Who is Charles Koch?
Charles Koch is the chairman, chief executive and co-owner of Koch, Inc., the privately held industrial conglomerate, and was worth $76.9 billion with his family on Forbes’ real-time list on 12 November 2026, 28th in the world 5. Koch Industries was the second-largest privately held company in the United States by revenue in a 2010 Forbes survey 3.
How did Charles Koch make his money?
He built on the company his father, Fred C. Koch, founded. When Fred died in 1967, Charles became chairman and chief executive of the firm, which was renamed Koch Industries, and grew it from oil refining into a diversified global group of industrial businesses. His brothers Bill and Frederick were bought out in the 1980s, leaving Charles and his brother David as the owners 13. Forbes earlier credited Charles with a 42% stake in Koch Industries 4.
Early life and education
Charles de Ganahl Koch was born on 1 November 1935 in Wichita, Kansas, to Fred and Mary Robinson Koch. He studied engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1957 and two master’s degrees by 1959 16.
Books and philanthropy
He wrote two books on his management approach, The Science of Success and Good Profit, and later Believe in People. The Charles Koch Foundation, founded in 2003, funds work on criminal justice, education, free speech and other causes, and nearly 200 US colleges and universities receive money from it 17.
Charles Koch net worth
Forbes valued him and his family at $76.9 billion on 12 November 2026, about ₹7.2 lakh crore at ₹94 to the dollar 5. See Charles Koch net worth and our ranking of the top 50 richest people in the world. Koch, Inc. is also owned by Julia Koch, the widow of his brother David, who holds a 42% stake with her children and is among the richest women in the world.