Early Life and Education
Robert D. Ziff was born in 1967 in New York City. He is the son of William Bernard Ziff Jr., a media magnate who built the Ziff-Davis magazine empire, and Barbara Ingrid Beitz. Ziff's mother's parents were recognized as 'Righteous among the Nations' for saving Jews during World War II. Robert studied electrical and computer engineering at Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude. He later pursued law at Cornell Law School, graduating first in his class in 1992 and serving as editor of the Cornell Law Review.
Rise to Success
In 1994, Robert, along with his brothers Dirk and Daniel, inherited the family fortune after their father sold the publishing company, Ziff Davis. The brothers formed Ziff Brothers Investments, a family office based in New York City, which focused on investments across various sectors, including equities, debt, real estate, and hedge funds. The firm dissolved the hedge funds in 2014 and the brothers began investing independently.
Key Business Strategies
Ziff Brothers Investments followed a diversified investment approach, investing in a wide range of asset classes. This strategic approach allowed the brothers to grow their inherited wealth and make significant investments. Robert is now an independent investor.
Philanthropy
Robert Ziff is actively involved in philanthropy. He donated $2 million to the Harvard University men's hockey program in 1998 and established the Robert D. Ziff Professorship of Law at Cornell Law School in 2008. He also made financial contributions to Republican legislators who supported gay marriage. In 2017, he endowed the Robert B. Kent Public Interest Fund at Cornell in honor of his law school professor.
