Born in New York, Larry Ellison never knew his father. At 9 months old, his mother sent him to live with her sister and her husband in Chicago. He didn't discover he was adopted until he was 12.

As a child, Ellison was known for his penchant for taking apart electronics. Any device in the house was fair game for disassembly. This inquisitiveness became the seed of his lifelong passion for technology. Later, while studying engineering at two universities (though he never graduated), he wasn't a standout student, but he was known for all-night coding sessions.

Billionaire Larry Ellison has lived a life known for risk-taking, a competitive spirit, a passion for sports, and a complex romantic history. Photo: Yahoo

By 1976, while tech billionaires like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were already making their mark, Ellison was a notorious playboy, repeatedly broke due to debt and divorced for spending more than he earned.

Despite lacking a degree, Ellison landed a job at a software company in Silicon Valley, where he met colleagues Bob Miner and Ed Oates. In 1977, the three quit their jobs and founded their own company with a mere 2,000 USD.

Ellison held a 60% stake. Although his partners handled the programming, they recognized that "for the company to succeed, it needed Larry's audacity."

A few months later, Ellison secured the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as their first client. The Navy and NASA followed. While engineers criticized the first version of Oracle's software as "garbage," Ellison's persuasive skills with clients, friends, and colleagues were undeniable. "In the next 10 years, Oracle will be a billion-dollar company and you'll all be millionaires," he declared.

Ellison led Oracle to an annual growth rate of 100% for over a decade. In 1986, Oracle went public. With newfound wealth, Ellison embarked on a buying spree, acquiring PeopleSoft (10.3 billion USD), Sun Microsystems (7.4 billion USD), BEA Systems (8.5 billion USD), and others. He spent over 400 billion USD on 50 acquisitions, transforming Oracle into a global leader in database software.

Ellison's 160 million USD yacht. To avoid polluting the ocean, he employed someone to follow in a small boat and retrieve basketballs whenever he played on deck. Photo: Luxurylaunches

More than just a tech billionaire, Ellison is an icon of rebellion. For him, "success isn't about winning; it's about all your opponents losing."

While most of his contemporaries, like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, lived modestly, Ellison embraced extravagant spending. He owned the world's largest yacht, bought almost the entire island of Lanai (Hawaii), and built an 80 million USD Japanese-style estate in Kyoto. He's particularly passionate about sailing.

In 1998, Ellison captained his 25-meter yacht, Sayonara, in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. That year's race became one of Australia's worst maritime disasters. A sudden storm brought 20-meter waves and winds up to 190 km/h.

Six sailors died, five boats sank, dozens were injured, and around 50 required emergency helicopter rescues. Ellison and the Sayonara crew, however, overcame these obstacles during the 600 nautical mile journey to win.

He later recounted sailing through the eye of the storm, fearing the yacht would break in two under the relentless pounding of the waves for over 48 hours. "If I were a beginner, I probably wouldn't have raced again," he admitted.

Ellison's personal life has been equally dramatic, with six marriages and numerous high-profile relationships. His first wife, Adda Quinn, was a Chinese history researcher.

After 7 years of marriage, Quinn described life with Ellison as a rollercoaster. He spent lavishly, living for the moment. Earning a combined 1,600 USD a month, Ellison spent 1,000 USD on a bicycle, dined at expensive restaurants, and borrowed 3,000 USD for a sailboat. Unable to cope with his adventurous lifestyle, she filed for divorce.

His marriage to Nancy Wheeler Jenkins lasted just over a year. His third wife, Barbara Boothe, a receptionist at his company, bore him a son, David, and a daughter before they divorced after three years. Despite a prenuptial agreement, Ellison generously shared his stock with Boothe.

His fourth wife, Melanie Craft, a romance novelist, dated Ellison for 8 years before marrying him in 2003. This marriage also ended in divorce.

Ellison and his sixth wife, Jolin Zhu, at a University of Michigan football game in 2018. Photo: WSJ

His fifth wife, Nikita Kahn, a Ukrainian model and actress, met Ellison when she was 19. They had a 47-year age gap. Despite their initial closeness, they separated in 2016 and finalized their divorce in 2020.

His current wife, Jolin Zhu, is of Chinese descent and is 34 years old, also with a 47-year age difference. While their relationship faced scrutiny due to the timing of Ellison's previous divorce, Zhu kept a low profile.

Their relationship was confirmed in 2024 when they jointly donated to a large charitable fund for the University of Michigan. They reportedly have two children, though they haven't had a public wedding. In previous divorce filings, Ellison stated he had "no children in common" with his former wife but revealed he was "a father to two young children and happier than ever."

Nearing 81, Ellison remains active and fit. He maintains a beauty regimen and enjoys outdoor and adventurous sports.

In early June, Ellison's net worth surged to approximately 262 billion USD, surpassing Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos to become the world's second-richest person.

From impoverished orphan to wealthy data magnate, from notorious playboy to father at 80, Ellison's life demonstrates that success isn't linear; it belongs to those who aren't afraid to stumble.

Bao Nhien (According to QQ/Baidu)