Charles Koch & family

Chairman and CEO, Koch Industries

$59.36B

as of 07/05/24

About Charles Koch & family

Charles Koch has been chairman of Koch Industries, America's second largest private company by revenue, since 1967. He brought on his first ever co-CEO in 2023.

The diversified company has some $125 billion in revenues from businesses including pipelines, chemicals, software, automotive components and Dixie cups.

His father, Fred Koch, improved a method of refining heavy oil into gasoline in 1927 and started the family business in 1940.

In 1983 Charles and his brother David (d. 2019) bought out their siblings Bill and Frederick (d. 2020) for reportedly around $800 million. David's widow Julia Koch inherited his 42% stake.

From 2020 to 2022, Charles transferred $5.3 billion of Koch Industries' nonvoting stock to a pair of nonprofits with fewer restrictions on lobbying and politics than traditional charities.

Forbes estimates those shares account for nearly a tenth of the 42% stake previously held by Koch (though he still has 42% voting power).

Personal stats

Citizenship

United States of America

Source of wealth

Koch Industries

Residence

Wichita, Kansas

Marital status

Married

Birth date

11/01/35 (age 88)

Number of children

Education

Bachelor of Arts/Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Master of Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Self-made

inherited and growing