3. Dagmar Dolby
United States
Widow of Ray Dolby, the founder of Dolby Laboratories. He invented audio systems used in the entertainment industry for 50 years
Net worth: $3.6 billion
Excerpt from Giving Pledge letter:
“I am delighted to confirm my plans to devote the major part of my estate to charitable causes. This is a decision my late husband, Ray Dolby, and I made many years ago, and will enable our sons, Tom and David, and their families to carry on these efforts to improve our communities.”
4. DONG Fangjun
People’s Republic of China
Member of the Standing Committee of the Shandong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Chairman of Dongfang Huiquan Financial Holdings Ltd.
Excerpt from Giving Pledge letter:
“Let’s create wealth through the diligent, pioneering and innovative spirit of entrepreneurs, and share this wealth through the generous, selfless and dedicated spirit of philanthropists. Let’s make philanthropy a value, a faith, a commitment and a lifestyle.”
5. Anne Grete Eidsvig and Kjell Inge Røkke
Norway
Net worth: $2.6 billion
Røkke started his career building a fishery business and is now chairman and majority owner of the Norwegian company Aker ASA, which is an industrial company working in oil and gas, maritime assets, fishery and marine biotechnology sectors. It is one of the largest private employers in Norway.
Excerpt from Giving Pledge letter:
“As the lucky ones in life, we have been given much, sacrificed little and gained a lot. It is a true privilege for our family to reconfirm our commitment to give back by joining The Giving Pledge.”
6. Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou
Monaco and Cyprus
Launched economy airline easyJet in 1995 at the age of 28
Net worth: $1.31 billion
Excerpt from Giving Pledge letter:
“My belief is that nobody has a monopoly on good charitable ideas, and the problems in our world will never all go away. So we have to keep helping, within our means, forever…”
7. Nick and Leslie Hanauer
United States
Nick Hanauer is a venture capitalist, the founder of Seattle-based public policy incubator Civic Ventures, founder of the digital advertising agency aQuantive which Microsoft bought for $6.4 billion and an author. He was the first non-family investor in Amazon.com.
Excerpt from Giving Pledge letter:
“There is no greater privilege than to be fortunate enough to devote the majority of one’s time and resources to helping others — to making our community, and the planet, better than we found it.”
8. Iza and Samo Login
Slovenia
Iza and Samo Login founded and held executive roles at Outfit7, a rapidly growing media and entertainment company best known for the Talking Tom and Friends franchise. They sold Outfit7 in 2017.
Excerpt from Giving Pledge letter:
“Not only are we pledging to spend the great majority of our wealth on non-profit environmental projects — we’re finally fortunate enough to be able to invest our time in these projects too.”
9. Dean and Marianne Metropoulos
United States
Dean Metropoulos made his wealth in the family private equity firm, Metropoulos & Co., which has turned around the business behind internationally recognized brands including Mumm and Perrier-Jouet champagnes, Ghirardelli, Bumble Bee, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Hostess, Pinnacle Foods, Premier Foods (UK).
Net worth: $2.5 billion
Excerpt from Giving Pledge letter:
“The true measure of who we are and the ultimate fulfillment we can enjoy is based on how we share our gifts with the multitudes of our fellow human beings who live their lives without hope. Sharing our good fortune with others allows our legacy and purpose to become lasting and meaningful. Unconditional giving of ourselves, and what we have, reflects a nobility of spirit which reaches out and binds all of us.”
10. Terry and Susan Ragon
United States
Phillip T. (Terry) Ragon, is the founder and CEO of InterSystems Corporation, a leader in healthcare database technology. Susan M. Ragon is an executive at InterSystems overseeing finance, administration and recruitment.
Net worth: $2.2 billion
Excerpt from Giving Pledge letter:
“Susan and I often find ourselves wondering, ‘Why were we born with so many advantages in life when others are born with none?’ It is, of course, an accident of birth. Susan and I were born in families of modest means, but we always had enough, we had natural gifts and we had opportunities. As those advantages have turned into financial success, we’ve increasingly felt a responsibility to help those less fortunate.”
11. Nat Simons and Laura Baxter-Simons
United States
Nat Simons and Laura Baxter-Simons are both leading executives at Meritage Group, an investment management firm. They are also co-founders of Sea Change Foundation, a private family foundation dedicating to global climate change.
Excerpt from Giving Pledge letter:
“Over time we have learned to appreciate the importance of collaboration in philanthropy. Like most other philanthropic areas, climate change and clean energy policy is profoundly challenging on many levels. While there is clear consensus on the need to act, there are so many actions necessary that no one government, charitable organization, or business can solve the problem alone. Given the sheer scope and myriad of approaches necessary to address climate change, there is a great need for groups to work together and to learn from one another.”
12. Robert Frederick Smith
United States
Net worth: $2.5 billion
Founder, chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, an investment firm that focuses on enterprise software, data and technology
Excerpt from Giving Pledge letter:
“Potential is no guarantee of progress. We will only grasp the staggering potential of our time if we create on ramps that empower ALL people to participate, regardless of background, country of origin, religious practice, gender or color of skin.”
13. Harry H. Stine
United States
Iowa farmer turned seed innovator and entrepreneur, CEO of Stine Seed Company
Net worth: $3.4 billion
Pledge letter not available as of publish time.
14. YOU Zhonghui
People’s Republic of China
Chairwomen of Shenzhen Seaskyland Investment Holdings Group Ltd.
Excerpt from Giving Pledge letter:
“Acting positive makes people gain wisdom and wealth. In their pursuit of career development, the entrepreneur becomes bigger and stronger. Staying kind, means to treasure life, respect nature, always have goodwill and be ready to help others in need. This makes people mentally healthy and blessed.”
See also:
Billionaire Bill Gates says these 3 fields have the most potential to change the world
Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Richard Branson have the same unexpected definition of success
What Mark Cuban, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and others would do if they had to start over