History of Bill Ackman in Timeline
Bill Ackman is an American billionaire hedge fund manager, the founder, and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management. Known as an activist investor, Ackman's strategies often involve taking significant stakes in companies and then publicly advocating for changes in their management or business strategies. As of July 2025, his estimated net worth is $9.4 billion, highlighting his success and influence in the financial world.
1926: Grandfather's Song
In 1926, Bill Ackman's grandfather, Herman Ackman, wrote a hit song on Tin Pan Alley, the recordings of which were owned by Universal.
May 11, 1966: Birth of William Ackman
On May 11, 1966, William Albert Ackman was born. He is an American billionaire hedge fund manager and the founder and chief executive of Pershing Square Capital Management.
1985: Graduation from High School
In 1985, Bill Ackman graduated from Horace Greeley High School.
1988: Graduation from Harvard College
In 1988, Bill Ackman received a Bachelor of Arts degree magna cum laude in social studies from Harvard College. His thesis was titled "Scaling the Ivy Wall: The Jewish and Asian American Experience in Harvard Admissions".
1992: Founding of Gotham Partners
In 1992, Bill Ackman co-founded the investment firm Gotham Partners with David P. Berkowitz. The firm focused on small investments in public companies.
1992: Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School
In 1992, Bill Ackman received a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School.
July 10, 1994: Marriage to Karen Ann Herskovitz
On July 10, 1994, Bill Ackman married Karen Ann Herskovitz, a landscape architect.
1995: Partnership with Leucadia National to Bid for Rockefeller Center
In 1995, Bill Ackman partnered with Leucadia National, an insurance and real estate firm, to bid for Rockefeller Center.
2002: Litigation with External Shareholders
By 2002, Gotham Partners was involved in litigation with various external shareholders who also held an interest in the companies in which Gotham invested.
2002: Research into MBIA
In 2002, Bill Ackman researched MBIA to challenge Standard & Poor's AAA rating of its bonds. His law firm copied 725,000 pages of statements at a cost of over $100,000. He also called for a division between MBIA's structured finance and municipal bond insurance businesses.
2003: Feud with Carl Icahn
In 2003, a feud developed between Bill Ackman and Carl Icahn over an investment deal, leading to a lawsuit by Ackman for his share of profits in a stock sale.
2004: Launch of Pershing Square Capital Management
Bill Ackman launched Pershing Square Capital Management in 2004.
2006: Pershing Square Foundation Founded
In 2006, Bill Ackman and his then wife Karen founded the Pershing Square Foundation to fund innovative organizations focused on various areas such as economic development, education, and human rights.
2008: Profit from MBIA Credit Default Swaps
In 2008, Ackman profited from credit default swaps against MBIA corporate debt during the financial crisis.
2008: Shorting MBIA Bonds
One of Bill Ackman's most notable market plays was shorting MBIA's bonds during the 2008 financial crisis.
January 16, 2009: Covering Short Position on MBIA
On January 16, 2009, Bill Ackman reported covering his short position on MBIA, according to a 13D filing with the SEC.
2010: Chairman of Howard Hughes Holdings
From 2010 until 2024, Bill Ackman was chairman of Howard Hughes Holdings.
2010: Investment in J. C. Penney
In 2010, Pershing Square started buying J. C. Penney shares, paying an average of $22 for 39 million shares, representing 18% of the company's stock.
2011: Ackmans listed on Philanthropy 50
In 2011, Bill and Karen Ackman were listed on The Chronicle of Philanthropy's "Philanthropy 50" list of the most generous donors.
2011: Icahn Pays Ackman in Lawsuit Settlement
In 2011, Carl Icahn was forced to pay Bill Ackman $4.5 million plus 10% interest per year and legal fees, totaling $9 million, as a result of the lawsuit over the investment deal.
2011: Acquisition of Canadian Pacific Railway Shares
In 2011, Pershing Square began acquiring shares of Canadian Pacific Railway, eventually becoming the railway's largest shareholder.
May 2012: Proxy Contest Victory at Canadian Pacific Railway
In May 2012, nearly 90% of shareholder votes supported Ackman's dissident slate at Canadian Pacific Railway's annual meeting, leading to the replacement of much of the company's leadership.
December 2012: Short Bet Against Herbalife
In December 2012, Bill Ackman announced that Pershing Square had made a $1 billion short bet against Herbalife, a maker of weight-loss and vitamin supplements, and described the company as a "pyramid scheme".
2012: Shorting Herbalife
From 2012 to 2018, Bill Ackman held a US$1 billion short against Herbalife, describing the company as a pyramid scheme.
January 2013: Icahn's Stake in Herbalife
In January 2013, Carl Icahn announced a stake in Herbalife to combat Ackman's short position, following a dispute between the two on CNBC.
August 2013: Ackman Steps Down from J. C. Penney Board
In August 2013, Bill Ackman stepped down from the board of J. C. Penney following a disagreement with fellow board members, ending a two-year campaign to transform the department store.
April 2014: FBI Probes Herbalife
In April 2014, Reuters reported that the FBI conducted a probe into Herbalife and reviewed documents obtained from the company's former distributors following Bill Ackman's campaign.
2014: Pershing Square's Net Gains
In 2014, Pershing Square delivered $4.5 billion in net gains for investors.
January 2015: Named Top Hedge Fund Manager
In January 2015, LCH Investments named Bill Ackman one of the world's top 20 hedge fund managers after Pershing Square delivered $4.5 billion in net gains for investors in 2014.
March 12, 2015: Federal Probes into Herbalife and Ackman's Activities
On March 12, 2015, it was reported that federal prosecutors and the FBI were probing whether some people hired by Bill Ackman made false statements in an attempt to encourage investigations and lower Herbalife's stock. Bill Ackman stated he would not back down from his claims against Herbalife. Neither Ackman nor Pershing Square were subpoenaed.
2015: Weak Performance
Bill Ackman's Pershing Square had a weak performance in 2015–2018.
April 27, 2016: Testimony Before Senate Committee on Aging
On April 27, 2016, Bill Ackman testified before the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging with Valeant Pharmaceuticals' outgoing CEO, J. Michael Pearson, and former interim CEO, Howard Schiller, regarding concerns about Valeant's business model and pricing practices.
July 2016: Herbalife Settles with the 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 as a pyramid scheme. The FTC found that Herbalife "deceived consumers" and that "the small minority of distributors who do make a lot of money are compensated for recruiting new distributors."
December 22, 2016: Separation from Karen Ann Herskovitz Reported
On December 22, 2016, it was reported that Bill Ackman and Karen Ann Herskovitz had separated.
2016: Investment in Chipotle Mexican Grill
In 2016, Bill Ackman began investing in Chipotle Mexican Grill.
2016: Endorsement and Vote in 2016 Presidential Election
In 2016, Bill Ackman endorsed Michael Bloomberg as a prospective candidate for President of the United States and voted for Donald Trump in the election.
March 2017: Sale of Valeant Shares
In March 2017, Bill Ackman sold his remaining 27.2 million share position in Valeant for approximately $300 million, resulting in a substantial loss.
November 2017: Ackman Covers Short-Sell Position in Herbalife
In November 2017, Bill Ackman said that he had covered his short-sell position in Herbalife, but would continue to bet against Herbalife using put options.
2017: Ownership of Gulfstream G550
As of 2017, Bill Ackman owned a Gulfstream G550 business jet.
2017: Chipotle Among Top Holdings
From 2017 to 2024, Chipotle Mexican Grill was among Pershing Square's top holdings.
February 28, 2018: Ackman Exits Herbalife Bet at a Loss
On February 28, 2018, Bill Ackman exited his near billion-dollar bet against Herbalife at a loss.
2018: Weak Performance
Bill Ackman's Pershing Square had a weak performance in 2015–2018.
2018: Shorting Herbalife
From 2012 to 2018, Bill Ackman held a US$1 billion short against Herbalife, describing the company as a pyramid scheme.
2018: Engagement to Neri Oxman
In 2018, Bill Ackman became engaged to Israeli-American designer Neri Oxman.
2018: Hiring of Brian Niccol as CEO of Chipotle
In 2018, Bill Ackman was credited with helping Chipotle Mexican Grill rebound from years of losses by playing a part in hiring Brian Niccol as CEO.
January 2019: Marriage to Neri Oxman
In January 2019, Bill Ackman and Neri Oxman married at the Central Synagogue in Manhattan.
August 2019: Discouraging Ito from Mentioning Oxman
In August 2019, Bill Ackman wrote to MIT Media Lab director Joi Ito to discourage him from mentioning Neri Oxman when discussing Jeffrey Epstein.
2019: Herbalife Pays SEC for False Statements
In 2019, Herbalife paid the SEC $20 million to settle charges that it made false and misleading statements about its China business model.
2019: Pershing Square's Strong Performance
In 2019, Pershing Square returned 58.1%, qualifying it as one of the world's best performing hedge funds for the year.
March 3, 2020: Disclosure of Pershing Square's Portfolio Hedge
On March 3, 2020, Pershing Square first disclosed that it had hedged its portfolio, investing $27 million to purchase credit protection against steep market losses.
March 18, 2020: Ackman Calls for Economic Shutdown
On March 18, 2020, Bill Ackman called upon President Donald Trump for a "30-day shutdown" of the American economy to slow the spread of coronavirus and minimize loss of life and ensuing economic destruction. He also cautioned U.S. companies to stop stock buyback programs because "hell is coming".
November 2020: Ackman's COVID-19 Concerns
In a November 2020 interview, Bill Ackman said that he had grown concerned about COVID-19 because he had seen the film Contagion.
2020: Herbalife Pays for Corrupt Practices in China
In 2020, Herbalife paid more than $122 million after the Department of Justice and SEC found Herbalife "falsif[ied] books and records and provide[d] corrupt payments and benefits to Chinese government officials for the purpose of obtaining, retaining, and increasing Herbalife's business in China."
March 15, 2021: Donation of Coupang Shares
On March 15, 2021, Bill Ackman announced that he donated 26.5 million shares (valued at $1.36 billion) in American e-commerce company Coupang to three entities, including his own foundation.
2021: Ackman listed on Philanthropy 50 with Neri Oxman
In 2021, Bill Ackman was listed on The Chronicle of Philanthropy's "Philanthropy 50" list again, this time with Neri Oxman.
2021: Pershing Square Acquires Stake in Universal Music Group
In 2021, Pershing Square acquired a 10 percent stake in Universal Music Group.
March 1, 2022: Remarks on Sabatini's Treatment
On March 1, 2022, at a Pershing Square Foundation event, Bill Ackman delivered remarks about what he called David M. Sabatini's unfair treatment.
December 2022: Auctioned Lunch for Charity
In December 2022, Bill Ackman auctioned a lunch with himself for charity in partnership with the David Lynch Foundation, with proceeds going toward helping New York's frontline healthcare workers, police and veterans.
2022: Ackman Joins Universal Music Group Board
In 2022, Bill Ackman became a member of the board of directors of Universal Music Group.
2022: Herbalife Settles RICO Violations Case
In 2022, Herbalife paid $12.5 million to settle a case of alleged RICO violations.
February 2023: Funding for Sabatini's Research Laboratory
In February 2023, Bill Ackman announced that his foundation and an anonymous donor would together fund David M. Sabatini US$25 million over five years to establish and run a new research laboratory.
October 8, 2023: Demand for Publication of Student Names
On October 8, 2023, in response to a letter from Harvard student groups condemning Israeli actions, Bill Ackman demanded the publication of the names of all students involved so that he could ensure his company and others do not "inadvertently hire" any of the signatories.
November 2023: Support for Elon Musk and Campaign against Claudine Gay
In November 2023, Bill Ackman supported Elon Musk after he expressed support for antisemitic remarks. Ackman also engaged in 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, stating he raised important issues about vaccines and their safety.
2023: Participation in WhatsApp group chat
In 2023, Bill Ackman was member of Whatsapp group which later held a video call in April 2024 with New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
January 3, 2024: Business Insider Expose on Neri Oxman's Dissertation
On January 3, 2024, Business Insider published an exposé detailing how Bill Ackman's wife, Neri Oxman, plagiarized portions of her dissertation.
January 10, 2024: Ackman Exits WhatsApp Group Chat
A spokesperson for Bill Ackman stated that he had not participated in the 2023-2024 WhatsApp group chat since January 10, 2024.
January 12, 2024: Ackman Severs Ties with Democratic Party
On January 12, 2024, Bill Ackman stated he no longer wants to be associated with the Democratic Party and stated he does not want to be part of a party.
January 15, 2024: Phillips floats Cabinet post for Ackman and Musk
On January 15, 2024, Dean Phillips floated a possible Cabinet post for Bill Ackman and Elon Musk in a forum with them.
January 2024: Calls for Resignation of Harvard Board Members
After Claudine Gay resigned in January 2024, Bill Ackman called for the resignation of Harvard Board Chair Penny Pritzker and other members of the board, describing the university's diversity, equity, and inclusion movement as the "root cause of antisemitism at Harvard".
April 2024: Video Call with NYC Mayor Eric Adams
In April 2024, members of the 2023–2024 WhatsApp group chat held a video call with New York City Mayor Eric Adams to pressure Columbia's president to permit the mayor to send police to shut down campus protests.
July 14, 2024: Ackman Endorses Trump in 2024
On July 14, 2024, Bill Ackman endorsed Donald Trump in the aftermath of his attempted assassination.
August 1, 2024: Withdrawal of Pershing Square USA IPO
On August 1, 2024, after only securing $2 billion, Bill Ackman decided to withdraw the IPO for the new fund known as Pershing Square USA. He announced plans to relaunch a version of the fund with a new transaction structure.
2024: Ackman and Oxman co-trustees of Foundation
As of 2024, Bill Ackman and his wife, Neri Oxman, are the co-trustees of the Pershing Square Foundation.
2024: Stepping Down from Howard Hughes Holdings Board
Bill Ackman stepped down from the Howard Hughes Holdings board in 2024.
2024: Chipotle Among Top Holdings
From 2017 to 2024, Chipotle Mexican Grill was among Pershing Square's top holdings.
2024: Endorsement of Donald Trump and Support for Israel
In 2024, Bill Ackman endorsed Donald Trump in the United States presidential election, having been a long-time donor to Democratic candidates. Furthermore, Ackman has been an active supporter of Israel, especially following the October 7 attacks, and criticized the pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses in 2024.
May 2025: Rejoins Howard Hughes Holdings Board as Executive Chairman
In May 2025, Bill Ackman rejoined the Howard Hughes Holdings board as Executive Chairman after Pershing Square increased its investment in the company to 47%.
May 18, 2025: Defense of Trump's Defunding of Science Research
On May 18, 2025, Bill Ackman defended President Trump's defunding of science research at Harvard on the grounds of antisemitism on campus during a panel at the Center for Jewish History.
June 14, 2025: Advocating for US to join Israel in War against Iran
On June 14, 2025, Bill Ackman posted a tweet on Twitter advocating for the US to join Israel in its war against Iran.
July 2025: Ackman's Net Worth Estimated at $9.4 Billion
In July 2025, Forbes estimated Ackman's net worth to be $9.4 billion.
July 2025: Tucker Carlson Remarks on Ackman's Net Worth
In July 2025, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson spoke about Bill Ackman's net worth and his contributions to society, prompting Ackman to respond on social media.
December 2025: Promotion of GoFundMe Page and Donation
Following the Bondi Beach shooting in December 2025, Bill Ackman promoted a GoFundMe page raising funds for Ahmed Al-Ahmed and later donated $99,999 to the campaign.
2025: False Identification in Brown University Shooting
After the 2025 Brown University shooting, Bill Ackman shared information falsely identifying a Palestinian Brown University undergraduate student as the shooter.
2025: UMG Stake as Largest Position
As of 2025, Pershing Square's 10% stake in Universal Music Group is one of the firm's largest positions.
2025: Hall of Fame Open Appearance and Controversy
In 2025, Bill Ackman received a wild card berth at the Hall of Fame Open at the age of 59 and lost in a doubles match, leading to criticism and the rejection of a $10 million endowment offer to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
2025: Involvement in NYC Mayoral Election
In 2025, Bill Ackman was a supporter of Andrew Cuomo during the New York City mayoral election and an outspoken critic of Zohran Mamdani, who later won the election.
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