Introduction
Amazon is one of the world's largest and most influential e-commerce companies, with a market capitalization of over $1 trillion. But who owns Amazon and what's behind the company's success?
The short answer is that Amazon is owned by its shareholders, who collectively hold over 500 million shares of the company's stock.
- Jeff Bezos: Founder and former CEO, owns approximately 12% of Amazon's shares.
- The Vanguard Group: A investment management company that owns around 7% of Amazon's shares.
History of Amazon
Amazon was founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos as an online bookstore called Cadabra, Inc. The company's name was later changed to Amazon.com, Inc. in 1995.
Under Bezos' leadership, Amazon expanded its product offerings to include CDs, videos, and software, and eventually became one of the world's largest online retailers.
In 2013, Bezos stepped down as CEO and took on the role of Executive Chairman, with Jeff Wilke succeeding him as CEO. Bezos remained involved with the company until 2021, when he stepped down as Executive Chairman and took on a more limited role as an advisor.
Structure of Amazon
Amazon is a multinational technology company with a complex organizational structure.
The company is divided into several business segments, including:
- Amazon Web Services (AWS): A cloud computing platform that provides a range of services, including computing power, storage, and analytics.
- Online Retail: Amazon's e-commerce platform, which sells a wide range of products, including books, electronics, clothing, and more.
- Advertising: Amazon's advertising platform, which allows businesses to promote their products and services to Amazon's vast customer base.
Leadership of Amazon
Amazon has a diverse and experienced leadership team, with a range of executives responsible for different areas of the business.
The company's current leadership team includes:
- Andy Jassy: CEO, responsible for the overall strategy and direction of the company.
- Adam Selipsky: CEO of AWS, responsible for the company's cloud computing platform.
- Doug Gurr: CEO of Amazon Europe, responsible for the company's European operations.