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About
Paul Elliott Singer (born October 22, 1944, in New York City) is an American billionaire hedge fund manager, activist investor, philanthropist, and major conservative and pro-Israel Republican donor. He is the founder and co-CEO of Elliott Management Corporation, one of the world's largest activist hedge funds, managing over $65 billion in assets as of recent estimates. Singer earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Rochester in 1966 and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1969. After initially practicing law, he transitioned to finance, working as an investment analyst at Loeb Rhoades and other firms before founding his own investment partnership in 1977, which evolved into Elliott Associates in 1986 and later Elliott Management in 1989.
Under his leadership, Elliott Management has pursued aggressive activist investment strategies targeting major companies such as AT&T, Hess Corporation, Twitter, and Samsung, as well as international entities including Argentina's sovereign debt. This has led to high-profile legal battles and substantial financial returns. Singer emphasizes value investing and shareholder activism, often engaging in proxy fights and legal maneuvers to influence corporate governance. Notably, during the Argentine debt crisis (2008–2016), Elliott sued for full repayment on defaulted bonds and secured a $2.4 billion court-ordered payout in 2016. The firm has faced controversy for its aggressive tactics and scrutiny related to investments in distressed assets and allegations of market manipulation, though no criminal convictions have been recorded.
Beyond finance, Singer is a prominent philanthropist and a top Republican donor. He is a major donor to Republican causes, pro-Israel organizations, and conservative political candidates including Mitt Romney and Marco Rubio. He has contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support Israel, neoconservative foreign policies, and national security, including backing John Bolton's nomination as U.S. National Security Advisor. His philanthropy is primarily channeled through the Paul E. Singer Family Foundation, which funds Jewish education initiatives such as the Alexander Hamilton Institute for the Economics and Philosophy (AIEF), medical research, pro-Israel advocacy groups, and education reform. While he has supported organizations opposing same-sex marriage and abortion rights, he has also backed LGBTQ+ rights, including same-sex marriage.
Singer's personal life includes a 1996 divorce from his first wife, Mary Singer, with whom he has two sons, Andrew and William. Following the divorce, he came out as gay and married fashion designer Dao-Yi Chow in 2015. He resides in New York City and maintains a low public profile despite his significant influence in finance and politics. As of 2024, his net worth is estimated between $6 billion and $6.7 billion.
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