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Larry Ellison: Winning the database wars

The relentless ascent of Larry Ellison, from winning the 鈥榙atabase wars鈥 to becoming one of Silicon Valley鈥檚 most combative and controversial billionaires.

Larry Ellison鈥檚 business mantra is simple: 鈥淚t is not sufficient that I succeed 鈥 everyone else must fail.鈥 From humble beginnings as an adopted child in Chicago to becoming one of the richest men in history, 麻豆社 business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng trace the relentless ascent of one of Silicon Valley鈥檚 most combative and controversial figures.

After recognising the commercial potential of databases, Larry Ellison founded Oracle in the 1970s and spent the next two decades driving an aggressive sales culture that fuelled meteoric growth 鈥 and nearly sank the company in an accounting scandal. But Larry Ellison rebuilt his company into a global enterprise software giant, and in recent years has extended his influence beyond technology into Hollywood. All while amassing fighter jets, yachts, and even a Hawaiian island.

Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics, and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard 鈥 then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? Here's how to contact the team: email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

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46 minutes

Last on

Sun 15 Mar 2026 12:32GMT

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