Billionaire Bill Ackman's Diverse Ventures and Philanthropy

Bill Ackman is a billionaire investor and entrepreneur with a diverse range of ventures. He is the founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, a hedge fund that has made significant investments in companies like McDonald's and Howard Hughes Corporation.

Ackman is also known for his philanthropic efforts, particularly in the area of education. He has donated millions to organizations like the Harlem Village Academies and the University of Southern California.

Ackman's business ventures extend beyond finance, as he has also invested in companies like Restaurant Brands International, the parent company of Burger King and Tim Hortons.

Bill Ackman's investment career has been marked by bold calls and unconventional strategies. He's said that his most successful investments have always been the ones that nobody believed in.

Ackman's most notable market plays include shorting MBIA's bonds during the financial crisis of 2007-2008, and his stakes in Target Corporation, Valeant Pharmaceuticals, and Chipotle Mexican Grill. He's also known for his proxy fight with Canadian Pacific Railway.

Ackman's investment style is centered around making bold calls that challenge the status quo. He's said to admire short sellers such as Carson Block of Muddy Waters Capital and Andrew Left of Citron Research.

In 2004, Ackman started Pershing Square Capital Management with $54 million from his personal funds and Leucadia National. He's since delivered $4.5 billion in net gains for investors in 2014.

Ackman's investments haven't always been successful, however. He suffered a substantial loss on his stake in Valeant Pharmaceuticals, selling his remaining shares for $300 million in 2017. The total cost of the position, including stock purchases and options traded, was estimated to be $4.6 billion.

Billionaire Bill Ackman is a dedicated philanthropist, having committed to giving away at least 50% of his wealth to charitable causes through The Giving Pledge.

He has made significant donations to various organizations, including the Center for Jewish History, where he helped retire $30 million in debt with a personal contribution of $6.8 million.

Ackman's foundation, the Pershing Square Foundation, has committed over $400 million in grants since its inception in 2006.

The foundation has supported causes such as economic development, education, healthcare, human rights, arts, and urban development, and is a major donor to Planned Parenthood.

In 2014, the Challenged Athletes Foundation honored Ackman for helping raise a record $2.3 million at a gala fundraiser.

Ackman has also auctioned off a lunch with himself for charity, with the proceeds going towards helping frontline healthcare workers, police, and veterans struggling with anxiety, depression, addiction, and suicide.

He has also been a vocal supporter of biologist David M. Sabatini, who was previously involved in a scandal, and has pledged $25 million over five years to establish a new research laboratory for Sabatini.

Ackman called for a "30-day shutdown" of the American economy in March 2020 to slow the spread of coronavirus.

He warned that without intervention, hotel stocks were "going to zero" and that America could "end as we know it".

Bill Ackman is a signer of The Giving Pledge, committing to give away at least 50% of his wealth by the end of his life to charitable causes. He has given to various organizations, including the Center for Jewish History, where he contributed $6.8 million to retire $30 million in debt.

Ackman's foundation donated $1.1 million to the Innocence Project in New York City and Centurion Ministries in Princeton, New Jersey. The foundation has also committed more than $400 million in grants since 2006.

In 2006, Ackman and his then-wife Karen founded the Pershing Square Foundation to fund innovation in economic development, education, healthcare, human rights, arts, and urban development. The foundation is a major donor to Planned Parenthood.

Ackman was honored at a gala fundraiser in 2014 for helping raise a record $2.3 million for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. This organization provides sports equipment to those with physical disabilities.

In 2021, Ackman donated 26.5 million shares in South Korean e-commerce company Coupang, valued at $1.36 billion, to three entities, one of them his own foundation.

Bill Ackman, a billionaire investor, has made significant contributions to the Democratic Party, donating to candidates like Richard Blumenthal and Chuck Schumer, and even endorsing Michael Bloomberg for President in 2016.

Ackman's support for the Democratic Party continued in 2024, as he endorsed Congressman Dean Phillips for the presidential nomination. Phillips' campaign website initially included a reference to DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion), but Ackman's public nudging led to its removal.

Ackman has also been involved in Harvard University politics, donating over $50 million to the institution and even ousting President Claudine Gay due to her handling of the Hamas attacks in 2023.

Ackman's views on DEI have been critical, describing it as "reverse racism." He has also been accused of plagiarism, which helped topple Gay as Harvard's president, and has faced scrutiny over his firm Pershing Square's lack of diversity.

Ackman's daughter reportedly became an anti-capitalist while attending Harvard, suggesting a personal connection to the issue.

The real architect behind the film Megalopolis is none other than Bill Ackman's wife, Oxman. She's a renowned architect with a background in academia.

Oxman's work on the film was significant, but most of her character's story was left on the cutting room floor. Her husband, Bill Ackman, even joked about it on social media.

Oxman has had her share of controversies, including citation errors in her PhD dissertation and accepting a donation from the late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.