Michael Saul Dell (born February 23, 1965) is an American billionaire entrepreneur and investor, best known as the founder, chairman, and CEO of Dell Technologies, one of the largest technology infrastructure companies globally.
As of December 2024, Dell ranks as the 10th-richest person in the world, with a net worth of $130 billion, according to Forbes and the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. As of October 2023, it was estimated that approximately $50 billion of his wealth stems from his 50% ownership in Dell and 40% stake in VMware, with the remainder managed through his family office, DFO Management.
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| Born | Michael Saul Dell February 23, 1965 |
| Education | University of Texas at Austin (dropped out) |
| Occupations | Businessman , investor philanthropist |
| Title | Founder, Chairman , CEO of Dell Technologies Inc. Founder of MSD Capital
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| Spouse | Susan Lynn Lieberman (m. 1989) |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Adam Dell (brother) |
In January 2013, Dell made headlines when he bid $24.4 billion to take Dell Inc. private, marking the largest management buyout since the Great Recession. The company officially went private in October 2013, before returning to the public markets in December 2018.
Early Life and Education
Michael Dell was born in 1965 in Houston, Texas, to a Jewish family. His mother, Lorraine Charlotte (née Langfan), was a stockbroker, while his father, Alexander Dell, was an orthodontist. Dell attended Herod Elementary School and later Memorial High School in Houston. He was business-minded from a young age, applying for a high school equivalency exam at age eight and investing his part-time job earnings in stocks and precious metals during his early teens. Dell purchased his first calculator at age seven and experimented with a teletype terminal in junior high. At 15, after interacting with computers at Radio Shack, he got his first Apple II and immediately took it apart to understand how it functioned.
Dell's entrepreneurial spirit was evident even during high school, where he sold subscriptions to the Houston Post in the summer. Initially intending to please his parents, who wanted him to be a doctor, Dell enrolled in pre-med at the University of Texas in 1983. However, he continued to hone his business skills by targeting specific populations for newspaper subscriptions, including newlyweds and people moving to new homes. His innovative approach led him to earn $18,000 in one year and hire several employees. This success motivated him to drop out of university at the age of 19 and pursue his business venture full-time.
Business Career
Dell's business journey began while he was a freshman pre-med student at the University of Texas. In his dorm room at the Dobie Center, he started an informal business putting together and selling upgrade kits for personal computers. Recognizing the potential for cost savings by selling PCs directly to customers, he applied for a vendor license and secured contracts for the State of Texas, operating without the overhead of traditional computer stores.
In 1984, Dell founded PC's Limited and registered the business. His strategy of manufacturing computers only after an order was placed set the company apart. The venture operated from a condominium, and within a few months, the company had made between $50,000 and $80,000 in sales. By May 1984, Dell incorporated the company as Dell Computer Corporation and moved to a larger business center in North Austin. As the company grew, it employed a small staff to handle orders and manufacturing. Morton Meyerson, a key mentor, played a significant role in guiding Dell through these formative years.
By 1992, at the age of 27, Dell became the youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 company. In 1996, Dell pioneered online sales and launched its first servers, with $1 million in daily sales by March 1997. By the first quarter of 2001, Dell Inc. became the world's largest PC maker, surpassing Compaq with a 12.8% market share. The company's growth continued at an impressive rate, with shipments increasing by 34.3% worldwide.
Dell stepped down as CEO in 2004, but he remained as chairman. In 2007, he returned to the CEO position following the board's request. In 2013, with the support of Silver Lake Partners, Microsoft, and other lenders, Dell took Dell, Inc. private in a $25 billion buyout. The company later went public again in 2018.
Acquisitions
In 2015, Dell Inc. announced its acquisition of EMC Corporation, a leader in enterprise software and storage, for $67 billion—the largest tech acquisition in history. The deal closed in 2016, further cementing Dell's position in the tech industry.
Legal Issues
In July 2010, Dell Inc. faced a $100 million penalty to settle SEC charges regarding disclosure and accounting fraud linked to undisclosed payments from Intel. Dell and former CEO Kevin Rollins each agreed to pay $4 million as part of the settlement.
Accolades
Dell's entrepreneurial success earned him numerous awards, including "Entrepreneur of the Year" at age 24 by Inc. magazine. He was also named "Top CEO in American Business" by Worth magazine and "CEO of the Year" by various business publications. In 1998, Dell received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement, and in 2013, he was honored with the Bower Award for Business Leadership from the Franklin Institute.
Affiliations
Dell serves on the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum and the executive committee of the International Business Council. He previously served on the U.S. President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and, in April 2020, joined the Strike Force to Open Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also served as an advisor for the COVID-19 Technology Task Force.
Writings
Dell has authored two books:
- "Direct from Dell: Strategies That Revolutionized an Industry" (1999), which shares the story of his company's growth and lessons learned.
- "Play Nice But Win: A CEO's Journey from Founder to Leader" (2014), which discusses the inside battles that shaped him as a leader.
Wealth and Investments
Dell’s wealth is largely derived from his ownership stakes in Dell Technologies, as well as his investments managed through MSD Capital (formerly DFO Management). His investment firm focuses on a diverse portfolio of assets, including real estate, private equity, and technology ventures.
Personal Interests
In his personal life, Michael Dell is known for his low-profile nature and preference for privacy. He enjoys philanthropy, technology innovations, and sports. Dell has been an active supporter of charitable organizations and is particularly passionate about improving the lives of children in low-income communities.
Personal Life
Dell married Susan Lieberman on October 28, 1989. The couple resides in Austin, Texas, with their four children.
Philanthropy
In 1999, Michael and Susan Dell founded the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, focusing on education and health. The foundation's efforts include supporting various charitable causes, such as the Dell Jewish Community Campus in Austin. In 2023, they were the third-largest donors in the U.S., contributing $975 million. The Dells have consistently been among the top philanthropists in America.
Legacy
Michael Dell’s legacy will likely be defined by his ability to disrupt traditional industries and revolutionize how technology companies interact with consumers. He is widely regarded as one of the foremost innovators in the tech industry, having changed the personal computer market and reshaped the way technology is sold and serviced globally.
References
- Category:Michael Dell (no date) Wikimedia Commons. Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Michael_Dell (Accessed: 04 January 2025).
- Chappatta, B. et al. (2017) Bloomberg billionaires index, Bloomberg.com. Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/profiles/michael-s-dell/ (Accessed: 04 January 2025).
- Goodreturn (no date) Michael Dell: Michael Dell Net Worth, biography, age, spouse, children & more, Goodreturn. Available at: https://www.goodreturns.in/michael-dell-net-worth-and-biography-blnr22.html (Accessed: 04 January 2025).
- Michael Dell (no date) Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/profile/michael-dell/ (Accessed: 04 January 2025).