Pierre Omidyar: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of eBay (born 1967)}}

'''Pierre Omidyar''' (born [[21 June]], [[1967]]) is an [[United States|American]] [[entrepreneur]] and [[philanthropist]], and the founder and chairman of the [[eBay]] auction site. Born in [[Paris]], [[France]] to a French-[[Iran]]ian family, Omidyar moved to the US at the age of 6. Growing up in [[Washington, D.C.]], he developed an interest in computing while still at high school. In 1988 he graduated in [[computer science]] from [[Tufts University]], and joined [[Claris]], an [[Apple]] subsidiary, where he helped write [[MacDraw]]. In 1991 he co-founded Ink Development, a [[pen-based computing]] startup that was later rebranded as an [[e-commerce]] company (and renamed eShop).

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{{Use American English|date=August 2015}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Pierre Omidyar

| image = Pomidyarji (cropped).jpg

| caption = Omidyar in 2007

| birth_name = Parviz Morad Omidyar

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1967|6|21}}

| birth_place = [[Paris]], France

| education = [[Tufts University]] ([[B. S.|BS]])

| citizenship = Iran<ref>{{Cite web |date=2002-11-01 |title=Pierre Omidyiar, post baba, Français et milliardaire |url=https://www.lexpress.fr/economie/pierre-omidyiar-post-baba-francais-et-milliardaire_1375950.html |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=L'Express |language=fr |archive-date=August 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230814113119/https://www.lexpress.fr/economie/pierre-omidyiar-post-baba-francais-et-milliardaire_1375950.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Caramail, PriceMinister, Net2One... que sont devenus leurs fondateurs ? |url=https://photo.capital.fr/caramail-priceminister-net2one-que-sont-devenus-leurs-fondateurs-32650 |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=Capital |language=fr |archive-date=August 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825003203/https://photo.capital.fr/caramail-priceminister-net2one-que-sont-devenus-leurs-fondateurs-32650 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-09-30 |title=Pierre Omidyar, le fondateur français d'eBay |url=https://www.journaldunet.com/ebusiness/commerce/1070093-ebay-france-a-10-ans-retrospective/1070098-pierre-omidyar |access-date=2023-08-25 |website=www.journaldunet.com |language=fr |archive-date=August 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230814113116/https://www.journaldunet.com/ebusiness/commerce/1070093-ebay-france-a-10-ans-retrospective/1070098-pierre-omidyar |url-status=live }}</ref><br>France<ref>{{cite web | title=Le Figaro profile: Pierre Omidyar, le mécène | website=Le Figaro | first=Marie-catherine | last=Beuth | date=August 17, 2014 | url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/secteur/high-tech/2014/08/15/32001-20140815ARTFIG00179-pierre-omidyar-le-mecene.php | access-date=January 11, 2021 | archive-date=February 1, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201101605/https://www.lefigaro.fr/secteur/high-tech/2014/08/15/32001-20140815ARTFIG00179-pierre-omidyar-le-mecene.php | url-status=live }}</ref><br />United States<ref name="Forbes-profile">{{Cite web|title=Pierre Omidyar|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/pierre-omidyar/|access-date=April 1, 2021|website=Forbes|language=en|archive-date=October 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008205700/https://www.forbes.com/profile/pierre-omidyar/|url-status=live}}</ref>

| occupation = Founder of [[eBay]]<br />Founder of [[Honolulu Civil Beat]]<br />Founder of [[Ulupono Initiative]]<br /> Founder of [[Omidyar Network]] <br /> Founder of [[First Look Media]]

| boards = eBay

| spouse = Pamela Kerr

}}

'''Pierre Morad Omidyar''' (born '''Parviz Morad Omidyar''', June 21, 1967) is a French-born Iranian-American [[billionaire]]. A technology entrepreneur, software engineer, and philanthropist,{{R|"usembassy"}} he is founder of [[eBay]], where he served as chairman from 1998 to 2015.<ref>{{harvnb|Viegas|2006|p=13}}</ref><ref name="usembassy">{{cite web|url=https://ir.usembassy.gov/pierre-omidyar/|title=Pierre Omidyar|website=US Virtual Embassy Iran|date=January 1, 2015|access-date=May 15, 2020|archive-date=February 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209032834/https://ir.usembassy.gov/pierre-omidyar/|url-status=live}}</ref> Omidyar is the grandson of the [[Imperial Iranian Army]] General [[Mahmud Mir-Djalali]], who was instrumental in the 1921 rise of the [[Pahlavi Dynasty]] and the building out of Iran's Mechanized Artillery Forces and Defense Industries.{{sfn|Alirezaijan|2025|p=186-189}} {{As of|2023}}, ''[[Forbes]]'' ranked Omidyar as the 245th-richest person in the world with an estimated net worth of $8.7 billion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pierre Omidyar |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/pierre-omidyar/ |access-date=2023-02-23 |website=Forbes |language=en |archive-date=October 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008205700/https://www.forbes.com/profile/pierre-omidyar/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Pierre Omidyar was just 28 when he sat down over a long holiday weekend to write the original computer code for what eventually became an internet superbrand - the auction site [[eBay]].

Omidyar and his wife Pamela founded [[Omidyar Network]] in 2004, becoming a long-term [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] donor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perlberg |first=Steven |title=How the Intercept Is Fueling the Democratic Civil War |url=https://politi.co/2UQSFbe |access-date=2023-02-23 |website=POLITICO Magazine |date=April 24, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Since 2010, he has been involved in [[online journalism]] as the head of investigative reporting and public affairs news service ''[[Honolulu Civil Beat]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.civilbeat.com/|title=Hawaii News - Honolulu Civil Beat - Investigative Reporting|work=Civil Beat|access-date=June 2, 2011|archive-date=June 1, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110601040823/http://www.civilbeat.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2013, he announced that he would create and finance [[First Look Media]], a journalism venture to include [[Glenn Greenwald]], [[Laura Poitras]], and [[Jeremy Scahill]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The extraordinary promise of the new Greenwald-Omidyar venture (UPDATED)|publisher=Columbia Journalism Review|url=http://cjr.org/the_audit/the_extraordinary_promise_of_t.php|access-date=November 20, 2013|archive-date=October 17, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017115201/http://www.cjr.org/the_audit/the_extraordinary_promise_of_t.php|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="backing">{{Cite web|last=Hosenball|first=Mark|date=October 15, 2013|title=Here's Who's Backing Glenn Greenwald's New Website|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/glenn-greenwald-pierre-omidyar_n_4103026|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402114819/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/glenn-greenwald-pierre-omidyar_n_4103026|archive-date=April 2, 2019|website=Huffpost}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Jay Rosen|author-link=Jay Rosen|title=A First Look at NewCo's structure|date=December 19, 2013|publisher=Pressthink.org|url=http://pressthink.org/2013/12/a-first-look-at-newcos-structure/|access-date=December 20, 2013|archive-date=February 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140208021741/http://pressthink.org/2013/12/a-first-look-at-newcos-structure/|url-status=live}}</ref>

However, it wasn't actually called that at the time of its launch on [[Labor Day]], Monday, 4 September, 1995. It first appeared under the more prosaic title of Auction Web; it was hosted on the same site as Omidyar had created for information on the [[ebola]] virus. It was later renamed after the site's ___domain name ''ebay.com'' (a shortening of Echo Bay, Omidyar's consulting firm). The service was free at first, but started charging in order to cover his [[internet service provider]] costs.

==Early life and education==

In 1996 [[Jeffrey Skoll]], a Stanford [[MBA]], joined the company and by 1998 eBay had gone [[IPO|public]], making Omidyar a [[billionaire]] -- 3 years after he created eBay. As of 2005, Omidyar's 214 million eBay shares are worth around $8 billion. In March 1998, [[Meg Whitman]] was brought in as President and CEO.

Parviz Morad Omidyar was born on June 21, 1967, in [[Paris]], the son of [[Iranian peoples|Iranian]] parents who had immigrated to France for higher education. He was named [[Parviz]].<ref>{{harvnb|Viegas|2006|p=14}}</ref> His mother, Elahé Mir-Djalali Omidyar, who earned her doctorate in linguistics at the [[University of Paris (post-1970)|Sorbonne]], is an academic. She is the daughter of General [[Mahmud Mir-Djalali]], a former [[Joint Staff of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army|Vice Chairman of the General Staff of the Armed Forces]] of [[Imperial Iran]], and widely regarded as the "Father" of Iran's Military Industries and Tank Forces. He was pivotal in the establishment of [[Mehrabad Airport|Base J]], [[Pasdaran (district)|Saltanatabad Arms Factory]] and the [[Parchin|Parchin Chemical and Explosives Factory]]. Through his connections with the French Government, General Mir-Djalali ensured admission to the Sorbonne for Elahe, where she became a follower of [[Ali Shariati]], [[Ayatollah Taleghani]], and [[Jalal Al-e Ahmad]].{{sfn|Alirezaijan|2025|p=186-189}}<ref name="Viegas 2006 16">{{harvnb|Viegas|2006|p=16}}</ref> His father, Cyrus Omidyar (born {{circa|1934}}), completed medical education and training in France and is a surgeon.

The family immigrated to the United States when Omidyar was a child; his father worked as a [[urologist]] at [[Johns Hopkins University]] in [[Baltimore]], Maryland. He now practices in [[Aliso Viejo, California]].<ref name="Viegas 2006 16" />

Omidyar and his wife Pam are well-known philanthropists who founded the [[Omidyar Network]] in order to expand their efforts beyond non-profits to include for-profits and public policy. The Network's stated mission is to "enable individual self-empowerment on a global scale" and employ "business as a tool for social good" (inspired by 17th century economic philosopher [[Adam Smith]]). Perhaps one example of such is [[Meetup]], a website Omidyar didn't found himself but later invested in, and on whose Board of Directors he now sits.

Omidyar attended [[Punahou School]] in Honolulu for two years. He now serves on the school's board of trustees.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2009/Mar/22/ln/hawaii903220357.html|date=March 22, 2009|title=A 'wonderful rediscovery' in isles - EBAY FOUNDER MAKES HOME IN HAWAII|author=Rick Daysog|access-date=October 21, 2019|archive-date=October 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021150021/http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2009/Mar/22/ln/hawaii903220357.html|url-status=live}}</ref> His interest in computers began while he was a ninth-grade student at [[Potomac School (McLean, Virginia)|The Potomac School]] in [[McLean, Virginia]]. He graduated in 1984 from [[St. Andrew's Episcopal School (Maryland)|St. Andrew's Episcopal School]], [[Potomac, Maryland]], then entered [[Tufts University]] where he majored in computer science and graduated in 1988.

Omidyar also has donated $100 million to Tufts University to launch the [[Omidyar-Tufts Microfinace Fund]]. The fund is intended to spur economic self-empowerment for the poor in developing countries through microfinancing, while demonstrating to other institutional investors the potential of microfinance as commercially viable.

==See alsoCareer==

Shortly after studying at Tufts, Omidyar started working for [[Claris]], an [[Apple Computer]] subsidiary. He worked with the team that upgraded [[MacDraw]] to MacDraw II.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dazeinfo.com/2019/06/21/happy-bday-pierre-omidyar-hobby-turned-ebay-inc-ebay/|title=Happy BDay Pierre Omidyar: Turned His Hobby Into $38 Billion Company|last=Swaraj|first=Shyam|date=June 20, 2019|website=Dazeinfo|language=en-GB|access-date=August 1, 2019|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308035244/https://dazeinfo.com/2019/06/21/happy-bday-pierre-omidyar-hobby-turned-ebay-inc-ebay/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1991, he co-founded [[eShop Inc.|Ink Development]], a [[pen-based computing]] startup that later was rebranded as an [[e-commerce]] company and renamed [[eShop Inc.]]{{sfn|Viegas|2006}}{{page needed|date=January 2022}}

*[[List of billionaires]]

[[Microsoft]] acquired eShop on June 11, 1996, for less than $50 million, and Omidyar earned $1 million from the deal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1996/jun96/eshoppr.mspx|title=Microsoft Acquires eShop Inc.|website=[[Microsoft]]|date=January 4, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104061300/http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/1996/jun96/eshoppr.mspx|access-date=September 13, 2018|archive-date=January 4, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alacrastore.com/storecontent/Thomson_M&A/Microsoft_Corp_acquires_eShop_Inc-558953020|title=Microsoft Corp acquires eShop Inc (1996/06/11) - Thomson Financial Mergers & Acquisitions - AlacraStore.com|date=August 3, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090803105753/http://www.alacrastore.com/storecontent/Thomson_M%26A/Microsoft_Corp_acquires_eShop_Inc-558953020|access-date=September 13, 2018|archive-date=August 3, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/ms-adds-eshop-to-its-buying-spree/|title=MS adds eShop to its buying spree|date=June 11, 1996|work=CNET|access-date=September 13, 2018|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308145416/https://www.cnet.com/news/ms-adds-eshop-to-its-buying-spree/|url-status=live}}</ref>{{sfn|Viegas|2006}}{{page needed|date=January 2022}}

==External links==

*[http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/10/2004/LIR.jhtml?passListId=10&passYear=2004&passListType=Person&uniqueId=KQM6&datatype=Person Forbes.com: Forbes World's Richest People]

*[http://pierre.typepad.com Pierre Omidyar's Irregularly Updated Blog]

=== Founding eBay===

[[Category:1967 births|Omidyar,Pierre]]

[[File:Pierre Omidyar Richard Branson.jpg|thumb|Omidyar with [[Richard Branson]]]]

[[Category:Entrepreneurs|Omidyar,Pierre]]

In 1995, at 28, Omidyar began to write the original computer code for an online venue to enable the listing of a direct person-to-person auction for collectible items. He created a simple prototype on his web page. On [[Labor Day]], Monday, September 4, 1995, he launched an online service called Auction Web, which would eventually be developed as the auction site [[eBay]].<ref name="academy">{{cite web|title=Pierre Omidyar Biography and Interview|website=www.achievement.org|publisher=[[American Academy of Achievement]]|url=https://www.achievement.org/achiever/pierre-omidyar/#interview|access-date=April 3, 2019|archive-date=February 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190228102934/http://www.achievement.org/achiever/pierre-omidyar/#interview|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Category:Forbes World's Richest People|Omidyar,Pierre]]

[[Category:Forbes 400|Omidyar,Pierre]]

The service was originally one of several items on Omidyar's website eBay.com. His website also had a section devoted to the [[Ebola virus]], among other topics.<ref>{{cite news |title=eBay started as a website about Ebola |author=Erin Griffith |url=http://fortune.com/2014/10/16/ebay-started-as-a-website-about-ebola/ |magazine=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]] |date=October 16, 2014 |access-date=November 5, 2014 |archive-date=March 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305113308/http://fortune.com/2014/10/16/ebay-started-as-a-website-about-ebola/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ebay began as a site about Ebola, but it's a mystery what was on it |author=Kyle Alspach |url=http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2014/10/17/ebola-virus-and-ebay-pierre-omidyar-gave-a-tribute-to-ebola/ |publisher=[[BostInno]] |date=October 17, 2014 |access-date=November 5, 2014 |archive-date=October 20, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020034639/http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2014/10/17/ebola-virus-and-ebay-pierre-omidyar-gave-a-tribute-to-ebola/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Category:Internet retailing magnates|Omidyar, Pierre]]

[[Category:U.S. philanthropists|Omidyar, Pierre]]

[[Category:Dot-com people|Omidyar, Pierre]]

[[Category:eBay employees|Omidyar, Pierre]]

The first item sold on the eBay site was a broken [[laser pointer]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/09/11/ebays-20th-made-possible-canadian-retiree/72074218/|title=eBay's 20th made possible by Canadian retiree|last=Cava|first=Marco della|website=USA TODAY|language=en|access-date=August 5, 2019|archive-date=May 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506023226/https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/09/11/ebays-20th-made-possible-canadian-retiree/72074218/|url-status=live}}</ref> Omidyar was astonished that anyone would pay for a broken device, but the buyer assured him that he was deliberately collecting broken laser pointers. Similar surprises followed. The business exploded as correspondents began registering a wide variety of trade goods.

[[de:Pierre Omidyar]]

[[fa:پیر امیدیار]]

Omidyar incorporated the enterprise; his small fee on each sale financed the site's expansion. The revenue soon outstripped his salary at [[General Magic]] and nine months later, Omidyar decided to dedicate his full attention to his new enterprise.

[[fr:Pierre Omidyar]]

[[simple:Pierre Omidyar]]

By 1996, when Omidyar signed a licensing deal to offer airline tickets online, the site had hosted 250,000 auctions. In the first month of 1997, it hosted two million. By the middle of that year, eBay hosted nearly 800,000 auctions daily.<ref name="academy" />

In 1997, Omidyar changed the company's name from AuctionWeb to eBay and began advertising the service aggressively. The name "eBay" was his second choice. His first choice was registered to a Canadian mining company, Echo Bay Mines. He originally wanted [[Echo Bay, Nevada|Echo Bay]], the name of a recreational area near Lake Mead, Nevada, because it "sounded cool". When he learned that echobay.com was taken, he dropped the "cho", and ebay.com was born.{{sfn|Viegas|2006|p=[https://archive.org/details/pierreomidyarfou00vieg/page/52 52]}} The frequently repeated story that eBay was founded to help Omidyar's fiancée trade Pez candy dispensers was fabricated by a public relations manager in 1997 to interest the media. This was revealed in [[Adam Cohen (journalist)|Adam Cohen]]'s 2002 book ''The Perfect Store'',{{sfn|Cohen|2002}} and confirmed by eBay.

==Later years==

[[Jeffrey Skoll]] joined the company in 1996. In March 1998, [[Meg Whitman]] was elected president and CEO. She ran the company until January 2008, when she announced her retirement. In September 1998, eBay launched a successful [[Initial public offering|public offering]], making both Omidyar and Skoll billionaires.

In 2002, eBay bought [[PayPal]], an online payment company. Later, in 2015, they spun PayPal off.<ref name="About eBay 2015">{{cite web |title=eBay Inc. Board Approves Completion of eBay and PayPal Separation |website=About eBay |date=2015-12-28 |url=https://www.ebayinc.com/stories/news/ebay-inc-board-approves-completion-of-ebay-and-paypal-separation/ |access-date=2022-03-25 |archive-date=March 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325160501/https://www.ebayinc.com/stories/news/ebay-inc-board-approves-completion-of-ebay-and-paypal-separation/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Omidyar still owns 6% of its worth.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|title=Pierre Omidyar|work=Forbes|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/pierre-omidyar/|access-date=May 12, 2018|archive-date=October 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008205700/https://www.forbes.com/profile/pierre-omidyar/|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{As of|2008|07}}, Omidyar's 178 million eBay shares were worth around $4.45 billion.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/q/mh?s=EBAY |title=EBAY: Major Holders for eBay Inc. |publisher=Yahoo! Finance |access-date=February 25, 2010 |archive-date=March 4, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304203428/http://finance.yahoo.com/q/mh?s=EBAY |url-status=live }}</ref> Omidyar is an investor in Montage Resort and Spa in [[Laguna Beach, California]].

Omidyar is also a member of the [[Berggruen Institute]]'s 21st Century Council.<ref>{{cite web|title=Berggruen Institute|url=http://governance.berggruen.org/councils/21st-century-council/members|access-date=January 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170106173236/http://governance.berggruen.org/councils/21st-century-council/members|archive-date=January 6, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2020, Omidyar stepped down from the board of eBay as part of a broader overhaul of the company. He has, however, stayed active in the company, retaining the title of director emeritus.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Armental|first=Maria|date=September 10, 2020|title=EBay Founder Pierre Omidyar Steps Down From Board|language=en-US|work=Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/ebay-founder-pierre-omidyar-steps-down-from-board-11599781715|access-date=October 8, 2020|issn=0099-9660|archive-date=February 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214131337/https://www.wsj.com/articles/ebay-founder-pierre-omidyar-steps-down-from-board-11599781715|url-status=live}}</ref>

==News media businesses==

In 2010, Omidyar launched an online investigative reporting news service, ''Honolulu Civil Beat'', covering civic affairs in [[Hawaii]]. The site was named Best News Website in Hawaii for 2010, 2011, and 2012.<ref>{{cite web|date=June 29, 2010|title=Civil Beat Named Best Hawaii News Website for the Third Year in a Row|url=https://www.civilbeat.com/articles/2013/06/29/19424-civil-beat-named-best-hawaii-news-website-for-the-third-year-in-a-row/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705175045/http://www.civilbeat.com/articles/2013/06/29/19424-civil-beat-named-best-hawaii-news-website-for-the-third-year-in-a-row/|archive-date=July 5, 2013|website=Honolulu Civil Beat}}</ref> On September 4, 2013, ''Honolulu Civil Beat'' started a partnership with ''[[HuffPost]]'', launching ''HuffPost Hawaii''.

In 2013, prompted by the [[Edward Snowden]] leaks,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rice|first1=Andrew|date=November 2, 2014|title=The Pierre Omidyar Insurgency|url=https://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/10/pierre-omidyar-first-look-media.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119185825/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2014/10/pierre-omidyar-first-look-media.html|archive-date=November 19, 2018|work=New York Magazine}}</ref> Omidyar announced the creation of the journalism venture [[First Look Media]], which on February 10, 2014, launched ''[[The Intercept]]'', drawing from journalists such as [[Glenn Greenwald]], [[Laura Poitras]], [[Jeremy Scahill]], [[Dan Froomkin]], John Temple, and [[Jay Rosen]].<ref name=backing/><ref>{{cite web|last=Byers|first=Dylan|date=November 17, 2013|title=NYU's Jay Rosen to join Omidyar venture|url=https://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/11/nyus-jay-rosen-to-omidyar-venture-177711|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312080942/https://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/11/nyus-jay-rosen-to-omidyar-venture-177711|archive-date=March 12, 2016|website=Politico}}</ref>

==Film production==

Omidyar has been part of the executive producer team for the following films.

*''[[Merchants of Doubt (film)|Merchants of Doubt]]'' (2014)<ref name="Gregg Kilday 2014-08-07">{{cite web |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/robert-kenners-doc-merchants-doubt-723991 |title=Robert Kenner's Doc 'Merchants of Doubt' Goes to Sony Pictures Classics - Hollywood Reporter |newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter |date=August 7, 2014 |first=Gregg |last=Kilday |access-date=December 26, 2015 |archive-date=January 5, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105112714/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/robert-kenners-doc-merchants-doubt-723991 |url-status=live }}</ref>

*''[[Spotlight (film)|Spotlight]]'' (2015)<ref name="Justin Chang 2015-09-03">{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/spotlight-review-michael-keaton-tom-mccarthy-venice-film-festival-1201580933/ |title='Spotlight' Review: Michael Keaton Stars in Drama About Catholic Abuse Scandals |newspaper=Variety |date=September 3, 2015 |first=Justin |last=Chang |access-date=December 26, 2015 |archive-date=March 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160327020744/http://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/spotlight-review-michael-keaton-tom-mccarthy-venice-film-festival-1201580933/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Omidyar Group and Omidyar Network ==

=== Omidyar Group ===

Omidyar Group represents a diverse array of companies, organizations, and initiatives associated with Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam and their philanthropic and business endeavors.

=== Omidyar Network ===

{{Main|Omidyar Network}}

[[Omidyar Network]] is a philanthropic investment firm dedicated to harnessing the power of markets to create opportunities for people to improve their lives.<ref>{{cite news | last =Guth | first =Robert A. | title =EBay Founder's Philanthropic Firm to Donate More | work =[[The Wall Street Journal]] | date =October 22, 2008 | url =https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB122463722341457039?mod=todays_us_page_one | access-date =August 8, 2017 | archive-date =September 8, 2017 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20170908201555/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB122463722341457039?mod=todays_us_page_one | url-status =live }}</ref> It was established in 2004 by Omidyar and his wife, Pam.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Frankel|first1=Carl|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7dR0AQAAQBAJ&q=omidyar+network+2004&pg=PA60|title=The Art of Social Enterprise: Business as if People Mattered|last2=Bromberger|first2=Allen|date=June 1, 2013|publisher=New Society Publishers|isbn=978-1-55092-534-0|language=en}}</ref> The organization invests in and helps scale innovative organizations to catalyze economic, social, and political change. Omidyar Network has committed more than $992 million to for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations that foster economic advancement and encourage individual participation across multiple investment areas, including Property Rights, Governance & Citizen Engagement, Education, Financial Inclusion and Consumer & Internet Mobile.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.omidyar.com/ |title=Omidyar Network |access-date=September 7, 2016 |archive-date=September 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160903101035/https://www.omidyar.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2010, he and his wife established, along with [[Richard Branson]] and the Nduna Foundation (founded by [[Amy Robbins (philanthropist)|Amy Robbins]]), and [https://www.alliancemagazine.org/feature/enterprise-zimbabwe-to-power-country-s-small-enterprise-sector/ Enterprise Zimbabwe].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/business/global/21branson.html "Branson Charity Focuses Aid Effort on Zimbabwe"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909010314/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/business/global/21branson.html |date=September 9, 2017 }}. STEPHANIE STROM. ''[[The New York Times]]'', September 20, 2010.</ref>

===Luminate Group===

Established in 2018 to provide an information platform whose declared mission is to ensure that everyone, even the least able, has the information to influence the decisions that affect their lives and the power to assert their rights.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://luminategroup.com/about |title=Luminate organization website:about |access-date=June 25, 2023 |archive-date=June 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230625074146/https://luminategroup.com/about |url-status=live }}</ref>

Its vice-president Felipe Estefan, is associated with Omidyar Network's Governance & Citizen Engagement initiative and was formerly a CNN journalist and an Open Government Strategist at the World Bank.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://es.weforum.org/people/felipe-estefan |title=World Economic Forum personnel page |access-date=June 25, 2023 |archive-date=June 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230625074146/https://es.weforum.org/people/felipe-estefan |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/annefield/2019/01/31/omidyar-networks-luminate-spinoff-seeks-to-protect-democracies-under-attack/|title=Omidyar Network's Luminate Spinoff Seeks To Protect Democracies Under Attack|last=Field|first=Anne|website=Forbes|language=en|date=January 31, 2019|access-date=December 5, 2019|archive-date=December 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205083943/https://www.forbes.com/sites/annefield/2019/01/31/omidyar-networks-luminate-spinoff-seeks-to-protect-democracies-under-attack/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/pierre-omidyar/|title=Pierre Omidyar|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=December 5, 2019|archive-date=October 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008205700/https://www.forbes.com/profile/pierre-omidyar/|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Personal life ==

[[File:Pierre Omidyar mit Ehefrau.jpg|thumb|Omidyar with his wife Pamela]]

Omidyar and his wife Pamela own properties in [[Seven Hills, Henderson, Nevada]] {{Coord|35.98149900|-115.10169400|display=inline}},<ref>{{cite news| url =http://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/pierre-omidyars-house/view/bing/| title =Pierre Omidyar's House| publisher =Virtual Globetrotting| access-date =March 15, 2015| archive-date =2015-10-07| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20151007165938/https://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/pierre-omidyars-house/view/bing/ }} [https://web.archive.org/web/20151007165938/https://virtualglobetrotting.com/map/pierre-omidyars-house.kml KML]</ref> and [[Honolulu, Hawaii]].<ref name="Forbes profile">{{cite web | title=Forbes Profile: Pierre Omidyar | website=Forbes | url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/pierre-omidyar/ | access-date=March 21, 2021 | archive-date=October 8, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008205700/https://www.forbes.com/profile/pierre-omidyar/ | url-status=live }}</ref> According to ''[[Forbes]]'', his net worth was US$13.1 billion as of January 2019.<ref name=":0" /> He is a major donor to [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] candidates and organizations.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.influencewatch.org/person/pierre-omidyar/#political-activity |title=Pierre Omidyar |website=Influence Watch |access-date=March 10, 2019 |archive-date=February 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227121447/https://www.influencewatch.org/person/pierre-omidyar/#political-activity |url-status=live }}</ref> Omidyar is a follower of the [[Dalai Lama]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Todd|first=Felix|date=December 31, 2018|title=Five Buddhist business leaders: From Alibaba co-founder to eBay's creator|url=https://www.ns-businesshub.com/business/buddhist-business-leaders-alibaba-ebay/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200524103422/https://www.ns-businesshub.com/business/buddhist-business-leaders-alibaba-ebay/|archive-date=May 24, 2020|website=NS Business}}</ref> In 2010, he joined [[Bill Gates]] and [[Warren Buffett]] as a signatory of [[The Giving Pledge]], and has declared his intention to give away most of his wealth during his lifetime.<ref>{{Cite web|last=York|first=Carnegie Corporation of New|title=Pierre Omidyar|url=https://www.carnegie.org/awards/honoree/pierre-omidyar/|access-date=November 22, 2020|website=Carnegie Corporation of New York|language=en|archive-date=September 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922171123/https://www.carnegie.org/awards/honoree/pierre-omidyar/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2019, he donated approximately $500 million to charitable causes.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Schleifer|first=Theodore|date=February 11, 2020|title=Tech billionaires give away billions to charity — but it's just a small fraction of their staggering wealth|url=https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/2/11/21133521/tech-billionaires-philanthropy-numbers-data|access-date=April 15, 2020|website=Vox|language=en|archive-date=April 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422170530/https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/2/11/21133521/tech-billionaires-philanthropy-numbers-data|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Antitrust activism and criticism of big tech ==

{{Expand section|date=October 2021}}

He has bankrolled groups like the anti-monopoly think tank Open Markets Institute and the digital rights group [[Public Knowledge Project]], in the fight against the [[Big Tech|big tech]] companies, which he criticizes as overly powerful and destructive to democracy.<ref name="PoliticoOct21">{{Cite news|last=Birnbaum|first=Emily|date=October 20, 2021|title=The Tech Billionaire Aiding the Facebook-Whistleblower|work=[[Politico]]|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/10/20/tech-billionaire-aiding-facebook-whistleblower-516358|access-date=October 20, 2021|archive-date=October 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020191111/https://www.politico.com/news/2021/10/20/tech-billionaire-aiding-facebook-whistleblower-516358|url-status=live}}</ref>

His advocacy and philanthropic investment firm the Omidyar Network, distributed widely read papers laying out the antitrust cases against Facebook and Google.<ref name="PoliticoOct21" /> In February 2021, his network hosted a [https://omidyar.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/The-Tech-We-Want-Tech-Whistleblowers.pdf series on whistleblowing], and is now providing financial support to Facebook whistleblower [[Frances Haugen]].

Omidyar has given funding to the [[Center for Humane Technology]], whose head of public affairs is Haugen's top PR representative in the US.<ref name="PoliticoOct21" />

== Awards and honors ==

* Honorary doctorate, [[Tufts University]] (2011)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://now.tufts.edu/commencement-2011/pierre-omidyar|title=Pierre Omidyar|date=October 16, 2013|website=Tufts Now|language=en|access-date=December 19, 2019|archive-date=March 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308071311/https://now.tufts.edu/commencement-2011/pierre-omidyar|url-status=dead}}</ref>

* 1999 EY Entrepreneur of The Year National Winner<ref>"Hall of Fame - EY Entrepreneur of the Year". Hall of Fame - EY Entrepreneur Of The Year. N.p., n.d. Web. April 13, 2015. Search: "Pierre Omidyar"<http://eoyhof.ey.com/#!/search {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060614150043/http://eoyhof.ey.com/#!/search |date=June 14, 2006 }}>.</ref>

== See also ==

* [[Iranian diaspora]]

* [[Iranian Americans]]

* [[Omidyar-Tufts Microfinance Fund]]

* [[The World's Billionaires]]

== Citations ==

{{Reflist}}

;General sources

{{refbegin}}

* {{cite book |author=Alirezaijan, Reza |ref=Alireza2025 |title='Škodovy závody Teherán:Českoslovenští architekti v říši perského šáha, 1932–1948' |publisher=Books & Pipes Brno |year=2025 |isbn=978-80-7485-302-9 |url=https://www.bookspipes.cz/skodovy-zavody-teheran}}

* {{citation | title=The Perfect Store: Inside eBay | first=Adam | last=Cohen | year=2002 | isbn=978-0-316-16493-1 | publisher=Back Bay Books | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/perfectstore00adam }}

* {{citation | last=Viegas | first=Jennifer | title=Pierre Omidyar: The Founder of eBay | publisher=Rosen Publishing Group | year=2006 | isbn=978-1-4042-0715-8 | url=https://archive.org/details/pierreomidyarfou00vieg }}

{{refend}}

== Further reading ==

*[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/21/business/media/an-interview-with-pierre-omidyar.html "An Interview With Pierre Omidyar"]. ''[[The New York Times]]'', October 20, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013.

*[https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2013/10/16/pierre-omidyar-ready-to-spend-250-million-on-glenn-greenwalds-news-startup/ "Pierre Omidyar Ready To Spend $250 Million On Glenn Greenwald's News Startup"]. ''[[Forbes]]'', October 16, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013.

*[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/17/business/media/snowden-journalists-new-venture-to-be-bankrolled-by-ebay-founder.html "Snowden Journalist's New Venture to Be Bankrolled by eBay Founder"]. ''[[The New York Times]]'', October 16, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013.

*[https://www.cjr.org/the_audit/the_extraordinary_promise_of_t.php "The extraordinary promise of the new Greenwald-Omidyar venture"]. ''[[Columbia Journalism Review]]'', October 17, 2013. Retrieved October 21, 2013.

*{{cite web

| url =http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/10/pierre-omidyar-first-look-media.html

| title =The Pierre Omidyar Insurgency: How the Snowden Leaks Gave Pierre Omidyar a Cause — and an Enemy

| last1 =Rice

| first1 =Andrew

| date =November 2, 2014

| publisher =New York Media LLC

| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20141103084855/http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/10/pierre-omidyar-first-look-media.html

| archive-date =November 3, 2014

| access-date =November 2, 2014

| quote =It is possible to begin to discern Omidyar's motivations with a little online surveillance.}}

== External links ==

* [http://www.omidyargroup.com/the-omidyar-group/ The Omidyar Group]

* [http://www.omidyar.com/ Omidyar Network]

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{{s-ttl|title=[[Chairman]] of [[eBay]]|years=1995–2015}}

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{{Wealthiest people in the United States}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Omidyar, Pierre}}

[[Category:1967 births]]

[[Category:21st-century American philanthropists]]

[[Category:21st-century French philanthropists]]

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