The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. 

Who is Mark Bezos? Meet the younger brother of Jeff Bezos who will accompany him to space

Pair set to make suborbital sightseeing mission on 20 July

Louise Hall
Tuesday 20 July 2021 10:24 BST
Comments
Jeff Bezos unveils Blue Moon lunar lander

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Jeff Bezos has announced he will be traveling to space next month on one of his Blue Origin rockets alongside his brother Mark Bezos.

On Monday, the Amazon founder that he and his brother would be making a suborbital sightseeing mission on 20 July.

“Ever since I was five years old, I’ve dreamed of traveling to space,” Jeff Bezos said in an Instagram post.

“On July 20th, I will take that journey with my brother. The greatest adventure, with my best friend,” he said.

But who is Mark Bezos, Jeff Bezos’ brother, and space companion?

Mark Bezos is the younger brother of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. He is 53-years-old, five years his brother’s junior. The pair have one other sibling, a sister named Christina.

Jeff Bezos’ parents are Miguel Bezos and Jacklyn Bezos. According to Biography Jeff Bezos’ mother was a teenager when she gave birth to him. His biological father is a man named Ted Jorgensen.

According to an interview with Wagmag in 2016, Mark Bezos, originally from Texas, graduated high school in Norway.

In an interview with his brother in 2017, Mark Bezos explained that that growing up the siblings would spend a lot of summers on their grandparent's 25,000-acre cattle ranch in Cotulla, Texas.

He and his family live in Westchester County, New York. According to Wagmag, he met his wife Lisa in New York City and has four children.

According to his LinkedIn page, Mark Bezos “serves on the boards of multiple technology companies and as a director of the Bezos Family Foundation.”

He also previously worked as head of communications at Robin Hood, a non-profit poverty-fighting charity in New York City.

The younger brother is also a co-founder of the private equity firm Highpost Capital and has in the past volunteered for the Scarsdale Fire Department.

“Not every day is going to offer us a chance to save somebody’s life, but every day offers us an opportunity to affect one,” he said in a viral TED talk discussing his volunteer role in 2011.

In 2020, SFGATE reported that Mark Bezos was selling his four-acre six-bedroom, four-bathroom home in Scarsdale for $11m (£7.8m).

His LinkedIn page describes him as “an innovator, investor, and pioneer in brand development, customer experience, and social enterprise.”

He also had his own advertising firm which he sold in 2006.

“Mr Bezos serves on a number of non-profit boards, including iMentor, Leary Firefighters Foundation, the Robin Hood Leadership Council, and Scarsdale Schools Education Foundation,” the page notes.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in