Lawrence Joseph Ellison (born 17 August 1944) is an American business magnate and investor who is the co-founder, executive chairman, and chief technology officer (CTO) of Oracle Corporation. He founded Oracle in 1977, building it into a database software giant. He served as CEO until 2014. Ellison is known for his flamboyant lifestyle, competitive nature, and ownership of the Hawaiian island of Lanai (98%). He is a major donor to the Republican party and a close friend of Elon Musk, sitting on Tesla's board for a period. Oracle's aggressive acquisition strategy and cloud pivot keep him relevant in the tech world.