Foundation and promoting the concept of "1-1-1" corporate philanthropy.
Making significant philanthropic contributions to various causes, including healthcare, education, and environmental conservation.
Engaging in social activism and advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, gender equality, and social justice.

Marc Benioff: Awards & Achievements

Marc Benioff has received numerous awards and recognitions for his achievements in business, philanthropy, and social activism. Some of his notable awards include:

Appointed co-chair of the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee by President George W. Bush in 2003.
Named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2009.
Named one of the "Best CEOs in the World" by Barron's in 2012.
Received The Economist's Innovation Award in 2012.
Voted "Businessperson of the Year" by Fortune readers in 2014.
Named one of the "World's 50 Greatest Leaders" by Fortune in 2016.
Recognized as one of the 10 Best-Performing CEOs by Harvard Business Review in 2019.
CNN Business CEO of 2020.

Marc Benioff: Personal Life & Legacy

Marc Benioff is known for his philanthropic efforts and his commitment to social causes. He and his wife, Lynne, have been actively involved in supporting various charitable organizations and initiatives. Benioff is also passionate about environmental sustainability and has made significant contributions to conservation efforts. He is widely regarded as a visionary leader in the tech industry and a role model for responsible corporate citizenship.

Marc Benioff: Trivia

Marc Benioff is a fan of the Grateful Dead and has attended over 100 of their concerts.

He is a licensed pilot and enjoys flying his own plane.
Benioff is an avid art collector and has a collection of over 1,000 pieces of art.
He is a supporter of the San Francisco Giants baseball team and the Golden State Warriors basketball team.
Benioff is a member of the Bohemian Club, a private social club in San Francisco.

Wealth History

Timeline

1979

Founded Liberty Software, creating and selling games for the Atari 8-bit.

1982

Graduated from Burlingame High School.

1986

Received a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Southern California.

1999

Founded Salesforce in a San Francisco apartment.

2003

Appointed co-chair of the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee by President George W. Bush.

2004

Co-authored Compassionate Capitalism: How Corporations Can Make Doing Good an Integral Part of Doing Well.

2006

Co-authored The Business of Changing the World: 20 Great Leaders on Strategic Corporate Philanthropy.

2009

Named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. Co-authored Behind the Cloud: The Untold Story of How Salesforce.com Went from Idea to Billion-Dollar Company and Revolutionized an Industry.

2010

Donated $100 million to UCSF Children's Hospital.

2012

Named one of the "Best CEOs in the World" by Barron's. Received The Economist's Innovation Award.

2014

Voted "Businessperson of the Year" by Fortune readers. Donated an additional $100 million to UCSF Children's Hospital and $50 million to fund research on premature birth.

2015

Announced Salesforce would cancel all employee programs and travel in Indiana after the passing of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Announced that he would review salaries at Salesforce to ensure men and women were paid equally.

2016

Named one of the "World's 50 Greatest Leaders" by Fortune. Announced that Salesforce would reduce investments in Georgia and cancel a conference if a bill that would allow businesses to decline services to same-sex couples was passed.

2018

Bought Time for $190 million. Criticized other technology industry executives for "hoarding" their money and refusing to help the homeless in the San Francisco Bay Area in an interview with The Guardian. Announced his support for San Francisco's Prop C measure that would increase taxes on large corporations to aid unhoused residents in the city.

2019

Recognized as one of the 10 Best-Performing CEOs by Harvard Business Review. CNN Business CEO of 2020. Donated $25 million to UCSF to create the UCSF Benioff Center for Microbiome Medicine. Donated $10 million to Stanford University for the Microbiome Therapies Initiative. Donated $35 million to establish a Prostate Cancer Research Initiative at the University of California, San Francisco. Donated $10 million to the University of California at Santa Barbara to establish the Benioff Ocean Initiative. Co-authored Trailblazer: The Power of Business as the Greatest Platform for Change.

2020

Partnered with the US National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to form the Pacific Islands Research and Conservation Programme. Donated $30 million to the Center for Vulnerable Populations for the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative to study the impacts of homelessness, housing, and health. Provided financial backing for 1t.org to support a global initiative to plant and conserve 1 trillion trees over the next decade. Procured 50 million pieces of personal protective equipment for hospitals and COVID-19 first responders in the United States. Donated more than $1 million to Give2SF COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund.

2021

Sent a plane filled with medical supplies to India to help the country handle the COVID-19 pandemic. Founding partners of Prince William's Earthshot Prize. Became co-CEO of Salesforce. Announced that Salesforce would relocate any Texas employees who wanted to move after an abortion law went into effect.

2022

Sole CEO of Salesforce again.

Marc Benioff : FAQs

What is Marc Benioff's current net worth?

Marc Benioff's current net worth is $7.64 billion.

What is Marc Benioff's current global rank among billionaires?

Marc Benioff holds the 461st position globally among billionaires.

What is Marc Benioff's current ranking within the United States?

Marc Benioff holds the 182nd position in United States.

What was the change in Marc Benioff's net worth compared to the previous year?

Marc Benioff's net worth decreased by 1.69 billion dollars compared to the previous year 2025, when his net worth was 9.34 billion dollars.

What are Marc Benioff's main sources of wealth?

Marc Benioff's main source of income comes from Business Software.

In which industry does Marc Benioff primarily operate?

Marc Benioff is primarily involved in the Technology industry.

What is Marc Benioff educational background?

Marc Benioff holds a Bachelor of Arts/Science from the University of Southern California.

How old is Marc Benioff?

Marc Benioff is 61 years old.

How many children does Marc Benioff have?

Marc Benioff has 2 children.

Who is Marc Russell Benioff?

Marc Russell Benioff is an American internet entrepreneur and philanthropist.

What are Marc Russell Benioff's roles in Salesforce?

Marc Russell Benioff is the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Salesforce.

When did Marc Russell Benioff acquire Time magazine?

Marc Russell Benioff acquired Time magazine in 2018.

What are Marc Russell Benioff's notable co-written works?

Marc Russell Benioff's notable co-written works include 'Compassionate Capitalism: How Corporations Can Make Doing Good an Integral Part of Doing Well' (2004), 'The Business of Changing the World: 20 Great Leaders on Strategic Corporate Philanthropy' (2006), 'Behind the Cloud: The Untold Story of How Salesforce.com Went from Idea to Billion-Dollar Company and Revolutionized an Industry' (2009), and 'Trailblazer: The Power of Business as the Greatest Platform for Change' (2019).

What are some notable philanthropic endeavors of Marc Russell Benioff?

Some notable philanthropic endeavors of Marc Russell Benioff include the establishment of the Salesforce Foundation in 1999, the '1-1-1' approach to corporate philanthropy, and donations to various institutions and initiatives such as the UCSF Children's Hospital, research on premature birth, the Benioff Center for Microbiome Medicine at UCSF, the Benioff Ocean Initiative, and the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative.