CEOs With Astonishing Homes
Behind every successful business lies a powerful CEO. These people are at the top of their game when it comes to getting the job done, but with so much being thrown at them at once, these businessmen and women also know a thing or two about staying relaxed.
These CEOs have the fanciest homes around. Find out just how decadent life can be when running a multimillion or multibillion dollar company.
Oprah Winfrey
Known as the “Queen of all Media,” Oprah Winfrey has been a dominant force since 1986. In 2008, Winfrey began her own cable network, The Oprah Winfrey Network, which reaches over 80 million households.
Winfrey owns seven homes, but her main residence is her Montecito, California mansion. Purchased in 2001, the property features a massive garden, which includes a tea house and sculptures, and a specialized reading room. While this room features a slew of books, Winfrey isn’t fond of guests touching them.
Mark Zuckerberg
In 2004, Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook as a way for college students to connect. Over time, the social media platform grew into a massive force with 2.5 billion users. In 2007, he became the youngest self-made billionaire ever at the age of 23.
Zuckerberg keeps close to his job with a mansion in Menlo Park, California that he paid $7 million for the property back in 2011. It includes a massive pool in the backyard and a sun room. There’s also an office in the back for Zuckerberg when he’s brainstorming late at night. If that doesn’t seem decadent enough, he also spent $100 million for land in Hawaii, where he plans to build a house.
Michael Dell
In 1984, Michael Dell launched Dell to deliver some of the best computers on the planet. Since its launch, Dell has grown to have 157,000 employees under its roof and a current net worth of $90.6 million. In 2016, the company merged with EMC Corporation to become Dell Technologies Inc.
When Dell is on vacation, he heads to his massive house in Kukio, Hawaii. Also known as the Raptor Residence, this home features seven bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. The mansion is worth $62 million, but most of its worth stems from the land it’s on.
Steve Jobs
With the help of Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs co-founded Apple in 1976. While Jobs was kicked out of the company in 1985, he came back as CEO in 1997. During his time as CEO, he brought impactful devices and services such as iTunes and the iPhone to the world.
In the mid-90s, Jobs bought his mansion in Palo Alto, California. The property features seven bedrooms and four bathrooms. What makes this property special is Jobs didn’t make it stand out from the other homes on the block. Living somewhere more ordinary seemed to give him a piece of mind.
Larry Ellison
Larry Ellison got his foot in the computer software industry as co-founder of Oracle Corporation in 1977. In 2012, he became the third-richest American in the world with a net worth of $44 billion. In 2018, he became a director for Tesla Inc.
Ellison has a glamorous mansion along Lake Tahoe for his getaways from the job that includes a hot tub, movie theater and waterfall. For visitors, the property has a massive 1,324 square foot guest house. In all, the mansion is worth $28.5 million.
Jack Dorsey
Jack Dorsey is busy as the CEO of two major companies. As co-founder of Twitter, he took over the CEO role in 2015. Meanwhile, in 2010, he co-founded and became CEO of mobile payment company Square, Inc., which earned $3.30 billion in 2018.
Dorsey is living well in a 37,000-square-foot house in San Francisco. Aside from a glorious view of the Golden Gate Bridge, this two-bedroom house includes a 20-foot retractable glass roof. The CEO managed to grab this house for $10 million, which was less than the original offering price.
Elon Musk
There’s no CEO out there more intriguing —or antagonizing — to the press than Elon Musk. The South African founded SpaceX in 2002 to aid in the colonization of Mars. The following year, he founded Tesla, Inc. to bring more electric vehicles on the road. Musk has a net worth of $40 billion.
Musk chose Bel Air, California as his main city, and his 20,000 square foot mansion has everything he could want. The property has an in-home movie theater, a vast swimming pool and a tennis court. This property is currently worth $18 million.
Charles Simonyi
Charles Simonyi is best known for creating the first installment of Microsoft Office back in 1990. In 2002, he founded Intentional Software, which helps programmers and designers to build software. In 2017, he reunited with Microsoft when Intentional Software was acquired by the company.
Simonyi’s mansion in Medina, Washington will forever be known as the Windows 2000 House. The property got the name because it harbors 2,000 windows. Inside the home, Simony showcases paintings from Victor Vasarely and Roy Lichtenstein.
Satya Nadella
Satya Nadella joined Microsoft back in 1992, where he lead numerous projects. After holding several major positions, he was made CEO of the company in 2014. His impact on the business earned him the title of Person of the Year by The Financial Times in 2019.
In 2000, Nadella purchased his Seattle home for nearly $1.4 million. The property has an eat-in kitchen, guest room, and office as well as lovely views of Lake Washington and the Seattle skyline. The property is currently worth $3.5 million.
Tim Cook
Tim Cook helped Apple expand in the new millennium as senior vice president for worldwide operations. After the death of Steve Jobs, he became CEO of the company in 2011. Cook is also on the board of directors for the popular shoe company Nike.
Cook isn’t one to have a lavish mansion far away from society. In 2010, he purchased his Palo Alto, California condo for nearly $2 million. The property only has four bedrooms and a small backyard for hangouts with friends. His home is a few steps away from local shops and restaurants.
Evan Spiegel
In 2011, Evan Spiegel co-founded Snapchat while attending Stanford University. The app, which is part of Snap Inc., became an instant hit with young people around the world with 210 million users. In 2018, Spiegel graduated from Stanford after taking time away as the CEO of Snap Inc.
Spiegel and supermodel wife Miranda Kerr purchased a mansion in Brentwood, California. The property, which was originally owned by Harrison Ford, includes a pool, gym and library. Kerr and Spiegel held their marriage ceremony in the place back in 2017.
Larry Page
Larry Page co-founded Google with Sergey Brin in 1998. He became CEO of the company, but he exited the position in 2001. A decade later, he reclaimed the top spot until his second exit from the company in 2015. After leaving Google, he became CEO of parent company Alphabet Inc.
In 2005, Page purchased his Palo Alto, California home for $7 million. One mansion wasn’t enough, though. Years later, he created a brand new eco-friendly mansion. This spot features a magnificent rooftop garden and solar panels. Page’s main home is currently worth $14 million.
Marissa Mayer
Marissa Mayer had a hand in developing popular Google properties such as Google News, Google Product Search and Google Maps. In 2012, she became CEO of Yahoo!, and one of her most noticeable achievements has been helping the company purchase Tumblr.
Mayer spends quiet time at her home in Palo Alto, California. One of Mayer’s most intriguing additions to the home is a 15-foot model of local diner, the Peninsula Creamery, in her backyard. The inside of the place also has a computer-driven baby grand piano and a bronze frog statue.
Travis Kalanick
Travis Kalanick helped make getting around town easier as the co-founder of Uber. Before that, the Los Angeles native founded peer-to-peer file-sharing companies Scour and Red Swoosh. In 2018, he started a venture fund titled 10100, which helps job growth in the country.
Kalanick recently purchased a New York City duplex penthouse for an astounding $36.5 million. While the home only includes 6,734 square feet, there are an additional 3,400 square feet outdoors for possible additions. Kalanick can reach the place with a private elevator.
John Chambers
In 1983, John Chambers joined Cisco Systems when it was a fresh company. In 1995, he became CEO following a four-year stint as senior vice president of worldwide operations. His time with the company landed him on CNN’s Top 25 Most Powerful People list.
When it’s time to cool down after work, Chambers heads to his mansion in Los Altos Hills, California. The property includes five bedrooms, a tennis court and a fitness center. Chambers put the 8,280 sqare foot place on sale for a cool $15 million.
Tom Proulx
Tom Proulx changed the financial software landscape forever as the co-founder of Intuit. During his time with the company, he was the main programmer for the financial management tool Quicken. In 1995, Proulx joined the fitness technology company Netpulse as CEO. He stayed with the company until 2018.
When it comes to living, Proulx decided to go big with his Athertron, California home, which includes 11 acres of land and three buildings. Not much is known about this property except that its overall worth is $11 million. The most expensive building alone is worth $5.9 million.
Gary Bloom
As the CEO of eMeter, Gary Bloom helped deliver high-quality smart grid management software for companies around the world. In 2012, he made the jump to NoSQL database vendor MarkLogic as their current CEO. Bloom was previously an executive for Oracle Corporation for 14 years.
Bloom heads to his Atherton, California home when his day is done. The property features four bedrooms and six bathrooms. His home, which is an astounding 8,500 square feet, is currently worth $15.5 million.
Mark Pincus
Mark Pincus brought some of the biggest games to mobile phones as the founder of Zynga. His work as CEO earned him the title of CEO of the Year at the 2009 Crunchies Awards. The Chicago native’s current net worth is $1.54 billion.
Pincus is living large in his San Francisco mansion with his wife Alison. Before Pincus stepped in, the property was owned by philanthropist Jane Newhall. While one fireplace is enough for most people, this property includes an impressive eight. The four-story house also includes an elevator for convenience.
Ted Waitt
Along with his brother, Norm Jr., Ted Waitt co-founded computer hardware company Gateway Inc. As CEO, he brought a slew of low-end computers to consumers. Waitt resigned as CEO in 2005 after 20 years He currently works for the Waitt Foundation, which he founded.
Waitt spends most of his time in Los Angeles, so it’s only fitting that he has a massive mansion in the city. While most mansions include a swimming pool, Waitt’s is covered in LED lights. The property also includes an outdoor kitchen and a sauna.
John Legere
As T-Mobile’s CEO, John Legere boosted the company’s image with the popular Un-carrier campaign. Before T-Mobile, the Massachusetts native worked for AT&T for almost 20 years. He announced plans to step down as CEO in 2020 but remain on the board of directors.
Legere spends his time in his Naples, Florida mansion. The property features a 400-bottle wine cellar, a built-in security system and a private elevator. Legere purchased the mansion for $16.7 million. Before that, he lived in a New York City penthouse.
Ken Griffin
In 1990, Ken Griffin founded investment firm Citadel with the help of $4.6 million from co-worker and investor Frank Meyer. As CEO, he donated millions to the Art Institute of Chicago and Field Museum of Natural History. Currently, Griffin has a net worth of $9 billion.
In 2019, Griffin picked up a New York City penthouse apartment for $238 million, making it the most expensive home ever sold in the United States. With Citadel branching to the Big Apple, Griffin needed a place to stay. While the original purchase was for four floors, he purchased two more weeks later.
Adam Neumann
After creating children’s clothing company Krawlers, Adam Neumann started WeWork with his wife Rebekah. The company was founded to help entrepreneurs work closer together through shared workspaces. After nine years with the company, Neumann stepped down as WeWork CEO in 2019.
In 2018, Neumann dropped $21 million for a mansion in Marin County, California. Its previous owner was music promoter Bill Graham, who worked with iconic acts such as Huey Lewis and The Grateful Dead. The property features an appropriately guitar-shaped living room.
Stephen Ross
Stephen Ross had dreams of making affordable housing a brighter reality. With the help of his mother, he founded The Related Companies in 1972. In 2012, he resigned as CEO, but he’s still chairman and a 60 percent owner.
Ross has called his condo in the Time Warner Center home for years. The property includes a golf simulator room, which was installed for Ross to get some practice swings. He also hired interior designer Tony Ingrao, who is best known for his work on 35 Hudson Yards’ interiors, to work on it.
Bob Iger
In 2005, Bob Iger was appointed CEO of Disney, and he has his work cut out for him. Fortunately, he was able to help the company purchase Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel Entertainment and 20th Century Fox. Before Disney, Iger was head of ABC Entertainment.
Iger’s New York City apartment has a grand view of Central Park’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis reservoir. This lavish property allows people to enter through a private elevator. The four-bedroom apartment features a library, deluxe laundry facilities and a lavish walk-in closet, among other things. The property is worth $18.75 million.
Paul Allen
Paul Allen co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates, but Hodgkin’s lymphoma forced him to exit in 1983. Three years later, he co-founded Vulcan Inc. with his sister Jody. Allen is also the owner of not just one but two basketball teams, the Seattle Seahawks and the Portland Trail Blazers.
Allen couldn’t get enough of owning property. Aside from homes in France and Malibu, he also has a Mercer Island, Washington compound. There are six mansions in total, but Allen didn’t hog them to himself. He gave five of them to family members so they could all be together.
Jim Clark
As a co-founder of Silicon Graphics, Jim Clark has delivered some intense special effects for Hollywood films. After leaving the company in 1994, he co-founded the web browser Netscape with Marc Andreessen. Clark turned into a film producer with 2009’s The Cove, which focuses on dolphin hunting in Japan.
Clark calls Southampton, New York his home, where he has his nine-acre Linden Estate. It includes a soccer field, paddleball court, and tennis court. The mansion’s net worth is $50 million.
Peter Thiel
Peter Thiel flipped payments on their head when he co-founded PayPal in 1999. The West Germany native stayed with the company as CEO until 2002. Since PayPal, he’s been the president of the hedge fund Clarium Capital and a member of Facebook’s board of directors.
Thiel’s San Francisco, California home, which he purchased in 2011, is within walking distance from the Palace of Fine Arts. It also offers easy access to the nearby ocean. With a slew of balconies, there’s not one bad spot to see the glorious views of the city.
Eric Schmidt
Following a short stint with Novell as CEO, Eric Schmidt tried his luck with Google. From 2001 to 2011, he was CEO of the company. He remained as executive chairman until 2015. Schmidt is currently chairman of the Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Advisory Board.
Schmidt’s Montecito, California home has been connected to various celebrities. He purchased the property from Ellen DeGeneres, and he allowed Kim Kardashian to hold her wedding to Kris Humphries there. The property has massive gardens, a spa and a tennis court.
Bill Gates
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is one of the most influential names in technology. Outside of the tech world, Gates works with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with his wife. Gates’ current net worth is 112.8 million, which makes him the second wealthiest person in the world.
Gates’ home in Medina, Washington is known as Xanadu 2.0. The property has heated floors and an underwater music system. Among other luxuries, visitors to the home wear pins that control what music is played based on their mood.
Jeff Bezos
Until 2020, Jeff Bezos was the richest man in the world. In 1994, he founded Amazon, which at first was exclusively a book marketplace. Eventually, the company became the biggest online marketplace of all time. In 2013, Bezos purchased The Washington Post.
Bezos dropped $165 million on a mansion in Los Angeles, California. The nine-acre property was originally created by Hollywood film icon Jack Warner and includes a golf course for Bezos to ease his stress. It’s the most expensive mansion in the city.
