David Cheriton Net Worth

Publish date: 2024-07-10

Table of Contents

Net Worth

Net WorthSalaryBirthdateBirthplaceGenderHeightProfessionNationality
$8 billionN/AMarch 29, 1951Vancouver, British ColumbiaMaleN/AComputer scientist, Professor, Billionaire, Philanthropist, Venture capitalist investorCanadian

Highlights

David Cheriton is a Canadian computer scientist, Stanford professor, billionaire, philanthropist, and venture capitalist investor. He has a net worth of $8 billion. Depending on Google’s stock price, his net worth has been north of $10 billion at various points, making him one of the 200 richest people in the world.

Early Life

David Ross Cheriton was born on March 29, 1951, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Initially, he enrolled in the University of Alberta with the intention of studying music but was rejected by the school’s music department. He later changed his focus to mathematics and earned an undergraduate degree from the University of British Columbia in 1973.

Career

After earning a Master of Science and Ph.D. in computer science at the University of Waterloo, David Cheriton became an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia. He later joined Stanford University as a computer science professor. During his time at Stanford, he led a team called the Distributed Systems Group, responsible for developing the V operating system.

While teaching at Stanford, Cheriton had a significant impact on the tech industry. He taught Andy Bechtolsheim, who later founded Sun Microsystems. Cheriton also made a remarkable investment in Google, contributing $100,000 along with Bechtolsheim to support Larry Page and Sergey Brin’s search engine project.

Furthermore, Cheriton co-founded Ethernet company Granite Systems, which was acquired by Cisco for $220 million. He is also a co-founder of the publicly-traded network technology company Arista Networks.

Personal Life

Despite his immense wealth, David Cheriton is known for leading a frugal lifestyle. His biggest splurge was buying a Honda Odyssey. He was previously married to Iris Fraser, and together they had four children. In November 2005, Cheriton donated $25 million to the University of Waterloo, leading to the renaming of the school’s computer science department.

Net Worth Over Time

David Cheriton’s net worth has fluctuated over time, primarily influenced by the performance of Google’s stock. At various points, he has surpassed $10 billion in net worth, making him one of the wealthiest individuals globally.

Components of Net Worth

David Cheriton’s net worth consists of various assets and investments. His initial massive fortune came from being one of the first investors in Google. He also co-founded Ethernet company Granite Systems, which was acquired for $220 million. Furthermore, Cheriton has made investments in companies like VMware and Aster Data Systems. His co-founding of Arista Networks has also contributed to his substantial net worth.

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