The Billionaire with a Purpose
Once best known as Jeff Bezos’s partner in life and business, MacKenzie Scott has long since built a reputation of her own — as one of the world’s most influential philanthropists. Following her 2019 divorce from the Amazon founder, Scott emerged as a powerful advocate for equitable giving, pledging to donate most of her immense fortune.
Now, according to Bloomberg News, the 55-year-old philanthropist has reduced her Amazon holdings by 42% over the past year, signaling another major shift in how she manages her wealth. Despite parting with tens of billions in stock, Scott remains among the world’s richest individuals — and one of its most generous.
The Share Reduction: A Strategic Move
Regulatory filings show that as of September 30, Scott held 81.1 million Amazon shares, down from about 139 million shares a year ago — a reduction of roughly 58 million shares, worth an estimated $12.6 billion. Bloomberg notes that it’s unclear whether this decrease came through sales or charitable gifts.
Even after the cut, Scott’s net worth stands at around $32.4 billion, according to Forbes, placing her among the top 70 wealthiest individuals globally. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing also recorded that Jeff Bezos still controls more than 964 million Amazon shares, including those over which he has sole voting authority.
Amazon has not commented on the share reduction, but analysts suggest that the move likely aligns with Scott’s ongoing efforts to redistribute wealth and accelerate her philanthropic agenda.
From Amazon’s Early Days to Philanthropic Powerhouse
MacKenzie Scott’s journey with Amazon began even before the company existed. She met Jeff Bezos in 1992 while working as an administrative assistant at the hedge fund D.E. Shaw in New York, where Bezos served as a senior vice president. The couple married a year later — and in 1994, she joined him in launching Amazon from their Seattle garage.
Scott handled accounting, logistics, and even early order shipments, playing a quiet but crucial role in the company’s foundation. When their marriage ended in 2019, Scott received a 4% stake in Amazon, then worth around $36 billion — instantly making her one of the richest women in the world.
But rather than hold on to her wealth, Scott took a dramatically different path from many of her billionaire peers.
A Legacy of Giving: Yield Giving and Impact
In the years since, Scott has donated over $19.25 billion to more than 2,450 non-profit organizations through her philanthropic initiative, Yield Giving. Her approach is notable for its “no-strings-attached” grants and minimal bureaucracy — allowing recipient organizations to use funds where they’re needed most.
Yield Giving focuses on issues such as affordable housing, education, healthcare, and economic mobility, especially for marginalized and underserved communities. In the past year alone, the foundation distributed $2 billion to nearly 200 organizations, continuing her promise to give away the majority of her fortune.
Redefining Wealth, Power, and Purpose
MacKenzie Scott’s decision to cut her Amazon stake underscores her commitment to purposeful wealth distribution rather than accumulation. Once a key architect of Amazon’s rise, she now channels that same discipline toward reshaping philanthropy itself — quiet, data-driven, and deeply human.
While her fortune may fluctuate with market trends, Scott’s influence continues to grow, proving that legacy is not measured by what one keeps, but by what one chooses to give.
(With agency inputs)
