Jeffrey Skoll is an online entrepreneur, film producer and engineer based in Los Angeles, but hailing from Canada. He is best known to be the first president and first employee of eBay, a highly revered online auction site. He is also the owner, chairman and founder of Participant Media, a media company through which he funds documentaries and feature films for the promotion of social values.
His films like Syriana, Murderball, North Country, Good Luck, and Good Night have even been accounted for the Oscar nominations. The company has TV and publishing divisions too, and also operates a site, Takepart.com, which caters to social activists. He became the Officer of the Order of Canada in 2011, ‘for his generous commitment to social causes and for his innovative practice of philanthropy’.
Let us take a detailed look at the Skoll family
Jeffrey Skoll Parents
Jeffrey Skoll was born in Canada, where his mother was a teacher, and his father was the owner of a chemical company through which he used to sell industrial chemicals. During the late 70s, the family shifted to Toronto, and his father developed cancer when Jeff was 14. He used to pay for his studies by co-editing The Toike Oike newspaper, and pumping gas in Ontario. He left Canada in 1993, earned an MBA degree from Stanford Business School, and started working with Knight-Ridder where he handled Internet projects.
Jeffrey Skoll Spouse – Stephanie Swedlove
Jeffrey Skoll married Stephanie Swedlove in 2014 after beating a serious yellow fever. Stephanie lives in Los Angeles, and works as a TV Development Executive for Miramax. Born and brought up in Ottawa, Canada, she started her film and TV industry career with Jumper of Fox and The Love Guru of Paramount.
She also used to work as a creative executive with Vancouver based Brightlight Pictures, and handled a diverse range of projects with production and development. She produced Nuit Blanche independently, that has garnered a number of international awards, and has also featured in Stash magazine and WIRED. At Miramax, she is responsible for handling production and development of television dramas.
Net Worth
Jeffrey Skoll has an estimated worth of US $ 3.8 billion, with which he has been ranked as the 7th wealthiest person in Canada, and 347th across the globe.
Skoll has received several honors for his generosity and philanthropy. He is a chairman of Skoll Foundation, which makes grants of more than $80 million every year in support of social entrepreneurs. In 2003, the University of Toronto honored him with a Doctor of Laws degree.