Charles Simonyi: A Billionaire Computer Software Executive
Charles Simonyi, a Hungarian-American computer software executive, has a net worth of $1.5 billion. He oversaw the creation of Microsoft’s flagship Office suite of applications as the head of the company’s application software group. Simonyi heads up his own company Intentional Software and aims to market and develop intentional programming.
Simonyi became the fifth space tourist in 2007 aboard the Soyuz TMA-10 and also became the second Hungarian ever in space. He made a second trip, aboard the Soyuz TMA-14 in 2009 to the International Space Station. Simonyi holds 11 patents and is an active philanthropist.
Simonyi spent over 26 days in space and received a Wharton Infosys Business Transformation Award in 2004. He was portrayed by actor Brian Lester in the television movie Pirates of Silicon Valley.
