History of Bill Ackman in Timeline

Bill Ackman is a billionaire hedge fund manager, the founder, and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management. Known as an activist investor, he leverages his position to influence company management and strategy. As of July 2025, his estimated net worth stands at $9.4 billion.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

May 11, 1966: William Ackman Born

On May 11, 1966, William Albert Ackman, the American billionaire hedge fund manager, was born.

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1985: Graduation from High School

In 1985, Bill Ackman graduated from Horace Greeley High School.

1988: Graduation from Harvard College

In 1988, Ackman graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in social studies. His thesis was titled "Scaling the Ivy Wall: The Jewish and Asian American Experience in Harvard Admissions".

1992: Graduation from Harvard Business School

In 1992, Ackman received a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School.

1992: Founding of Gotham Partners

In 1992, Bill Ackman co-founded the investment firm Gotham Partners with David P. Berkowitz, focusing on small investments in public companies.

July 10, 1994: Marriage to Karen Ann Herskovitz

On July 10, 1994, Bill Ackman married Karen Ann Herskovitz, a landscape architect. They have three children.

1995: Partnership with Leucadia National

In 1995, Ackman partnered with Leucadia National, an insurance and real estate firm, to bid for Rockefeller Center.

2002: Litigation Entanglement

By 2002, Gotham Partners was involved in litigation with external shareholders in companies Gotham invested in.

2002: Research on MBIA

In 2002, Ackman researched MBIA and challenged Standard & Poor's AAA rating of its bonds, incurring significant legal costs. He advocated for a division between MBIA's structured finance and municipal bond insurance businesses.

2003: Feud with Carl Icahn

In 2003, a feud started between Ackman and Carl Icahn over an investment deal.

2004: Launch of Pershing Square

Ackman launched Pershing Square in 2004.

2004: Founding of Pershing Square Capital Management

In 2004, Ackman started Pershing Square Capital Management with $54 million from his personal funds and Leucadia National.

2006: Founding of Pershing Square Foundation

In 2006, Bill Ackman and his then-wife Karen founded the Pershing Square Foundation to support organizations focused on various causes.

2008: Shorting MBIA Bonds

During the 2008 financial crisis, Ackman famously shorted MBIA's bonds.

2008: Profiting from Credit Default Swaps

During the 2008 financial crisis, Ackman profited significantly by buying credit default swaps against MBIA corporate debt.

January 16, 2009: Covering MBIA Short Position

On January 16, 2009, Ackman reported covering his short position on MBIA, according to a 13D filing with the SEC.

2010: Chairman of Howard Hughes Holdings

In 2010, Bill Ackman became the chairman of Howard Hughes Holdings.

2010: Investment in J. C. Penney

In 2010, Pershing Square began purchasing J. C. Penney shares, acquiring 18% of the company's stock.

2011: Inclusion in 'Philanthropy 50' list

In 2011, Bill and Karen Ackman were included on The Chronicle of Philanthropy's "Philanthropy 50" list of most generous donors.

2011: Resolution of Lawsuit with Icahn

In 2011, Carl Icahn was forced to pay Ackman $4.5 million plus interest and legal fees, totaling $9 million, to resolve a lawsuit.

December 2012: Short Bet Against Herbalife

In December 2012, Ackman announced that Pershing Square had made a $1 billion short bet against Herbalife, a maker of weight-loss and vitamin supplements, calling the company a "pyramid scheme".

2012: Short Against Herbalife Begins

In 2012, Ackman initiated a US$1 billion short against Herbalife.

January 2013: Icahn Takes Stake in Herbalife

In January 2013, Carl Icahn announced a stake in Herbalife following a challenge to Ackman's comments on CNBC.

August 2013: Ackman Steps Down from J. C. Penney Board

In August 2013, Ackman resigned from the J. C. Penney board after a disagreement with fellow board members, ending a two-year campaign to transform the department store.

April 2014: FBI Probe into Herbalife

In April 2014, Reuters reported that the FBI conducted a probe into Herbalife and reviewed documents obtained from the company's former distributors.

2014: Net Gains for Investors

In 2014, Pershing Square delivered $4.5 billion in net gains for investors.

January 2015: Ackman Named a Top Hedge Fund Manager

In January 2015, LCH Investments recognized Ackman as one of the world's top 20 hedge fund managers after Pershing Square's performance in 2014.

March 12, 2015: Federal Probe of Ackman's Actions

On March 12, 2015, reports surfaced that federal prosecutors and the FBI were investigating whether people hired by Ackman made false statements to encourage investigations and lower Herbalife's stock. Neither Ackman nor Pershing Square were subpoenaed.

2015: Period of Weak Performance Begins

Ackman experienced a period of weak performance from 2015 onwards.

April 27, 2016: Testimony Before Senate Committee

On April 27, 2016, Ackman testified before the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging about Valeant Pharmaceuticals' business model and pricing practices.

July 2016: Herbalife Settles with FTC

In July 2016, Herbalife settled with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), agreeing to pay $200 million and restructure its business practices to avoid being labeled a pyramid scheme. The FTC found Herbalife deceived consumers.

December 22, 2016: Separation from Karen Ann Herskovitz

On December 22, 2016, it was reported that Bill Ackman and Karen Ann Herskovitz had separated.

2016: Ackman voted for Trump in the 2016 election.

In 2016, Ackman voted for Donald Trump in the presidential election.

March 2017: Sale of Valeant Shares

In March 2017, Ackman sold his remaining 27.2 million shares in Valeant to Jefferies for approximately $300 million, incurring a substantial loss estimated at $4.6 billion.

November 2017: Ackman Covers Herbalife Short Position

In November 2017, Ackman covered his short-sell position in Herbalife but continued to bet against the company using put options.

2017: Ownership of Gulfstream G550

As of 2017, Bill Ackman owned a Gulfstream G550 business jet.

February 28, 2018: Ackman Exits Herbalife Bet

On February 28, 2018, Ackman exited his near billion-dollar bet against Herbalife at a loss.

2018: Period of Weak Performance Ends

Ackman's period of weak performance, started in 2015, came to an end in 2018.

2018: End of Herbalife Short

In 2018, Ackman concluded his US$1 billion short against Herbalife.

2018: Engagement to Neri Oxman

In 2018, Bill Ackman became engaged to Israeli-American designer Neri Oxman.

January 2019: Marriage to Neri Oxman

In January 2019, Bill Ackman married Neri Oxman at the Central Synagogue in Manhattan.

2019: Herbalife Pays SEC Settlement

In 2019, Herbalife paid the SEC $20 million to settle charges that it made false and misleading statements about its business model in China.

2019: Pershing Square's Strong Performance

In 2019, Pershing Square returned 58.1%, making it one of the world's best-performing hedge funds.

March 3, 2020: Pershing Square Discloses Hedge

On March 3, 2020, Pershing Square first disclosed a $27 million hedge on its portfolio, protecting against steep market losses due to the impending stock market crash.

March 18, 2020: Ackman Calls for Economic Shutdown

On March 18, 2020, Ackman publicly called for a "30-day shutdown" of the American economy to combat the spread of coronavirus, warning of severe economic consequences if action wasn't taken.

November 2020: Ackman's COVID-19 Concerns

In a November 2020 interview, Ackman cited the film Contagion as a source of his concern regarding COVID-19.

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2020: Herbalife Pays DOJ and SEC Penalties

In 2020, Herbalife paid over $122 million after the Department of Justice and SEC found it falsified books and records and provided corrupt payments to Chinese government officials.

March 15, 2021: Donation of Coupang Shares

On March 15, 2021, Ackman donated 26.5 million shares in South Korean e-commerce company Coupang, valued at $1.36 billion, to three entities, including his own foundation.

2021: Inclusion in 'Philanthropy 50' list

In 2021, Bill Ackman and Neri Oxman were included on The Chronicle of Philanthropy's "Philanthropy 50" list of most generous donors.

March 1, 2022: Remarks About Sabatini's Treatment

On March 1, 2022, Bill Ackman delivered remarks at a Pershing Square Foundation event regarding what he described as the unfair treatment of David M. Sabatini, a biologist accused of sexual misconduct.

December 2022: Charity Auction with David Lynch Foundation

In December 2022, Ackman partnered with the David Lynch Foundation to auction a lunch with himself for charity, supporting New York's frontline healthcare workers, police, and veterans.

2022: Herbalife Settles RICO Case

In 2022, Herbalife paid $12.5 million to settle a case of alleged RICO violations.

February 2023: Funding for Sabatini's New Research Lab

In February 2023, Bill Ackman announced that his foundation, along with an anonymous donor, would provide US$25 million over five years to David M. Sabatini to establish and operate a new research laboratory.

October 8, 2023: Demand for Names of Harvard Students

On October 8, 2023, Bill Ackman demanded the publication of the names of Harvard students who signed a letter condemning Israeli actions, stating he wanted to ensure his company and others would not inadvertently hire them.

November 2023: Support for Elon Musk and Campaign Against Claudine Gay

In November 2023, Bill Ackman supported Elon Musk's response to antisemitic remarks and launched a campaign to remove Claudine Gay from her position as Harvard's president.

2023: Support for RFK Jr.'s Stance on Vaccinations

In 2023, Bill Ackman declared support for RFK Jr.'s stance on vaccinations, expressing concerns about the safety of recently approved vaccines.

January 3, 2024: Business Insider Expose and Plagiarism Review Pledge

On January 3, 2024, Business Insider published an article detailing how Ackman's wife, Neri Oxman, plagiarized portions of her dissertation, prompting Ackman to pledge a plagiarism review of all MIT faculty.

January 10, 2024: Ackman's Last Participation in Group Chat

A spokesperson for Bill Ackman stated that his last participation in the WhatsApp group chat with Israeli military leaders and top US business leaders was on January 10, 2024.

January 12, 2024: Ackman Disassociates from Democratic Party

On January 12, 2024, Bill Ackman stated in an interview that he no longer wants to be associated with the Democratic Party and does not want to be part of any party.

January 15, 2024: Phillips Floated Cabinet Post for Ackman

On January 15, 2024, Dean Phillips suggested a possible Cabinet post for Bill Ackman in a forum with Ackman and Elon Musk.

January 2024: Calls for Resignations After Gay's Resignation

In January 2024, after Claudine Gay's resignation, Bill Ackman called for the resignation of Harvard Board Chair Penny Pritzker and other board members, citing diversity, equity, and inclusion movement as the cause of antisemitism and racism against white people at Harvard.

April 2024: Ackman Announced He Would Not Support Joe Biden

In April 2024, Bill Ackman announced via X that he would not support Joe Biden in the upcoming election, citing a lack of support for Israel, and was open to voting for Trump.

April 2024: Video Call Regarding Columbia Protests

In April 2024, Bill Ackman was part of a WhatsApp group chat that held a video call with New York City Mayor Eric Adams, reportedly to pressure Columbia's president to allow police to shut down campus protests.

May 16, 2024: Involvement in WhatsApp Group Chat

On May 16, 2024, it was reported by The Washington Post that Bill Ackman was involved in a WhatsApp group chat with Israeli military leaders and top US business leaders with the stated goal to "change the narrative" in favor of Israel by conveying "the atrocities committed by Hamas" and "help [Israel] win the war" on U.S. public opinion following U.S. protests against the Gaza war.

July 14, 2024: Ackman Endorsed Trump

On July 14, 2024, Bill Ackman endorsed Trump in the aftermath of his attempted assassination.

August 1, 2024: Withdrawal of Pershing Square IPO

On August 1, 2024, after securing only $2 billion of the targeted $25 billion, Ackman withdrew Pershing Square's IPO and announced plans to relaunch the fund with a new "transaction structure."

2024: Ackman and Oxman become co-trustees of Foundation

As of 2024, Ackman and his wife, Neri Oxman, are the co-trustees of the Pershing Square Foundation.

2024: Stepping Down from Howard Hughes Holdings Board

In 2024, Ackman stepped down from the board of Howard Hughes Holdings, where he had served as chairman since 2010.

2024: Ackman Endorses Trump

In 2024, long-time Democratic donor Ackman endorsed Donald Trump in the United States presidential election. He also actively supported Israel, criticized pro-Palestinian protests, and called for Claudine Gay's resignation as Harvard's president.

May 18, 2025: Defense of Trump's Defunding of Harvard

On May 18, 2025, Bill Ackman defended President Trump's defunding of science research at Harvard, citing antisemitism on campus, and claimed student protesters coordinated with Hamas.

June 14, 2025: Advocating for US to Join Israel's War Against Iran

On June 14, 2025, Bill Ackman posted on Twitter advocating for the US to join Israel in its war against Iran.

July 2025: Ackman's Net Worth

In July 2025, Forbes estimated Ackman's net worth at $9.4 billion.

July 2025: Ackman Responds to Tucker Carlson's Comments

In July 2025, following comments made by Tucker Carlson about Bill Ackman's net worth and contributions, Ackman responded on social media about his upbringing and rise to wealth.

2025: Participation in Hall of Fame Open and Declined Endowment

In 2025, Bill Ackman received a wild card berth at the Hall of Fame Open at the age of 59, where he lost in a doubles match. Following criticism, Ackman offered a $10 million endowment to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, which declined the offer.