Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen - where is he now?

[Bob Crabtree]

The Sydney Morning Herald has an intriguing close-up of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.

He's worth a cool $US21 billion ($28.6 billion). To put that in perspective, he's worth more than Rupert Murdoch and Kerry Packer combined, and he could buy Fairfax with the difference.

He is the third-richest man in the US (investor Warren Buffett comes between Allen and the world's richest man, his friend Bill Gates, who's worth $US51 billion.)

In 1983 Allen was in Paris on business when he had to leave a meeting and return to his hotel, feeling ill. He flew home to Seattle and within days had begun treatment for Hodgkin's disease [a cancer that starts in lymphatic tissue. BC]. He survived, but the experience changed him. He left Microsoft and its all-consuming work ethic, but kept a large chunk of the company.

Many of his technology investments have gone nowhere, sometimes because they were ahead of their time. But he has also made some good decisions. He was an early investor in AOL. He was one of the original backers of the movie studio Dreamworks SKG, the creator of the Shrek series.

Check it out.

[fuddam]

yeah, been wondering too. hasn't phoned me for AGES

[Funkstar]

I think he also owns a couple of mojor sports teams as well, i think one is basketball

[specofdust]

Just a quick note, the list of "richest people" that that site is using, is not including heads of state I don't think, since the Sultan of Brunai is the richest man in the world when they're included, and I believe it pushes many of the lower numbers down the ranks a fair bit too.

[Twigman]

yeah, been wondering too. hasn't phoned me for AGES

Hasnt been on msn much really had he either?

Ah yeah he sounds like a nice bloke...doesnt want to give me a million does he?