George Soros is a Hungarian-American billionaire investor and philanthropist known for his support of liberal and progressive causes. He is one of the most influential and controversial financial, political, and philanthropic figures.
He has been described by many observers as a visionary, a speculator, a philanthropist and a manipulator.
He is also famous for speculating on the British pound in 1992, which earned him the nickname “the man who broke the Bank of England”.
File
- Full name: George Soros
- Nickname: The Man Who Broke the Bank of England
- Date of birth: August 12, 1930
- Age: 93 years old (as of 2023)
- Gender: Male
- Place of birth: Budapest, Hungary
- Nationality: Hungarian-American
- Occupation: Investor, philanthropist, author
- Height: 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
- Parents: Tivadar Soros (father), Erzsébet Szűcs (mother)
- Siblings: Paul Soros (brother)
- Spouse: Tamiko Bolton (married 2013), Susan Weber Soros (married 1983–2005), Annaliese Witschak (married 1960–1983)
- Children: Robert Soros, Andrea Soros, Jonathan Soros, Alexander Soros, Gregory Soros
- Relationship status: Married
- Net worth: $8.6 billion
Early life and education
George Soros, now 93 years old in 2023, was born on August 12, 1930, in Budapest, Hungary. He is the son of Tivadar Soros, a lawyer and Esperanto writer, and Erzsébet Szűcs, a teacher.
He has a younger brother, Paul, who became a successful engineer and philanthropist. Soros grew up in an assimilated, secular Jewish family.
He survived the Nazi occupation of Hungary during World War II by hiding under a false identity with the help of his father.
He witnessed the atrocities committed by the Nazis and their collaborators, which shaped his worldview and commitment to human rights.
In 1947, Soros moved to London and enrolled at the London School of Economics (LSE). He studied philosophy under Karl Popper, whose theory of open society influenced his later ideas.
He received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1951 and his Master of Science degree in 1954. He also worked as a waiter and a train porter to support himself. He became interested in finance and decided to pursue a career in investing.
Personal life
George Soros has been married three times and has five children. His first wife was Annaliese Witschak, a German immigrant he met in London.
They married in 1960 and had three children: Robert, Andrea, and Jonathan. They divorced in 1983. His second wife was Susan Weber Soros, an American historian and former president of the Bard Graduate Center.
They married in 1983 and had two children: Alexander and Gregory. They divorced in 2005. His third and current wife is Tamiko Bolton, an American education and health care consultant. They married in 2013 and have no children together.
Soros has been a naturalized US citizen since 1961. He lives in Katonah, New York and owns homes in London, Southampton and Budapest.
He is fluent in Hungarian, English, French and German. He is an avid reader, chess player and art collector. He is also a supporter of various sports teams, such as the New York Mets, New York Knicks and Arsenal FC.
Career
George Soros began his financial career in 1954 when he joined the London-based merchant bank Singer & Friedlander.
He then moved to New York City in 1956 and worked as an analyst and trader at firms such as FM Mayer, Wertheim & Co., and Arnhold and S. Bleichroeder.
In 1969, he founded his hedge fund, Soros Fund Management, which later became Quantum Fund.
He made a fortune by betting on the volatility of currency and commodity markets, using a global macro investment strategy. He is widely considered one of the most successful and influential investors of all time.
Soros is also known for his involvement in major historical events, such as the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, the 1997 Asian financial crisis, and the 2010 European sovereign debt crisis.
He is credited with causing the Black Wednesday event in 1992 when he shorted the pound and forced the Bank of England to devalue its currency.
He is said to have made a $1 billion profit from the trade, earning him the nickname “the man who broke the Bank of England.”
He was also accused of interfering in the politics and economies of many countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Russia, France and the United States through his financial speculation and philanthropic activities.
Argumentative
George Soros has been the subject of much controversy and conspiracy theories, especially from his critics and political opponents.
He is accused of being the mastermind behind many global events, such as the Arab Spring, the refugee crisis, the Brexit vote and the 2020 US presidential election.
He is also blamed for causing economic and social instability, spreading fake news and propaganda, undermining national sovereignty and promoting a hidden agenda of globalization, liberalism and secularism.
He has been vilified by many media outlets, politicians and activists as an enemy of the people, a traitor, a manipulator and a Satanist.
He has faced threats, harassment and violence from extremist groups such as neo-Nazis, white supremacists and anti-Semites.
He has also been the target of several assassination attempts, such as a pipe bomb sent to his home in 2018.
Soros has denied and dismissed most of these allegations and complaints, calling them absurd, ridiculous and dangerous.
He has defended his actions and motives, saying he was motivated by his experience of living under oppression and his desire to create a more open, tolerant and democratic society.
He has also challenged his critics and detractors, saying they are motivated by fear, hatred and ignorance. He has stated that he is proud of his achievements and contributions and is not afraid of his enemies.
Social media
- Instagram Name: None
- Twitter Username: None
List of movies played
George Soros has appeared in a number of documentaries and films, sometimes as himself or as a character.
Some of them are:
- Soros (2020): A documentary directed by Jesse Dylan, exploring the life and career of Soros, including interviews with him, his family, colleagues, and critics.
- Inside Job (2010): A documentary directed by Charles Ferguson, examining the causes and consequences of the 2008 global financial crisis, featuring interviews with many experts and insiders, including Soros.
- Bubble (2009): A documentary directed by Jimmy Morrison, examining the housing bubble and subprime mortgage crisis, featuring interviews with numerous economists and investors, including Soros.
- The Age of Consequences (2006): A documentary directed by Eugene Jarecki, investigating the impact of US foreign policy on the world, featuring interviews with many political and military figures, including Soros.
Book
- The Alchemy of Finance
- George Soros on Globalization
- Soros on Soros: Always Ahead of the Times
- Protecting open society
- A New Paradigm for Financial Markets: The 2008 Credit Crash and What It Means
- Financial crisis in Europe and the United States
- The tragedy of the European Union: Disintegration or revival?
- Opening the Soviet system
- Patronizing Democracy: Encouraging Free Enterprise and Democratic Reform in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe
Net worth
George Soros is one of the richest people in the world, with a net worth of $6.7 billion, according to Forbes.
He is also one of the most generous philanthropists, having donated more than $32 billion to his Open Society Foundation, an organization that promotes democracy, human rights, and social justice around the world.
