David Bonderman, a lawyer and investor who managed the fortune of one of Texas’ richest families and helped bring professional hockey to Seattle, died Wednesday at the age of 82.
The death was confirmed by the asset management firm TPG, the Seattle Kraken, of which he was co-owner, the Bonderman family, as well as the Wildcat Capital Management firm.
For most of his career, Bonderman kept a low profile, granting very few interviews, focusing on his lucrative career in mergers and acquisitions: Forbes estimated his fortune at US$6.5 billion. in 2023.
Born in Los Angeles on November 27, 1942, Bonderman studied at the University of Washington and received his law degree from Harvard University in 1966.
After teaching law at Tulane University, he joined the US Department of Justice in the late 1960s, before becoming a partner at the Washington firm Arnold & Porter.
In 1983, he joined the Robert M. Bass Group, managing the fortune of one of Texas’ wealthiest families. It was in this firm that, along with Jim Coulter, he made many of his best moves, including a profitable investment in Continental Airlines.
Bonderman and Coulter founded Texas Pacific Group, TPG, in 1992. According to its website, the firm manages assets of $239 billion and was an early lead investor in Airbnb and Spotify.
With his fortune acquired by TPG, Bonderman became a minority partner in the Boston Celtics and was part of the group that owned the majority of the Seattle Kraken.
Bonderman was also known for large-scale birthday parties. For his 60th birthday, the Rolling Stones played for him, while Sir Paul McCartney was there for his 70th birthday. These two evenings took place in Las Vegas.
He is survived by five children and three grandchildren.
