Biography
Larry Ellison was born on August 17, 1944, in New York City, USA. When he was a baby, he became very sick with pneumonia. His mother felt she could not take care of him, so she gave him to her relatives to raise. Larry grew up with his aunt and uncle, Louis and Lillian Ellison, in Chicago. He did not meet his real mother again until he was 48 years old.
Larry was a curious child. He liked math, science, and reading. He was not very interested in school rules, and he did not enjoy normal school life. He joined the University of Illinois but dropped out because his adoptive mother died. Later he joined the University of Chicago for a short time, but he dropped out again. Even though he never finished college, he learned many things by himself, especially computers.
In his early 20s, Larry moved to California. He loved the free lifestyle and the growing technology world. He worked many small computer jobs and learned programming by doing real work.
Career Details
Larry Ellison’s career changed when he got interested in databases — systems that store information. In 1977, he and two partners, Bob Miner and Ed Oates, started a small company called Software Development Laboratories (SDL). Later, this company became Oracle Corporation, named after a project Larry had worked on.
Oracle grew very fast. Larry had big dreams. He wanted Oracle to be the world’s best database company. Oracle created strong software that helped banks, companies, governments, and big organizations store and use data. Many businesses started using Oracle databases, and the company became famous.
Oracle faced problems too. At one point the company was close to failing because of accounting mistakes, but Larry did not give up. He made big changes, fixed the problems, and returned the company to profit.
Over the years, Oracle became huge. Larry started buying other companies like Sun Microsystems, PeopleSoft, and MySQL. These deals helped Oracle grow even bigger in software, hardware, and cloud computing.
Larry served as Oracle’s CEO for 37 years, one of the longest CEO careers in tech history. In 2014, he stepped down as CEO but stayed as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Executive Chairman.
Achievements
- Founder of Oracle Corporation, one of the world’s largest and most important tech companies.
- Known as one of the top innovators in database technology.
- Built Oracle into a multi-billion-dollar global company with products used worldwide.
- One of the longest-serving CEOs in the tech industry.
- Bought and developed companies like Sun Microsystems, which created the Java programming language.
- Known for his luxury lifestyle, including yachts, airplanes, and owning most of the Hawaiian island Lanai.
Family & Personal Life
Larry Ellison has been married four times, but all marriages ended in divorce. His ex-wives include Adda Quinn, Nancy Wheeler Jenkins, Barbara Boothe, and Melanie Craft.
He has two children:
- David Ellison – film producer and CEO of Skydance.
- Megan Ellison – a well-known film producer and founder of Annapurna Pictures.
Larry has many hobbies. He loves sailing, flying airplanes, tennis, and collecting luxury items. He bought 98% of Lanai, a Hawaiian island, and turned it into a place focused on wellness, agriculture, and clean living.
Even though he is extremely rich, he donates large amounts of money to medical research, education, and health programs.
Net Worth
Larry Ellison is one of the richest people in the world. As of recent estimates, his net worth is around $150–170 billion, making him one of the top 10 richest individuals globally. Most of his wealth comes from Oracle, but he also owns real estate, stocks, and business ventures.
Ethnicity, Age, Height & Weight, Religion
- Ethnicity: Jewish heritage from both biological parents.
- Age: Born in 1944 — around 81 years old in 2025.
- Height: Around 6 feet 3 inches (approx. 1.91 m).
- Weight: Around 85–90 kg (varies).
- Religion: Not strongly religious; often described as agnostic (not sure if God exists).
Summary Table
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Lawrence Joseph Ellison |
| Date of Birth | August 17, 1944 |
| Age (2025) | 81 years |
| Birthplace | New York City, USA |
| Raised In | Chicago, by his aunt and uncle |
| Education | Dropped out of University of Illinois & University of Chicago |
| Occupation | Co-founder of Oracle Corporation; CTO & Chairman |
| Major Company | Oracle |
| Key Achievement | Built one of the world’s biggest tech companies |
| Children | David Ellison, Megan Ellison |
| Marital Status | Married four times, all divorced |
| Ethnicity | Jewish heritage |
| Religion | Agnostic |
| Height | 6’3″ (1.91 m) |
| Net Worth | $150–170 billion |
| Hobbies | Sailing, flying, sports, collecting properties |
| Notable Fact | Owns almost the entire island of Lanai, Hawaii |