Billionaire Profile
Paul Singer
Global Rank
#594

Image: Antonio Cruz/ ABR | CC BY 3.0 br | via Wikimedia Commons

Paul Singer

CEO, Hedge funds
UNITED STATES
Real-Time Net Worth
$6.673B
Estimated based on Hedge funds stock value as of March 6, 2026
0% (24h)
Age
81
Source
Hedge funds
Industry
Finance & Investments
Citizenship
UNITED STATES

Biography

Paul Singer is an 81-year-old American hedge fund manager and activist investor, renowned for founding Elliott Management Corporation. He is recognized as one of the most successful hedge fund proprietors globally, with a career spanning nearly half a century. Singer is known for his high-profile and often combative dealmaking. His expertise lies in distressed debt and activist campaigns, driving change within companies through strategic investments and shareholder influence. With a net worth of $6.2 billion as of December 18, 2024, Singer is a significant figure in the finance industry.

Fact Checked
Verified by Editorial Team
Live Data
Updated 3/6/2026

Wealth Over Time

In-Depth Profile

Early Life and Education

Paul Elliott Singer was born on August 22, 1944, in Teaneck, New Jersey. He earned a B.S. in psychology from the University of Rochester in 1966 and a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1969.

Rise to Success

Singer founded Elliott Associates L.P. in 1977 with $1.3 million, employing a convertible arbitrage strategy. Elliott Management has grown to become a major player in activist investing and private equity, currently managing around $73 billion in assets. Singer's firm has been involved in significant restructurings, including the Delphi Automotive maneuver. Elliott Management is known for its focus on distressed assets and activist campaigns, seeking to influence corporate outcomes.

Key Business Strategies

Singer's investment philosophy centers on distressed debt, aiming to invest in financially troubled companies with recovery potential. He is known for taking calculated risks and emphasizing risk management. His firm has engaged in numerous campaigns focused on tech companies.

Philanthropy

Singer signed The Giving Pledge, committing to donate over half his wealth to address societal challenges. He founded The Paul E. Singer Family Foundation to support various charitable causes, including education, U.S. national security, and LGBT equality efforts.

Career Milestones

1977

Founded Elliott Management

Singer founded Elliott Management Corporation.

2016

Won a $2.4 Billion Payout

Elliott Management received a $2.4 billion payout after 15 years of litigation with the Argentinian government.

2018

Acquired AC Milan

Elliott Management acquired the Italian football club AC Milan.

Philanthropy & Social Impact

Philanthropy

The Paul E. Singer Family Foundation

$0.3B

Supports various charitable causes, including education and LGBT equality efforts. Gave roughly $300 million to his foundation since 2010.

Philanthropy

Manhattan Institute for Policy Research

Unknown

Singer is the Chairman Emeritus. Supports research and policy in the areas of free-market economics, rule of law, and U.S. national security.

Business Philosophy & Leadership

Notable Quotes

""Income inequality has become a wedge issue.""

""When big losses happen, people lose their minds and judgment.""

Leadership Principles

Protect Your Capital

Avoid catastrophic losses at all costs; prioritize survival to thrive.

Chase Uncorrelated Returns

Focus on steady gains with minimal correlation to market chaos.

Do the Work No One Else Will Touch

Create exhaustive question lists for each industry and study failures as closely as successes.

Controversies & Challenges

Various

Vulture Fund Activities

Criticized for purchasing distressed debt from companies and sovereign states, then pursuing full payment through courts.

2016

Argentina Debt Dispute

Spent over a decade and millions of dollars in court with the government of Argentina over bond payments.

2010s

Delphi Auto Parts

Elliott Management, along with other hedge funds, was criticized for blocking a sale of Delphi and extracting additional compensation, resulting in job losses and pension cuts.