Harald McPike explained

Harald McPike (born 1958) is a Bahamas-based Austrian billionaire, and a 36% owner of Starling Bank.[1]

He was born in Zürich, Switzerland in 1958.[2] He grew up in Austria, and in the 1980s, studied economics at the University of Vienna.[2]

McPike started his career as a blackjack player.[3] [4] He is the founder of the Bahamas-based quantitative investment manager QuantRes.[5]

McPike has been to the North and South Poles, and wants to go into space. In 2014, he paid a US$7 million deposit to Virginia company Space Adventures towards a lunar orbit for $150 million, and in 2019 after two years of litigation settled with the company.

He is based in The Bahamas.[6] McPike owns the 164-feet hybrid yacht Home,[7] which is estimated to be worth $35 million.[8] He has lived aboard the yacht,[9] and listed it for sale in 2021.[10]

McPike is married to Joann McPike, the founder of Think Global School. They have a son.[11]

Notes and References

  1. News: Makortoff . Kalyeena . The Covid loans, the billionaire … and Starling, the very fast-growing bank . 19 June 2022 . The Observer . 19 June 2022.
  2. News: Weeks . Ryan . Who is Harald McPike, the secretive investor behind Starling Bank? . 19 June 2022 . Financial News . 9 March 2020.
  3. Web site: The Covid loans, the billionaire … and Starling, the very fast-growing bank . Kalyeena Makortoff . 18 June 2022 . theguardian.com . 16 November 2024.
  4. Web site: Secretive billionaire Harald McPike sues over collapse of Spac deal . Ortenca Aliaj . 3 October 2023 . ft.com . 16 November 2024.
  5. News: Taylor . Charlie . Starling Bank raises £75m to fund international expansion . 19 June 2022 . The Irish Times . 13 February 2019.
  6. News: Weiner . Rachel . Davenport . Christian . He wanted to fly around the moon. He ended up in court instead. . 19 June 2022 . The Washington Post . 26 May 2019.
  7. Web site: Billionaire Superyacht Showdown: Who’s Who In St. Barths For New Years 2022 . Jim Dobson . 18 December 2021 . forbes.com . 21 November 2024.
  8. Web site: Explore the Eco-friendly Luxury Yacht HOME: A Heesen Masterpiece with Hybrid Propulsion . superyachtfan.com . 21 November 2024.
  9. Web site: Controversial Billionaire Adventurer Parting With the Superyacht That Was His Actual Home . Otilia Drăgan . 10 January 2022 . autoevolution.com . 21 November 2024.
  10. Web site: Heesen’s 50m hybrid superyacht Home is now for sale . Francesca Webster . 8 September 2021 . superyachttimes.com . 21 November 2024.
  11. Web site: Term one - India, term two - Spain: The school where students are continuously travelling the world . Andrew Laxon . 28 September 2014 . nzherald.co.nz . 24 November 2024.

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