Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is the second-richest man in the world, with a net worth of USD 238.5 billion. He is enjoying his wealth and life to the fullest. But do you know about his ex-wife MacKenzie Scott? About their love story and how they met? Bezos and Scott’s meeting was not as interesting as we might have thought. The two met in 1992 while working at a hedge fund company named D.E. Shaw & Co. in New York. Interestingly, Jeff held Scott’s interview and was attracted to her. The couple shared a lovely journey that included a sweet period of courtship. Jeff and MacKenzie didn’t waste time and got engaged in just three months. Their marriage followed quickly, just six months after their first date.
During a 2017 Summit Series interview, Bezos opened up about his relationship with Scott, stating that he wanted a resourceful partner. “I wanted a woman who could get me out of a third-world prison,” he said, emphasizing the importance of capability and supportiveness in a life partner.
Jeff Bezos met MacKenzie Scott in 1992 when they were both working at D.E. Shaw & Co., a hedge fund based in New York City. The spark was instantaneous when Bezos interviewed Scott for a job there; this connection led to their engagement and subsequent marriage in less than a year. They devoutly embarked on a tricky journey to Seattle shortly after their nuptial, where they envisioned and breathed life into Amazon. Scott, Amazon’s very first employee, was instrumental in the birth and growth of the company, skillfully handling the bookkeeping and playing a significant part in establishing Amazon as a popular online vendor of books.
For 26 years, the couple’s marriage stood firm, as Scott vividly illustrated in an interview with Vogue back in 2013. Nestling in their contrasting characters, she found herself the quiet introvert to Bezos’ bubbly extrovert personality. What ignited her love for him significantly was his infectious laughter. It was this balance in their dynamics, Scott believed, that was a cornerstone in keeping their relationship robust through the years.
In 2019, Bezos and Scott announced their split. It wasn’t an impulse but rather, to use Bezos’ words, the end of an “extended mutual journey filled with love and a trial separation.” Post-divorce, the cordiality between the two endured. The detail that stands out is that they didn’t sign a premarital agreement, and the logic is simple – Amazon hadn’t come into existence when they tied the knot. The fallout of this was Scott walking away with a hefty $38.3 billion worth of Amazon stocks in the divorce settlement.
Scott is very active in philanthropic work and is associated with several NGOs for charitable activities. But her philanthropic work sparked mixed reactions. On X, Elon Musk took a potshot at Scott and criticised her philanthropy. He claimed that the charitable works reflected animosity toward Bezos, her now ex-husband.
“Super rich ex-wives who hate their former spouse should be listed among ‘Reasons that Western Civilization died,” Musk commented.
Musk’s criticism didn’t affect Scott, and she remained steadfast and is continuing her philanthropy works. She donated around USD 16 billion to over 1,900 organisations, showcasing her generous side.
