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What is George Roberts’ Net Worth?
George Roberts, a prominent American financier, has an estimated net worth of $13.59 billion. This substantial wealth is primarily derived from his role as a co-founder of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), a leading global investment firm established in 1976 alongside Jerome Kohlberg and Henry Kravis.
Roberts owns about 3,188,755 shares of KKR & Co Inc, which are valued at over $328 million as of the latest available data. His stake in KKR has not only been lucrative but also influential, as the firm manages over $450 billion in assets across various sectors, including private equity, real estate, credit, and infrastructure.
In addition to his financial achievements, Roberts is known for his philanthropic efforts. He has made significant donations to educational institutions, including a $50 million contribution to Claremont McKenna College in 2012 and a subsequent $140 million donation in 2022. His philanthropic endeavors extend to various non-profit organizations, where he focuses on job creation and support for individuals facing employment barriers.
Here’s the breakdown of George Roberts’ net worth:
Name: | George Roberts |
Net Worth: | $18.56 Billion |
Date of Birth: | 8 April 1966 |
Profession: | Businessperson |
If you’re curious about how we estimate a celebrity’s net worth, you can check out our methodology here.
Early Life
George Rosenberg Roberts was born in 1943 into a Jewish family in Houston, Texas. His early education was marked by his attendance at the prestigious Culver Military Academy, from which he graduated in 1962. His time at Culver was distinguished, as he later received the institution’s “Man of the Year” Award in 1998.
Following his graduation from Culver, Roberts pursued higher education at Claremont McKenna College, earning his degree in 1966. He then attended the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law, where he graduated in 1969.
Career
George Roberts’s career began at Bear Stearns in the late 1960s, where he quickly made a name for himself in the corporate finance department. By the age of 29, he had become a partner at the firm.
During his tenure at Bear Stearns, Roberts, along with Jerome Kohlberg and Henry Kravis, initiated a series of leveraged buyouts, which were then referred to as “bootstrap” investments.
One of their early notable transactions was the acquisition of Orkin Exterminating Company in 1964, which is considered one of the first significant leveraged buyout deals. The trio’s success continued with several other buyouts, including Stern Metals and Incom, although not all ventures were successful, as evidenced by the bankruptcy of Cobblers Industries.
In 1976, due to growing tensions with Bear Stearns, Roberts, Kohlberg, and Kravis left the firm to establish Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR). This move marked the beginning of one of the most influential private equity firms in the world. KKR quickly gained prominence, particularly after the revision of the ERISA regulations in 1978, which allowed them to raise their first institutional fund.
Under Roberts’s leadership, KKR expanded its investments across various asset classes, including private equity, real estate, credit, and infrastructure.
Today, KKR manages over $450 billion in assets, and Roberts’s role as a co-founder and co-executive chairman has been pivotal in its growth and success.
Personal Life
In 1968, George Roberts married Leanne Bovet, with whom he had a long and happy marriage until her passing in 2003. Leanne Bovet was the daughter of Eric B. Bovet and Dorothy Champion, and she was a prominent board member of the San Francisco SPCA, which named its animal care center in her honor.
In 2010, Roberts married Linnea Conrad, a former partner at Goldman Sachs and the founder and CEO of Gingerbread Capital, a venture capital firm that invests in women-led businesses.
The couple resides in Atherton, California, and they are both actively involved in various philanthropic and cultural organizations.
Together, they have supported numerous causes and institutions, particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Philanthropic and Public Positions
George Roberts is widely recognized for his philanthropic efforts, particularly through the Roberts Enterprise Development Fund (REDF), which he founded in 1997. REDF focuses on creating job opportunities for individuals facing significant barriers to employment, such as the homeless, former convicts, and those with mental health issues.
The organization provides seed and growth capital, as well as specialized advisory services, to social enterprises that reinvest their earnings in skill development and training for their employees. Since its inception, REDF has supported over 100 social enterprises, generating more than $227 million in revenue and employing 18,000 people.
Roberts is also a trustee of Claremont McKenna College and Culver Military Academy, and he serves on the boards of several cultural institutions, including the San Francisco Symphony, the San Francisco Ballet, and the Fine Arts Museum. His philanthropic contributions extend to education, poverty alleviation, environmental conservation, and support for the San Francisco Bay Area community.
Notably, he has donated significant sums to his alma maters, including a $50 million donation to Claremont McKenna College in 2012 and a $140 million donation in 2022.
Awards and Honors
Throughout his illustrious career, George Roberts has received numerous awards and honors in recognition of his contributions to finance, philanthropy, and the community.
In 1988, he was awarded the Golden Plate Award by the American Academy of Achievement, which honors individuals who have made significant contributions to their fields.
Ashley Roberts is the founder of Real-Time Billionaires List. She founded this platform because she likes to know how much celebrities are actually making. She is always curious why these people can make much more money than the ordinary person.
With a Bachelor’s degree in finance, she is skilled at financial analysis and understands numbers related to wealth. Most of the articles on this site are edited by herself before publishing.
