HOWZAT

Mr Wales also runs a for-profit company called Wikia, which is developing commercial ideas, not least a Wiki-based rival to Google. His ideas have attracted millions of dollars in funding from Amazon and a separate $4 million cash injection from a group of Silicon Valley luminaries — one of whom is Jeff Bezos.

But Mr Wales is unlike other notable success stories of the internet age. He lives a frugal life thousands of miles from Silicon Valley in suburban Florida, having made enough money as a commodities trader to live comfortably for the rest of his life. In a rare moment away from his computer screen, he takes a knife to the fruit from his garden and is delighted to discover it is a giant round lemon. “Wow, I’d better write this up, it’s really lemony,” he says, squinting at the sharpness of its juice. “Then, you know what, we should make lemonade.”

Jimmy Wales

Born August 7, 1966, Huntsville, Alabama

Occupation president of Wikia, chairman emeritus of the Wikimedia Foundation

Married to Christine with a daughter, Kira

Education Bachelor degree in finance, Auburn University; masters in finance, University of Alabama

Career

1994-2000 research director at Chicago Options Associates, a futures and options trader in Chicago

1996 Founded a search portal called Bomis, which also sold erotic material

2000 founded Nupedia, the forerunner to Wikipedia

2001 set up Wikipedia with former friend Larry Sanger

2003 set up the not-for-profit Wikimedia Foundaton

2004 set up Wikia Inc with Angela Beesley

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