Remembering
David Bonderman
1942–2024
A private equity pioneer, legal scholar, conservationist, and citizen of the world
We mourn the loss of TPG’s Co-Founder and Non-Executive Chairman David Bonderman. He passed away peacefully on December 11, 2024, at the age of 82, surrounded by family.
“Bondo,” as he was known to friends and colleagues, leaves behind a legacy marked by brilliance at every stage of his illustrious career, combined with a relentless quest for knowledge and a passion for music, sports, adventure, and conservation. David was a true friend to many and, above all else, a devoted father of five and grandfather of three.
David’s legacy
We will miss David terribly, but the style he brought to the industry and to TPG resonates today and will continue to resonate well into the future.
His curiosity is our curiosity; his willingness to problem solve the most complex transactions is reflected in the types of deals we pursue today; his global approach echoes through our global ecosystem; his uncanny ability to build relationships has positioned us as a firm known for its partnerships and relationships broadly; his appreciation for people of all types is reflected in how we build our teams; and his positivity and humor will continue to flow through all we do.
We will honor David’s legacy by continuing to bring the same creativity and enthusiasm he brought to our work every day.
“His mates called him Bondo, which at first I thought was a joke at my expense… For a man at home with giant corporations (some of them), David Bonderman was the least corporate individual you could meet. A big thinker and a big personality in any room without even opening his mouth… but what he didn’t say said so much.”
– Bono
Lead Singer of U2 and Global Advisory Board Member for The Rise Funds
“David Bonderman was one of the most creative and innovative dealmakers since 1990. He had immense curiosity and a boundless energy pioneering new markets around the world. He was a life force in every way."
– Stephen Schwarzman
Blackstone
Chairman, CEO & Co-Founder
“I first met David in the early 1990s just before he founded TPG with Jim Coulter. We worked together on a deal for America West, and through the 1990s and into the early 2000s, as TPG grew into a major player, I continued to do more business with him. He had extraordinary business judgment, and he built and led an impressive firm. But more than that, he became a great friend and personal mentor of mine. I’ll miss his wise counsel, and on behalf of Goldman Sachs, I extend my condolences to his entire family.”
– David Solomon
Goldman Sachs
Chairman & CEO
“I was fortunate to meet David Bonderman a few years ago as he tried to assemble a team to start a hockey franchise in Seattle. It was one of the great pieces of good luck for me over the last 10 years. People probably knew that Bondo (as he was called) was amazingly smart, insightful, big-thinking, and high judgment— some of several reasons why he was so successful professionally. But, some may not know how creative, thoughtful, warm, witty, and team-oriented he was. He touched a lot of lives in Seattle, and all over the world. I learned from him virtually every time we were together, and have profound respect for him. I will miss you, Bondo."
– Andy Jassy
Amazon
President & CEO
“I have never known a more knowledgeable music fan and I always marveled at what joy live music gave him and how broad his musical tastes actually were. [When we attended shows together,] not once would he leave his seat before the last notes had been played. He never missed an encore, even if it meant fighting crowds and traffic to leave the arena. He was music’s number one fan!”
– Irving Azoff
The Azoff Company
CEO
“He was intelligent and clever as an investor, creating large gains for his investors over many years. A real pioneer in the alternative investment space.”
– Henry Kravis
KKR
Co-Founder & Co-Executive Chairman
"David was smart, creative and a risk taker who loved what he did. I always enjoyed being with him as he had great sense of humor and love of life."
– George Roberts
KKR
Co-Founder & Co-Executive Chairman
"We were all proud and very privileged to have met, worked with and known David Bonderman over a 24-year period. He was a visionary leader, a giant of the airline industry (and many other industries as well!) and none of Ryanair’s success would have been possible without his sage but prescient advice, his calm and visionary strategic thinking, and his willingness to wear disheveled clothes and attend Rolling Stones concerts."
– Michael O’Leary
Ryanair
CEO
“Bondo. One name recognition comes for the notorious and the exceptional. Bondo was both those things. He taught us all so much about business and how essential remaining curious is to live a good and productive long life.”
– Bryan Lourd
Creative Artists Agency
CEO & Co-Chairman
“David was more than a board member – he was a champion of innovation, a trusted mentor, and an enduring source of inspiration to all of us. His passion and dedication only deepened over time as he helped to guide the establishment and evolution of Allogene. Words cannot express how much he will be missed.”
– Arie Belledegrun
Allogene Therapeutics, Kite Pharma
Executive Chairman & Co-Founder
“A giant in the private equity world; one of the smartest and funniest people I have ever met. A real loss for the investment world."
– David Rubenstein
Carlyle Group
Co-Founder & Co-Chairman
“Friend, brother, partner, teacher, mentor, psychologist, rock star. A master-class professor in how to build long line relationships and true irreplicable value in people and businesses.”
– Tom Barrack
Colony Capital
Founder & Executive Chairman
“David was one of the true pioneers in private equity and an inspiration to the next generation of investment leaders. His intellectual curiosity, deal acumen and investment agility made him one of the greats of our industry. He will be missed by so many of us.”
– Bill Ford
General Atlantic
Chairman & CEO
“David Bonderman was a talented entrepreneur who gave us all something to cheer for by bringing a professional hockey team to Seattle. David’s generous support for UW and his commitment to conservation and the environment made him a force for good here in Washington. He’s left behind a legacy his family can be proud of.”
– Governor Jay Inslee
Washington
“I was privileged to have known and worked with David Bonderman for many years. He was one of the smartest and engaging people I have ever known. He always brought his A game to every endeavor — which made the A game of other very bright people pale in comparison. With David, every venture was an adventure. He will be greatly missed by everyone who appreciated his vast intellect, extraordinary generosity, and remarkable humor.”
– Robert Bass
Robert M. Bass Group
Founder
“The beauty of David was not only what he was, but what he was not — he was not a jerk, he treated people respectfully, whatever their station in life — whether they were a captain of industry or a waiter. He lived a very full life to the very end.”
– Kneeland Youngblood
Pharos Capital Group
Founding Partner, Chairman & CEO
“The UW Athletics family extends our condolences to the Bonderman family and the Seattle Kraken on the passing of David Bonderman ’63. Bondo was a visionary in business, a friend to many, a proud Husky and will be missed.”
– Pat Chun
University of Washington
Director of Athletics
“He never spoke first. He was such a gracious, incredible guy… He was renowned worldwide, not just in the United States, but worldwide for being somebody who could see things happen before they happen, for having an incredible intuition about investments, for seeing companies and their ability to prosper when others had given up… I think the world is a much better place on his departure than when he met it. I think he has impacted so many people and so many enterprises, but I think he’s left an imprint on Seattle that will be there for generations to come.”
– Tod Leiweke
Seattle Kraken
CEO
“In my many talks with David throughout our decades of friendship and collaboration, he was an unwavering champion of education inside and especially outside the classroom… His impact on the University of Washington, our students and the world will be a lasting and treasured legacy.”
– Ana Mari Cauce
University of Washington
President
“David Bonderman lived a life that was astounding in its breadth of achievement, unflinching in its commitment to excellence and relentless in its passion for improving lives… An accomplished litigator and businessman, Bonderman was determined that his personal success positively impact others through conservation, philanthropy, sports, and music.”
– Gary Bettman
National Hockey League
Commissioner
“He was unpretentious, noble, caring, self-effacing. He had an insatiable appetite for people and friends and human contact, and it was just all about people. The more the merrier. His energy level was just unfathomable.”
– Robert Ginsburg
McDonald Sanders
Shareholder, Director