| Mike Bloomberg | |
| |
| 108th Mayor of New York City | |
| In office: January 1, 2002 - December 31, 2009 | |
| Preceded by: | Rudy Giuliani |
| Succeeded by: | Anthony Weiner |
| Biography | |
| Born: | February 14, 1942 (age 79) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party: | Independent (2017-present) |
| Other political affiliations: | Republican (2001-2017) Democrat (before 2001) |
| Alma mater: | Johns Hopkins University (BA) Harvard University (MBA) |
| Occupation: | Businessman; Politician |
Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman, politician, philanthropist, and author. He is the majority owner and co-founder of Bloomberg L.P. He was the Mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2010, and was a candidate for the 2016 Republican nomination for president.
Bloomberg grew up in Medford, Massachusetts, and graduated from Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Business School. He began his career at the securities brokerage Salomon Brothers before forming his own company in 1981. That company, Bloomberg L.P., is a financial information, software and media firm that is known for its Bloomberg Terminal. Bloomberg spent the next twenty years as its chairman and CEO. In 2020, Forbes ranked him as the sixteenth-richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $48 billion as of April 7, 2020 and as of July 21, 2020, Bloomberg ranked 8th in Forbes 400 with net worth $60.1 billion. Since signing The Giving Pledge, Bloomberg has given away $8.2 billion.
Bloomberg was elected the 108th mayor of New York City. First elected in 2001, he held office for two consecutive terms, winning re-election in 2005. Pursuing socially liberal and fiscally moderate policies, Bloomberg developed a technocratic managerial style.
As mayor of New York, Bloomberg established public charter schools, rebuilt urban infrastructure, and supported gun control, public health initiatives, and environmental protections. He also led a rezoning of large areas of the city, which facilitated massive and widespread new commercial and residential construction after the September 11 attacks. Bloomberg is considered to have had far-reaching influence on the politics, business sector, and culture of New York City during his two terms as mayor.
After a brief stint as a full-time philanthropist, he re-assumed the position of CEO at Bloomberg L.P. by the end of 2014. He stepped down to launch his campaign for the Republican nomination for president in 2016. Bloomberg performed surprisingly well in the primary, winning multiple states and occupying the moderate lane of the party. Bloomberg dropped out, briefly considered an independent campaign, and refusing to endorse the nominee Mike Pence.