Mike Bezos seeks CEO for expanding family office 'Aurora Borealis'
Founded in 2020, Aurora Borealis was set up to manage the couple’s wealth and is currently undergoing a significant expansion.
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Mike Bezos, father of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is seeking a chief executive officer to lead Aurora Borealis, the family office he established with his late wife Jacklyn Bezos, according to media reports.
Founded in 2020, Aurora Borealis was set up to manage the couple’s wealth and is currently undergoing a significant expansion. The office will be led by a CEO and a chief investment officer (CIO), and it oversees a diverse portfolio including stocks, alternative investments, and holdings in the Bezos Family Foundation, which focuses on youth education.
The family office is governed by a Family Board, with operations supported by a small internal team and external asset managers, the reports added.
Mike and Jacklyn Bezos were among the earliest investors in Amazon, contributing several hundred thousand dollars. Their children, Christina and Mark Bezos, also invested early. Today, those initial stakes would be worth over $1 billion each if left untouched.
Mark Bezos is reportedly expected to have his wealth managed through Aurora Borealis. He previously co-founded the private equity firm HighPost Capital and has also been involved in charitable work in New York City.
At the 2024 New York Times DealBook Summit, Jeff Bezos spoke candidly about his decision to draw only a modest salary during his tenure as Amazon’s CEO.
He revealed that he had deliberately declined stock grants and bonuses, requesting that Amazon’s board not grant him additional compensation beyond his existing equity. Bezos explained that his substantial ownership stake already aligned his interests with the company’s long-term success.
“I already owned a significant amount of the company,” Bezos said. “How could I possibly need more incentive?”
Bezos reportedly drew an annual salary of just $80,000 throughout his time as CEO. He described the decision as characteristic of founder-operators, who often prefer to rely on existing ownership stakes rather than traditional executive compensation packages.
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