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 The plan, which was posted on the Facebook founder and chief
executive officer's page, attracted more than 570,000 "likes,"
including from singer Shakira, former California Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger and Melinda Gates, wife of Microsoft founder Bill
Gates. The Gates and other high-profile billionaires such as Warren
Buffett have set up foundations of their own to dedicate their
massive fortunes to philanthropic endeavors.
Zuckerberg, 31, who will control the new initiative jointly with his
wife, Priscilla Chan, while remaining in charge of the world's
largest online social network, said he would sell or give up to $1
billion in shares in each of the next three years.
 Zuckerberg will keep a controlling stake in Facebook, valued at $303
billion as of Tuesday's close, for what the company called the
"foreseeable future." According to Facebook's most recent proxy
statement, Zuckerberg owned 4 million Class A shares and 422.3
million Class B shares, which have 10 times the voting power of A
shares. Combined he held 54 percent of the voting power of the
company's shares.
Zuckerberg said he plans to remain CEO of Facebook for "many, many
years to come."
Zuckerberg's new project, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, is not his
first in the world of philanthropy. When he was 26, he signed the
Giving Pledge, which invites the world's wealthiest individuals and
families to commit to giving more than half of their wealth to
philanthropy or charitable causes over their lifetime or in their
will.
"Mark and Priscilla are breaking the mold with this breathtaking
commitment," Buffett said on Facebook. "A combination of brains,
passion and resources on this scale will change the lives of
millions. On behalf of future generations, I thank them."
Melinda Gates chimed in, "The first word that comes to mind is: Wow.
The example you're setting today is an inspiration to us and the
world."
Buffett himself pledged shares of his Berkshire Hathaway Inc
<BRKa.N> company that were then worth $31 billion to Gates'
foundation in 2006, and at the time ranked as the largest single
gift.
A YOUNG PHILANTHROPIST
Zuckerberg is relatively young to commit so much of his wealth.
Microsoft Corp <MSFT.O> co-founder Gates was 45 in 2000, the year he
and his wife founded the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Buffett
was 76 in 2006 when he committed to give away all of his Berkshire
Hathaway stock to philanthropic organizations.
About $350 billion is given away each year in the United States by
charities, said Stacy Palmer, editor of the Chronicle of
Philanthropy. She said Zuckerberg and his wife's announcement was
remarkable not just because of the size of the donation, but because
of their ages.
"Our lists of the top donors are usually dominated by people in
their 70s or 80s," she said. "This is a message to other young
people who are deciding what to do with their great wealth."
[to top of second column] |
In welcoming the birth of his first child on his Facebook page,
Zuckerberg posted a photo of himself, his wife and their daughter,
Maxima, nicknamed Max, along with a post entitled "A letter to our
daughter." (http://on.fb.me/1MVnGOj)
In the 2,220-word letter, Zuckerberg and Chan, a pediatrician,
touched on issues including health, education, Internet access and
learning before announcing the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which
aims to "advance human potential and promote equality."
They plan to give away 99 percent of their Facebook shares over
their lifetimes to advance the initiative, which was formed as a
limited liability company. It will begin by focusing on curing
disease, Internet connectivity, community building and personalized
learning - the idea that technology can help students learn at
different paces.
Maxima Chan Zuckerberg was born early last week — though Facebook
did not specify her birth date — and weighed 7 lbs 8 ounces (3.4 kg)
at birth. Last month, Zuckerberg announced he would take two months
of paternity leave after the birth.
Chan and Zuckerberg have so far committed $1.6 billion to their
philanthropy. They have given several donations this year, including
to public schools, initiatives to bring better wireless Internet
access and to San Francisco General Hospital, where Chan works as a
pediatrician.
Zuckerberg and Chan said they will share more details when they
return from their maternity and paternity leaves.
Zuckerberg has started his leave, a Facebook representative said,
and will be available if "absolutely needed." Sheryl Sandberg, chief
operating officer, and Mike Schroepfer, chief technology officer,
will run the company in Zuckerberg's absence.
(Reporting by Yasmeen Abutaleb in San Francisco; Additional
reporting by Abhirup Roy in Bengaluru; Writing by Bernard Orr;
Editing by Stephen R. Trousdale, Bill Rigby, Lisa Shumaker and
Leslie Adler)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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