Want to expand your knowledge of some of the world’s most successful people? This short biography of Michael Bloomberg may well be of interest if you’re curious about how he came to be where he is today.

Born on 14th February 1942, Michael Rubens Bloomberg as he was named by his parents started out life in the Boston neighbourhood of Brighton. His father, a man with roots from Russia was a real estate agent. His mother was also the daughter of a Russian family and has lived past 100 years of age.

Until Michael was 2, the Bloombergs continued to live in their home in Boston before relocating to Brookline in the state of Massachusetts, and finally settling back in Boston, in the town of Medford. Michael Bloomberg lived here until after he completed college.

Bloomberg went on from college to the Johns Hopkins University where he studied electrical engineering, and graduated with his Bachelor of Science degree in 1964 at age 22. He was then accepted at Harvard Business School where he completed his MBA.

He has since received honorary doctorates of humane letters and public service from two universities. He later became head of equity trading and systems development for Salomon Brothers but was later fired and offered a $10 million dismissal package.

In 1981 having the funds available, he proceeded to establish his own organisation, Innovative Marketing Systems. A year later, Merril Lynch became IMS’s first client, and invested over $30 million in Bloomberg’s company. The installed 22 of the company’s market master terminals

In 1986 the company was renamed Bloomberg LP after its founder, and within a year the company had expanded and now had 5,000 terminals installed. The company quickly set up their first trading platform, Bloomberg Tradebook, their messaging service and Bloomberg Newswire.

In 2009, the company had over a quarter of a million terminals globally. He sacrificed his position as Chief Executive Officer in favour of a career in politics and became the Mayor of New York where he receives a salary of just $1 a year.

He declined the opportunity to live in the Gracie Mansion, which is traditionally where the New York Mayors reside, and continued to inhabit his own home in Manhattan. In 1997 his autobiography was published, ‘Bloomberg by Bloomberg’.
 
Bloomberg is now the 10th richest man in the United States of America, with his wealth valued at $16 billion in 2009 by Forbes. The same year he gained the world’s highest increase in wealth, which is extremely impression in these times of global recession and economic decline.
 
He is widely known for his philanthropic ventures and investments, and has donated millions upon millions of dollars through his Bloomberg Family Foundation making him one of America’s largest individual contributors to the well being of others.

In 1975, Michael Bloomberg married Susan Brown from Yorkshire, England. The pair had two daughters, Emma born in 1979 and Georgina born four years later. Bloomberg and his wife later divorced and he is now in a relationship with the New York banking superintendant.