Vivek Ramaswamy Biography

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Vivek Ramaswamy

Vivek Ramaswamy is an American entrepreneur and politician. He rose to prominence as the founder and CEO of Roivant Sciences, a pharmaceutical company. In February 2023, he declared his candidacy for the Republican Party nomination in the 2024 United States presidential election. However, he later suspended his campaign following his fourth place performance in Iowa.

Early Life and Education

Vivek Ramaswamy was born on August 9, 1985, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was born to Indian immigrant parents, V. Ganapathy Ramaswamy and Geetha Ramaswamy. His father worked as an engineer and patent attorney for General Electric, while his mother worked as a geriatric psychiatrist. Vivek grew up in a Tamil-speaking Brahmin family from Kerala, India. He attended public schools through eighth grade and then went on to study at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, graduating as valedictorian in 2003.

Ramaswamy went on to attend Harvard University, where he graduated summa cum laude in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Harvard Political Union, where he served as president. During his time at Harvard, he gained a reputation as a brash and confident libertarian. Vivek also interned at Amaranth Advisors, a hedge fund, and Goldman Sachs, an investment bank. He continued his education at Yale Law School and earned a Juris Doctor in 2013.

Career

Vivek Ramaswamy started his career in the finance industry, working at the hedge fund QVT Financial from 2007 to 2014. He specialized in pharmaceutical investments and became a partner at the age of 28. During his time at QVT, he co-managed the firm’s biotech portfolio and made investments in various pharmaceutical companies.

In 2014, Ramaswamy founded Roivant Sciences, a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing drugs. Roivant Sciences quickly gained attention and became one of the most successful biotech companies in recent years. The company raised significant funding and developed several drugs, including Axovant Gene Therapies’ AVXS-101 for spinal muscular atrophy.

Ramaswamy is known for his critical stance on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing. He believes that ESG investing is often motivated by political ideology and can undermine the value of companies. In his book, “Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam,” he argues that corporations have become too focused on social justice issues instead of creating value for shareholders.

In addition to his role at Roivant Sciences, Vivek Ramaswamy has been involved in other ventures. He co-founded Chapter Medicare, a Medicare navigation platform, in 2020. He has also served on the Ohio COVID-19 Response Team.

Political Career

In February 2023, Vivek Ramaswamy surprised many by declaring his candidacy for the Republican Party nomination in the 2024 United States presidential election. He positioned himself as an anti-woke populist, criticizing what he perceived to be the rise of “new secular religions” and presenting himself as a strong supporter of conservative values. However, his campaign faced challenges, and he ultimately suspended his presidential campaign in January 2024, following a fourth-place finish in the Iowa caucuses. After dropping out of the race, Vivek Ramaswamy endorsed former President Donald Trump and pledged his full support to Trump’s candidacy.

Vivek Ramaswamy Polls — Courtesy: Getty Images

Personal Life and Other Endeavors

Ramaswamy is married to Apoorva Tewari, and the couple has two children. In addition to his business and political endeavors, Ramaswamy has also authored the New York Times bestselling book “Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam”. He has been outspoken in his criticisms of what he perceives as the overreach of corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Vivek Ramaswamy Wife — Courtesy: Getty Images

Wealth and Net Worth

Vivek Ramaswamy’s wealth mainly comes from his involvement in the biotech and financial industries . In August 2023, Forbes estimated his net worth to be over $950 million.