Steven A. Ballmer
American business executive; former chief executive of Microsoft and owner of the Los Angeles Clippers
| Steve Ballmer
| |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 3 1956 (age 70 years old (as of 2026)
) United States |
| Occupation | business executive |
| Known for | Former CEO of Microsoft; owner of the Los Angeles Clippers |
| Education | Harvard University; Stanford University |
Steven A. Ballmer, known as Steve Ballmer (born 24 March 1956) is an American business executive, former chief executive of Microsoft and owner of the Los Angeles Clippers.[1] On 20 October 2026 the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires list ranked Ballmer ninth in the world, with an estimated net worth of US$164.6 billion; Forbes gives the source of wealth as Microsoft.[2] The Bloomberg Billionaires Index, as reported by Investopedia, put the figure at US$179 billion on 1 October 2026.[3]
Background
Born 24 March 1956 in the United States.[1]
Education
Harvard University (bachelor’s degree); left Stanford’s MBA programme.[1]
In its 2025 Richest in each state profile text, Forbes stated: "Ballmer and Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates were classmates at Harvard."[1]
Career and companies
Joined Microsoft in 1980 as employee No. 30; CEO 2000–2014. Bought the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers in 2014 for $2 billion.[1]
How the wealth was made
Microsoft shareholding (4% at retirement; he says he is the largest individual shareholder) and the Clippers.[1]
Wealth history
Forbes has included this person in its annual World's Billionaires list in 26 of the editions from 2001 to 2026 checked for this profile, starting with 2001. The table gives the rank and estimated net worth in each annual list, and, where applicable, the rank and estimate in the Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans.[4][1]
| Year | World's Billionaires rank | Net worth (US$ bn) | Forbes 400 rank | Forbes 400 net worth (US$ bn) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | – | – | 17 | 3.7 |
| 1997 | – | – | 6 | 8.3 |
| 1998 | – | – | 5 | 12.0 |
| 1999 | – | – | 4 | 23.0 |
| 2001 | 13 | 16.6 | 10 | 15.1 |
| 2002 | 15 | 14.8 | 10 | 11.9 |
| 2003 | 16 | 11.1 | 11 | 12.2 |
| 2004 | 19 | 12.4 | 11 | 12.6 |
| 2005 | 24 | 12.1 | 11 | 14.0 |
| 2006 | 24 | 13.6 | 15 | 13.6 |
| 2007 | 31 | 15.0 | 16 | 15.2 |
| 2008 | 43 | 15.0 | 15 | 15.0 |
| 2009 | 29 | 11.0 | 14 | 13.3 |
| 2010 | 33 | 14.5 | 16 | 13.1 |
| 2011 | 46 | 14.5 | 19 | 13.9 |
| 2012 | 44 | 15.7 | 19 | 15.9 |
| 2013 | 51 | 15.2 | 21 | 18.0 |
| 2014 | 36 | 19.3 | 18 | 22.5 |
| 2015 | 35 | 21.5 | 21 | 21.6 |
| 2016 | 26 | 23.5 | 15 | 27.5 |
| 2017 | 21 | 30.0 | 15 | 33.6 |
| 2018 | 22 | 38.4 | 14 | 42.3 |
| 2019 | 19 | 41.2 | 9 | 51.7 |
| 2020 | 11 | 52.7 | 6 | 69.0 |
| 2021 | 14 | 68.7 | 9 | 96.5 |
| 2022 | 9 | 91.4 | 8 | 83.0 |
| 2023 | 10 | 80.7 | 9 | 101.0 |
| 2024 | 8 | 121.0 | 8 | 123.0 |
| 2025 | 10 | 118.0 | 7 | 153.0 |
| 2026 | 15 | 126.0 | 9 | 156.0 |
Philanthropy
Forbes reports the Ballmers have given away more than $7.4 billion. He created USAFacts.org, a website on government spending.[1]
On 16 May 2024 the National Park Foundation announced a $25 million gift from Connie and Steve Ballmer, cofounders of Ballmer Group.[5] On 12 November 2025 Washington Governor Bob Ferguson and Ballmer Group announced a grant to fund up to 10,000 additional seats in the state’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) for ten years. The governor’s office said it would likely provide more than $1 billion in support for early learning over the decade.[6]
Political donations and public roles
Itemised contributions recorded by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Totals are lower bounds: only the top 100 records per name and cycle were retrieved, and memo entries are excluded.[7]
| Cycle | Total (US$, lower bound) | Records | Largest recipient committees (as filed with the FEC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $53,900 | 7 | DCCC ($36,500); Ben Samuels for Congress ($5,800); Mark Kelly for Senate ($5,800); People for Patty Murray ($2,900) |
| 2026 | $3,100 | 1 | People for Patty Murray ($3,100) |
Lobbying by companies
Company-level: according to Issue One’s analysis of federal lobbying disclosures, Microsoft spent $10.1 million in 2025, 2% less than in 2024.[8]
| Company | 2025 spending | Change from 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Meta | $26.29 million | about 8% higher (record) |
| Alphabet | $16.62 million | nearly 12% higher |
| Microsoft | $10.1 million | 2% lower |
| Nvidia | $4.95 million | up from $640,000 |
| X | $720,000 | unchanged |
Controversies and legal cases
In 2025 the NBA investigated whether the Clippers circumvented the salary cap after the firm Aspiration paid Kawhi Leonard $21 million; Ballmer had invested $50 million in Aspiration and said he was not involved in its deal with Leonard.[9] On 2 September 2026 the NBA fined the Clippers $30 million, ordered them to forfeit five first-round picks (2029–2033) and suspended Ballmer from all league and team activities for one year, finding he knowingly sought to help Leonard obtain off-court income.[10] Company-level: on 3 April 2000, after the US District Court’s conclusions of law in the government’s antitrust case against Microsoft, the Attorney General said: “We are pleased that the Court agreed with the Department that Microsoft abused its monopoly power.”[11]
International and political links
This section uses the same ten headings for every profile in this series. Only specific, sourced actions are included; company-level and foundation-level actions are labelled as such. Where nothing was found, the entry reads "No documented involvement found in sources checked."
Israel (investments, operations, donations, contracts, statements)
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Zionist or pro-Israel organisations and lobbying groups
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Jewish communal charities
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Gulf states
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
China
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Russia
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
India
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Palestinian or Arab causes
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Home government
Foundation-level: Ballmer Group’s ECEAP grant (announced 12 November 2025) is made to the State of Washington. The governor proposed legislation to create an account to receive it.[6]
Other international links
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Earlier Powerbase text (retained)
This section keeps text from the earlier version of this page, with its original citations. Where it conflicts with the sourced sections above (for example on current job titles), the sections above reflect sources accessed on 20 October 2026.
Ballmer is a Harvard graduate with a degree in Mathematics and Economics and is now Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Corporation. Ballmer joined in 1980 and was the first business manager hired by Bill Gates. Former President, now CEO. The company has seven business After college he worked at Procter and Gamble Co for two years. Beofore working for Microsoft he attended Stanford University Graduate School of Business. [12]
See also
External links
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Forbes, Forbes profile record for Steve Ballmer (Forbes data feed behind forbes.com/profile/steve-ballmer/) Forbes, live record, real-time timestamp 20 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Forbes, Forbes Real-Time Billionaires data feed Forbes, live; downloaded 20 October 2026 11:51 UTC, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Investopedia, The 10 Richest People in the World (citing Bloomberg Billionaires Index, figures as of 1 Oct 2026) Investopedia, updated 2 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Forbes, Forbes World's Billionaires list data feed, annual editions 2001–2026 (one file per year at this path with the year substituted; all 26 files downloaded and read) Forbes, annual lists; downloaded 20 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ National Park Foundation, National Park Foundation Receives $25 Million Gift from Connie and Steve Ballmer National Park Foundation, 16 May 2024, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Office of the Governor of Washington, Governor Ferguson, Ballmer Group announce new grant to fund early learning for 10,000 Washington kids Office of the Governor of Washington, 12 November 2025, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ U.S. Federal Election Commission, OpenFEC Schedule A (itemised individual contributions) query, contributor name "BALLMER, STEVE / BALLMER, STEVEN"; 2024 cycle shown in link, the 2022, 2024 and 2026 cycles were queried with the same parameters; top 100 records per name and cycle; compiler filtered by employer/occupation and excluded memo entries from totals U.S. Federal Election Commission, data as filed; queried 20 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Issue One, Armies of Lobbyists Helped Big Tech Rack up Victories During First Year of Trump's Second Term Issue One, 21 January 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, Clippers, Steve Ballmer face NBA investigation over Kawhi Leonard allegations Los Angeles Times, 28 September 2025, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ NBA, NBA announces penalties and findings arising from investigation of LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard NBA, 2 September 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ U.S. Department of Justice, Attorney General's Statement on Microsoft Conclusions of Law U.S. Department of Justice, 3 April 2000, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Microsoft (2007)Board of DirectorsMicrosoft Website(accessed 30/01/07)