About David Bonderman
  • David Bonderman is chairman and founding partner of private equity giant TPG, which managed over $135 billion in assets as of January, 2023.
  • "Bondo" met his longtime business partner Jim Coulter while working for billionaire Robert Bass. The pair left in 1992 to found TPG.
  • Their first big deal was a $66 million investment in faltering Continental Airlines, which ultimately made them a $640 million profit.
  • Together the two are still principal owners of TPG; Bonderman operates from Fort Worth and Coulter from San Francisco.
  • In 1995 he created the Bonderman Travel Fellowship at the U.of Wash., sponsoring fellows to travel to at least 6 countries for 8 months.
  • A supporter of conservation, he is a board member of The Wilderness Society.
  • Both Coulter and Bonderman sit on the founding board of the Rise Fund, TPG's impact investing fund.
Wealth History
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Forbes Lists

#432
Billionaires (2024)
#184
Forbes 400 (2023)
Personal Stats
Age
81
Source of Wealth
Private equity, Self Made
Self-Made Score
7
Philanthropy Score
2
Residence
Fort Worth, Texas
Citizenship
United States
Marital Status
Married
Children
5
Education
Doctor of Jurisprudence, Harvard University; Bachelor of Arts/Science, University of Washington
Did you know
Bonderman studied Islamic law in Egypt and Tunis, and published an article for the Harvard Law Review titled "Modernization and Changing Perceptions of Islamic Law."
In June 2017, Bonderman landed in hot water after making a sexist joke at an all-hands Uber meeting. He resigned as a board member later that day.
Bonderman helped bring an NHL team in Seattle, which began play in 2021.
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Jim Coulter
Jim Coulter
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Harvard University
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