Marc Benioff: Biography | Investments | Philanthropy (2024)

“When I get something in my head, it's hard for me to just let it go.” -Marc Benioff

From a young computer enthusiast to a well-known figure in the technology and business industries, Marc R. Benioff's journey exemplifies both his development as a person and the significant changes he has brought about in the sector. Along with having a beneficial impact on communities all around the world, his commitment to social responsibility, innovation, and stakeholder participation has helped Salesforce become a worldwide leader in commercial success. As he leads Salesforce into the future, Benioff's track record as an inventive businessman and advocate for positive change remains unshakable.

Outside of the IT sector, Benioff is well known for his vocal advocacy of humanitarian and environmental causes. His views on LGBTQ+ rights, and public education, and his work on initiatives like the Salesforce 1-1-1 Model have made him a well-known leader with a broad grasp of corporate responsibility.

Benioff has a roughly 3% stake in Salesforce, which is worth $8.4 billion.

Marc Benioff – Biography

Marc Benioff - Early Life
Marc Benioff - Career
Marc Benioff - Salesforce
Marc Benioff - Journey So Far
Marc Benioff - Personal Life
Marc Benioff - Investments
Marc Benioff - Philanthropy and Activism
Marc Benioff - Controversies
Marc Benioff - Awards and Recognitions

Marc Benioff - Early Life

Marc Russell Benioff, the CEO, chairman, and co-founder of Salesforce, was born on September 25, 1964, in San Francisco. In 1982, he graduated from Burlingame High School. His early attempts at programming as a youngster were evidence of his interest in technology.

At the age of 17, Benioff created and marketed Atari video games, making enough money to cover his education at USC. He was a member of the fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon while attending the University of Southern California, from which he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1986.

Marc Benioff - Career

Benioff first worked as an Apple intern for four months. There, he wrote the Macintosh 68000 Development System sample assembly language programs.

Later, he started working for Oracle Corporation, a well-known player in the technology and software sectors. He proved his software development prowess and held significant positions at Oracle for 13 years, earning him acclaim for his accomplishments.

In 1999, Benioff co-founded Salesforce to redefine customer relationship management and with an entrepreneurial spirit. When Salesforce was founded, it represented a paradigm shift in the industry by offering a cloud-based CRM platform that challenged conventional software practices.

Marc Benioff - Salesforce

Benioff is a visionary leader who has had a profound influence on the IT industry. He is renowned for his innovation and drive as an entrepreneur. His passion for software development was strong from the beginning, and he went on to create one of the best cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) platforms in the world.

One of Benioff's standout qualities is his distinctive leadership style, which promotes a stakeholder-centric approach. His endorsem*nt of the 1-1-1 model, which donates 1% of Salesforce's ownership, 1% of its product, and 1% of employee time to charitable organizations, demonstrates his strong commitment to social responsibility.

Salesforce's emphasis on charity and dedication to creating a vibrant, inclusive work culture set them apart in the technology business.

Rather than installing its software on customers' computers, Salesforce was a pioneer in hosting it online.

His commitment to diversity and equality is evident in projects like the Women's Surge program, which attempts to advance gender equality inside the company.

Marc Benioff - Journey So Far

When Marc Benioff and Parker Harris founded Salesforce in 1999, they presented a revolutionary concept that would fundamentally alter how businesses manage their relationships with customers. Salesforce offered a cloud-based CRM platform that upended traditional on-premise software assumptions. This shift signaled an unprecedented shift in the industry as companies began to embrace the scalability, flexibility, and accessibility of cloud computing.

Under Benioff's leadership, Salesforce has had phenomenal growth and is often listed by Forbes as one of the most innovative firms in the world.

Currently, Benioff has nine positions, including CEO and Chair of Mothernode, Investor at Birdeye, and Founder and CEO of Salesforce AppExchange.
Benioff is on nine boards and serves as an adviser.
He is an advisor at Artera, a member of the advisory board at Techonomy Media, and the board appointer at Kalos Financial.

Benioff's investing entity is called Time Ventures. The business seeks to make investments in the non-financial services, hospitality, business-to-business, and commercial goods and services industries.

Benioff is a co-author of four business and technology books.

Marc Benioff - Personal Life

Benioff has two children with his spouse Lynne Benioff. The Benioffs have taken an active part in several charitable endeavors.

He is the grandson of Marvin Lewis, a former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and a trial lawyer from California who supported the development of the BART system.

He is the second cousin of Game of Thrones creator and showrunner David Benioff.

Benioff loves Hawaii and he goes there on vacation very often.

Marc Benioff - Investments

He is an angel investor in many software companies and a well-known philanthropist. Here are some significant investments made by Benioff:

Under Benioff's direction, Salesforce has expanded its product portfolio through strategic acquisitions of well-known companies like Tableau and Slack. Salesforce's dominant position in the CRM sector and beyond has been solidified by its consistent dedication to innovation.

Marc Benioff - Philanthropy and Activism

In addition to his leadership in the technology industry, Marc Benioff is well-known for his philanthropic endeavors. He is committed to having a positive impact on a broader scale and is passionate about promoting solutions for social and environmental issues.

Benioff and his spouse Lynne have committed to donating $350 million to the University of California, San Francisco, specifically for the research and children's hospitals.

In January 2020 Benioff pledged that he and his spouse would finance 1t.org to assist a global campaign to plant and preserve 1 trillion trees over the following ten years.

Benioff has contributed millions of dollars to Hillary Clinton's campaign and led his business in the fight for LGBTQ and equal pay.

Along with his wife Lynne, he has invested in over 130 enterprises and contributed hundreds of millions to the fields of education, family homelessness, and children's health.

Marc Benioff - Controversies

Marc Benioff was taken aback by claims that Salesforce's culture was hostile to Black employees.

Marc Benioff - Awards and Recognitions

Here are some prominent awards and recognitions for Marc Benioff:

• Benioff was named co-chair of President George W. Bush's Information Technology Advisory Committee
• In 2019, he was named one of Harvard Business Review's ten best-performing CEOs and the CNN Business CEO of 2020
• He was designated one of the "World's 50 Greatest Leaders" by Fortune magazine
• The World Economic Forum named Benioff a Young Global Leader and appointed him to its board of trustees.
• He was chosen by Barron as one of the "Best CEOs in the World" and awarded The Economist's Innovation Award
• He was named "Businessperson of the Year" by Fortune readers

FAQs

Who is Marc Benioff?

Marc Benioff is the Co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Salesforce.

When was Salesforce founded?

Salesforce was founded in the year 1999.

What is the Net Worth of Marc Benioff?

The net worth of March Benioff is $8.4 billion.