Bezos sold 12 million shares of Amazon for $2 billion
Photo: Jeff Bezos (instagram.com/jeffbezos)
American businessman and founder of the online marketplace Amazon.com, Jeff Bezos, has sold 12 million shares of the company, amounting to approximately 2 billion dollars, informs Reuters.
The entrepreneur, philanthropist, and commercial astronaut who announced his intention to step down as the CEO of the company two years ago has agreed to sell a significant number of Amazon shares shortly after revealing plans to divest securities over the next year.
According to the company's statement, the share sale took place on Wednesday and Thursday.
It's worth noting that Bezos's intention to sell up to 50 million company shares was announced by the Amazon press service last week.
In the company's latest annual report, it was stated that the sales plan is subject to certain conditions. It was adopted on November 8, 2023, and is expected to be completed by January 31, 2025.
Establishment of Amazon and intention to step down as CEO
Bezos founded one of the first online retail services, Amazon.com, in 1994. The website officially launched in July 1995.
Jeffrey Bezos is the largest investor in the company, with public records indicating ownership of 83.9 million (14%) shares of Amazon.com.
Bezos, the founder of the online marketplace Amazon.com and the aerospace company Blue Origin, who was recognized as the world's wealthiest person by Bloomberg from 2018 to 2021, expressed his desire in February 2021 to step down from the position of CEO at Amazon and transition to the role of Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. Andy Jassy, the head of Amazon Web Services, took over his position.
Currently, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Bezos is considered the second wealthiest person in the world, with a fortune of $200 billion.
