Billionaire Biographies

Episode 80 - Roman Abramovich: The Ultimate Insider

No one better represents the rise, power, and vulnerability of the Russian oligarchs than Roman Abramovich. This episode tells the story of the quiet, politically savvy operator who became one of Russia's richest and most well-known billionaires. We trace his journey from an orphan to a key player in the chaotic "aluminum wars" of the 1990s and, most importantly, his role as a central figure within Boris Yeltsin's inner circle.
We reveal how Abramovich used his political connections to acquire a controlling stake in the oil giant Sibneft for a pittance through the corrupt loans-for-shares auctions. His story is inextricably linked to the rise of Vladimir Putin, whom he helped bring to power. In the new Russia, Abramovich understood the deal: oligarchs could keep their fortunes as long as they stayed out of politics and remained loyal to the Kremlin. He then embarked on a project to convert his Russian wealth into Western legitimacy, most famously through his 2003 purchase of London’s Chelsea Football Club.
The story of Roman Abramovich is the story of the modern Russian oligarchy. He was the ultimate insider who mastered the art of turning political power into immense wealth, and then using that wealth to buy a seat at the table of the global elite. But as we will see, that position was always dependent on the whims of one man back in Moscow.

Episode 81 - Mukesh Ambani: The Prince of India's Fortune

In India, one family name is synonymous with staggering wealth and political power: Ambani. This episode tells the story of Mukesh Ambani, the man who inherited his father's industrial conglomerate, Reliance Industries, and built it into a corporate behemoth that touches every aspect of Indian life. We trace the epic family feud with his brother, Anil, that followed their father’s death, a battle that split the empire in two and captivated the nation. Mukesh emerged with control of the core oil and petrochemicals business.
We then explore his audacious, multi-billion-dollar gamble on a new venture: Jio, a telecommunications network that launched by offering free data and calls to the entire country. This move crushed competitors, connected hundreds of millions of Indians to the internet for the first time, and positioned Reliance as the dominant player in India's digital future. We analyze how his immense wealth, showcased by his extravagant 27-story personal skyscraper in Mumbai, is intertwined with the country’s politics and economic policy.
Mukesh Ambani’s story is a modern epic of dynastic power, sibling rivalry, and nation-building ambition. His empire is so vast and influential that it functions as a parallel state, making him arguably the most powerful man in the world’s largest democracy. He isn't just a participant in India's economy; he is its primary architect.

Episode 82 - Jack Ma: The Rise and Disappearance of China's Tech Icon

For years, Jack Ma was the charismatic and outspoken face of Chinese capitalism, a beloved figure who went from a humble English teacher to the founder of the e-commerce giant Alibaba. This episode chronicles the incredible rise of a man who brought the internet to China and built a business empire that rivaled Amazon. We explore his unique, performance-driven leadership style and his vision of creating the digital infrastructure for commerce in the world's most populous nation.
We then delve into the dramatic and chilling story of his fall from grace. After delivering a public speech in 2020 that criticized China's state-owned banks and financial regulators, the government retaliated with stunning force. They abruptly canceled the record-breaking IPO of his financial company, Ant Group, and launched an anti-monopoly investigation into Alibaba. In the aftermath, the once-ubiquitous Jack Ma completely vanished from public view for months, sending a shockwave through the global business community.
Jack Ma's story is a stark and terrifying lesson in the limits of wealth and power within an authoritarian state. It reveals the unwritten rule of modern China: billionaires can thrive, but only as long as they remember that the Communist Party is the ultimate authority. His disappearance served as a clear warning to the entire tech industry.

Episode 83 - Li Ka-shing: The Hong Kong Superman

Li Ka-shing, known in Hong Kong as "Superman" for his legendary business acumen, is one of the most influential tycoons in Asia. This episode tells his classic rags-to-riches story, from his arrival in Hong Kong as a penniless refugee fleeing mainland China to his start as a plastic flower manufacturer. We trace his incredible rise as he built a sprawling global empire in real estate, ports, retail, and utilities, becoming a symbol of Hong Kong's post-war economic miracle.
We dissect his investment philosophy, a masterful ability to identify undervalued assets and a keen sense for the flow of capital and political tides. For decades, his control over Hong Kong's key infrastructure, from its ports and electricity grid to its mobile phone networks, made him the city’s ultimate landlord. However, we also investigate his controversial shift in recent years, as he began systematically selling off his assets in China and Hong Kong and reinvesting the proceeds in Europe, a move many interpreted as a bet against the city's future under Beijing's tightening grip.
Li Ka-shing’s story is the story of Hong Kong itself—its rise, its dynamism, and its uncertain future. He is a master of navigating the complex intersection of business and politics. His career is a testament to the power of foresight and the difficult choices that must be made when the winds of change begin to blow.

Episode 84 - The House of Saud: The World's Richest, Most Powerful Family

The House of Saud is not just a family; it is a state, a dynasty that controls the vast oil reserves of Saudi Arabia and the holy sites of Islam. This episode explores the collective, trillion-dollar fortune of the Saudi royal family, a level of wealth so immense it blurs the line between a personal and a national treasury. We trace the family's rise to power and the historic 1945 deal with the United States that granted them security in exchange for access to their oil, a pact that would shape global politics for the next century.
We delve into the opaque world of the family's finances, from the lavish spending of its thousands of princes to the creation of its powerful Public Investment Fund (PIF). Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the PIF has become one of the most aggressive sovereign wealth funds on Earth, making multi-billion-dollar investments in everything from tech companies like Uber to global sports leagues. This is a strategic pivot to diversify the kingdom's wealth beyond oil, a move they call Vision 2030.
This is a story of absolute power and unimaginable, state-sanctioned wealth. We examine how the House of Saud uses its oil fortune not just for personal enrichment, but as a formidable tool of international influence and soft power. They are the ultimate dynastic owners of a nation's resources.

Episode 85 - Prince Alwaleed bin Talal: The Saudi Warren Buffett

For decades, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal was the international face of Saudi finance, a globe-trotting investor who cultivated an image as the "Warren Buffett of the Middle East." This episode charts the rise of the flamboyant prince, who used his royal connections to build a massive investment portfolio through his company, Kingdom Holding. We explore his high-profile stakes in iconic Western companies like Citicorp, Apple, and the Four Seasons hotel chain, which made him a fixture on the global business circuit.
His carefully crafted image came crashing down in November 2017. As part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's supposed "anti-corruption" purge, Prince Alwaleed was arrested and imprisoned for nearly three months in the luxurious Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh, along with hundreds of other prominent Saudis. He was forced to negotiate a secret, and likely very expensive, settlement to secure his release. The incident was a brutal demonstration of the new power dynamics within the kingdom.
The story of Prince Alwaleed is a stark reminder that in an absolute monarchy, personal wealth and status are always conditional. His imprisonment signaled the end of the old way of doing business in Saudi Arabia and the consolidation of power under one man. Even the most famous Saudi billionaire was ultimately subject to the will of the crown.

Episode 86 - The Sackler Family: The Dynasty That Built an Empire of Pain

The Sackler name was once emblazoned on the world's most prestigious museums and universities, a symbol of philanthropic grace. This episode exposes the dark secret behind that fortune: the family's private ownership of Purdue Pharma, the company that developed, deceptively marketed, and profited from the highly addictive painkiller OxyContin. We tell the story of the three Sackler brothers who built a medical advertising empire, and how two of them used that expertise to unleash a public health catastrophe.
We reveal the fraudulent marketing strategies Purdue used to convince the medical community that OxyContin was safe and non-addictive, despite knowing the immense risks. We document how they pushed doctors to prescribe the drug for a wide range of ailments, fueling a devastating wave of addiction and death that would become the opioid crisis. All the while, the Sackler family personally extracted billions of dollars from the company, shielding their fortune from legal liability as hundreds of thousands of people died.
This is the story of a family that knowingly and deliberately profited from human misery on a historic scale. The Sackler saga is one of the most sinister and immoral stories in the history of American capitalism. It is a chilling exposé of a dynasty that built an empire of pain.

Episode 87 - Jeffrey Epstein: The Billionaire Predator's Network

Jeffrey Epstein was a man of immense wealth, but the true source of his fortune remains a mystery. This episode delves into the dark world of the financier who used his money and his powerful connections to run a vast international sex trafficking ring preying on underage girls. We investigate the origins of his wealth, his close relationship with retail billionaire Leslie Wexner, and the aura of legitimacy he cultivated by surrounding himself with the global elite, from presidents and prime ministers to princes and Nobel laureates.
We expose how Epstein used his private jets and secluded island estates as tools to traffic, abuse, and silence his young victims. We chronicle the shocking failures of the justice system, particularly the secret, lenient plea deal he received in Florida in 2008, which allowed him to escape federal prosecution and continue his crimes for another decade. The story is a sickening indictment of a system that enabled a wealthy, well-connected predator to operate with impunity for years.
This is not just the story of one man's depravity; it is a story about the corrupting influence of wealth and the network of powerful people who protected him. Jeffrey Epstein's case forces us to confront the darkest side of elite power. It asks how a man could commit such monstrous crimes, in plain sight, for so long.

Episode 88 - Robert Maxwell: The Tycoon Who Robbed His Own Companies

Robert Maxwell was a larger-than-life media mogul, a former member of Parliament, and the great rival to Rupert Murdoch in the British newspaper world. This episode tells the story of the flamboyant, bullying, and deeply corrupt tycoon who built a publishing empire that included the Daily Mirror. We explore his dramatic life, from his escape from the Nazis as a Czech refugee to his rise as a celebrated, if feared, figure in British society.
The empire came crashing down after his mysterious death in 1991, when he fell from his yacht, the Lady Ghislaine. In the aftermath, a shocking truth was revealed: Maxwell was a fraud on a colossal scale. To prop up his debt-laden companies, he had secretly plundered hundreds of millions of pounds from his own employees' pension funds, leaving thousands of workers facing a destitute retirement. It was one of the most audacious corporate frauds in history.
Robert Maxwell's story is a dramatic tale of ego, deception, and a stunning betrayal of trust. It reveals how a man's powerful public persona can mask a deeply corrupt private reality. He was a celebrated captain of industry who, in the end, was nothing more than a common thief.

Episode 89 - The Cult of We: WeWork, Adam Neumann, and the Great Startup Delusion

WeWork was supposed to be the future of work, a real estate company with a mission to "elevate the world's consciousness." This episode tells the story of its meteoric rise and spectacular fall, focusing on its charismatic, cult-like founder, Adam Neumann. We explore how Neumann used his messianic salesmanship to convince savvy investors, most notably SoftBank's Masayoshi Son, that his office-leasing company was actually a revolutionary tech company worth an astonishing $47 billion.
We delve into the bizarre corporate culture of WeWork, which was fueled by lavish parties, spiritual rhetoric, and Neumann’s own erratic behavior and conflicts of interest. We then chronicle the company's disastrous attempt to go public in 2019. The release of its IPO filing exposed the company's massive losses and Neumann’s self-dealing, causing its valuation to plummet and the IPO to be abandoned. The story was a shocking indictment of the "growth-at-all-costs" Silicon Valley mindset.
The WeWork saga is the ultimate cautionary tale of the startup bubble era. It reveals the dangers of charismatic founders, herd mentality investing, and the collective delusion that can arise when a good story is valued more than a sound business. Adam Neumann didn't just sell office space; he sold a myth, and the world bought it.