George Soros
Candlefocus EditorSoros' investing credentials include helping to launch Quantum Fund, a Soros family office, in 1973, and building it up into one of the most successful hedge funds of all time. He was widely credited with having made a killing by betting against the British pound in 1992. His portfolio is estimated to be worth about $26 billion today.
In addition to his financial acumen, Soros is also a passionate philanthropist. He has given away over $32 billion of his wealth to causes ranging from education to human rights. He is the chairman of Open Society Foundations, a network of philanthropic organizations that tackle issues such as income inequality, judicial independence, and civil and political rights. He has also created the Central European University in Budapest, where students from around the world can study the very topics Soros seemed to have in mind when constructing his own career path.
Unfortunately, Soros has come under attack from right-wing groups due to his liberal views and philanthropy. He was the subject of a number of conspiracy theories, including one that accused him of being a puppet master behind the Arab Spring revolutionary movements in the Middle East. He has also been the target of anti-Semitic accusations and attempts to portray him as a globalist that works against the interests of the nation-state.
In spite of these attempts to marginalize him, Soros has remained committed to his vision, persistently putting his hard-earned wealth and reputation to work fighting for causes he is passionate about. With a background that ranges from investing success to human rights activism, George Soros is a figure of immense significance in the modern world.