Charles Feeney, and multimillionaire whom Forbes magazine once called “the James Bond of philanthropy” for the stealthy way in which he made his donations, he ended up donating his entire fortune, —about 8 billion dollars—to charities, foundations and universities.
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Feeney, 91 years old, made his fortune as co-founder of airport retailer Duty Free Shoppers. He was later credited with inspiring the Giving Pledge, created by Warren Buffet and Bill and Melinda Gates, who signed in 2011.
At the time, he wrote that the most rewarding and appropriate use of wealth is “to give while one lives, to dedicate oneself personally to significant efforts to improve the human condition“.
Feeney set aside $2 million for his and his wife’s retirement. He will not inherit the children of him | Photo: Atlantic Philanthropies
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In 2012, he told Forbes what had set aside $2 million for his retirement and that of his wife Helgawhich meant he planned to donate 375,000 percent more money than his net worth at the time.
In 2020, channeled nearly all of his wealth to Atlantic Philanthropiesmaking it one of the largest private charitable foundations in the world.
His five children (four daughters and one son) have received money through their mother, Feeney’s first wife, meaning they will inherit nothing from their father.
now lives in a two-bedroom apartment in San Francisco with his wife Helgaand has traveled extensively to examine projects to donate to.
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