Who Is MacKenzie Bezos? Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Announces Divorce From Wife on Twitter

After 25 years of marriage, Jeff Bezos and his wife, MacKenzie Bezos, are divorcing. The Amazon founder and CEO announced the couple's decision to split in a message shared on Twitter on Wednesday.

"We want to make people aware of a development in our lives. As our family and close friends know, after a long period of loving exploration and trial separation, we have decided to divorce and continue our shared lives as friends," Bezos wrote. "We feel incredibly lucky to have found each other and deeply grateful for every one of the years we have been married to each other. If we had known we would separate after 25 years, we would do it all over again."

He added: "We've had such a great life together as a married couple, and we also see wonderful futures ahead, as parents, friends, partners in ventures and projects, and as individuals pursuing ventures and adventures. Though the labels might be different, we remain a family, and remain cherished friends."

pic.twitter.com/Gb10BDb0x0

— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) January 9, 2019

Jeff, 54, met MacKenzie, 48, more than two decades ago while they were working at the investment management company D.E. Shaw in New York City. Jeff was the company's vice president at the time, while MacKenzie worked as a research associate. Jeff was the first person to interview Mackenzie when she applied for the position, in 1992.

The pair left New York for Washington state and married a year later. They have four children.

The Amazon legend has said that the company's first business plan was written during the couple's drive across the country, according to Business Insider. Amazon, initially an online bookstore, was launched in July 1994 in the couple's garage.

Amazon is now considered the world's most valuable company, worth nearly $810 billion, a CNN Business report said Tuesday. The company's value makes Jeff Bezos the richest man on the planet, with a 16 percent ownership stake in the online marketplace, resulting in his $137 billion net worth, according to Forbes.

A Princeton University graduate, MacKenzie Bezos is a novelist and author of The Testing of Luther Albright, which won the 2006 American Book Award.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer


Michigan native, Janice Williams is a graduate of Oakland University where she studied journalism and communication. Upon relocating to New ... Read more

To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go