George Soros

George Soros is a Hungarian-American investor and philanthropist who is known for his successful bets against the British pound in 1992 and the Thai baht in 1997. He is also known for his political activism, and has donated billions of dollars to liberal causes.

Soros was born in Budapest, Hungary, in 1930. His father was a successful businessman, but the family lost everything during the Holocaust. Soros survived the war by posing as the Christian godson of a Hungarian official.

After the war, Soros studied at the London School of Economics. He then moved to the United States, where he began his career as a hedge fund manager.

In 1992, Soros made a \$1 billion profit by betting against the British pound. He did this by shorting the pound, which means that he sold pounds that he did not own in the expectation that the pound would fall in value. The pound did fall in value, and Soros made a huge profit.

Soros's bet against the pound is considered to be one of the most successful financial trades of all time. It also helped to trigger the 1992 Black Wednesday crisis, which led to the devaluation of the pound and the resignation of the British Prime Minister, John Major.

In 1997, Soros made another \$1 billion profit by betting against the Thai baht. He did this by shorting the baht, which means that he sold baht that he did not own in the expectation that the baht would fall in value. The baht did fall in value, and Soros made a huge profit.

Soros's bet against the baht is considered to be one of the most successful financial trades of all time. It also helped to trigger the 1997 Asian financial crisis, which led to the devaluation of the baht and the collapse of several Asian economies.

In addition to his financial success, Soros is also known for his political activism. He has donated billions of dollars to liberal causes, and he has been a vocal critic of the George W. Bush administration.

Soros is a controversial figure. Some people admire him for his financial success and his political activism. Others criticize him for his role in the 1992 Black Wednesday crisis and the 1997 Asian financial crisis.

Despite the controversy, there is no doubt that George Soros is one of the most influential financial figures of the 20th century. He has made a fortune for himself, and he has also used his wealth to influence politics and promote liberal causes.