Who is Michael Dell?
Who is Michael Dell?
Who is Michael Dell? He is one of the longest-serving founder-CEOs in technology. He started selling upgraded PCs from his college dorm, built Dell into the world’s largest PC maker by 2001, and has run it for most of the four decades since 3.
In 2013 he took Dell private with the investment firm Silver Lake, and in 2016 he bought the data-storage giant EMC for $67 billion, the biggest technology deal of its time 38. In 2026 Dell became one of the main suppliers of servers for artificial-intelligence data centres, and its share price more than quadrupled, turning Michael Dell from the world’s 11th-richest person into, briefly, the second-richest 69.
How did Michael Dell make his money?
Michael Dell is self-made. His fortune came in four stages:
- Building Dell (1984-2001): He founded PC’s Limited with about $1,000 and sold computers directly to customers, cutting out shops 4. Dell listed on the stock market and became the world’s biggest PC maker in 2001 3.
- Taking it private (2013): He and Silver Lake bought out public shareholders for about $24.9 billion, and he kept a large stake 38.
- EMC and VMware (2016-2023): The EMC deal brought VMware into Dell. When Broadcom bought VMware for $69 billion in 2023, Michael Dell received 39% of the price 1.
- The AI-server boom (2026): Dell’s shares rose more than 300% in 2026 on demand for AI servers, lifting the value of his roughly 40% stake 69.
See the full breakdown in Michael Dell’s net worth.
What companies does Michael Dell own?
Michael Dell owns about 40% of Dell Technologies, which he founded and leads 6. His family office, DFO Management, invests his money in real estate, hotels and private companies, including the Four Seasons Hualalai resort in Hawaii 10. He also holds a multi-billion-dollar stake in Broadcom from the VMware sale 6. See Michael Dell’s companies and investments.
What is Michael Dell’s net worth?
Michael Dell’s net worth was $229 billion on 1 November 2026, according to Forbes, down $40 billion in a month as Dell shares fell 21% 1. In September 2026 he reached $273 billion and became the world’s second-richest person for the first time 6. See Michael Dell’s net worth.
Early life, education and rise
Michael Dell grew up in Houston. As a boy he made his first $1,000 selling stamps, and at 14 he earned $18,000 in a year selling newspaper subscriptions 3. He took apart an Apple II to see how it worked. His parents wanted him to become a doctor, but at the University of Texas at Austin he spent his time upgrading and selling PCs, and he left after his first year 34. See the Michael Dell biography.
Who is in Michael Dell’s family?
Michael Dell is married to Susan Dell, a philanthropist and businesswoman. They have four children and run the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation together, which has given away about $3.3 billion 67. In December 2025 they pledged $6.25 billion to seed investment accounts for 25 million American children 11. See Michael Dell’s wife, children and family.
Where does Michael Dell live?
Michael Dell lives in Austin, Texas, near Dell’s headquarters in Round Rock, on a 33,000-square-foot hilltop estate known as “the Castle” 7. He also owns a $100 million apartment in New York, a penthouse in Boston and a family compound in Hawaii 7. See Michael Dell’s house and lifestyle.
Michael Dell’s career at a glance
Key dates include founding PC’s Limited (1984), becoming the youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 company, stepping down as CEO (2004) and returning (2007), the take-private (2013), EMC (2016), the Broadcom–VMware sale (2023) and the AI-server boom (2026). See the Michael Dell career timeline.
