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Meet Tom

Tom shaking hands

Tom Steyer is a successful investor, business leader, philanthropist and activist who is fully committed to fighting the climate crisis.

 

Tom and Kat

Giving Pledge

Tom, a self-made billionaire, and Kat Taylor were among the first to sign the Giving Pledge — a commitment to give away the bulk of their personal fortune during their lifetimes.

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Tom and Kat
Tom Steyer and Kat Taylor volunteering at the Respite Center in Texas.
The acorn on Kat’s cap is from the bank that Tom and Kat started: Beneficial State Bank. The acorn is a reminder to co-workers and customers of the promise of a new banking system. A tiny seed from which mighty oaks spring.

In 1986, Tom founded Farallon Capital Management, a San Francisco-based hedge fund that pioneered the multi-strategy approach to investing. Over the decades as he led Farallon, Tom grew the firm’s assets under management to $40 billion and consistently delivered double digit returns.

In 2007, he started Beneficial State Bank, a triple bottom line community development bank focused holistically on justice and sustainability, with his wife, Kat Taylor, to provide lending and financial services to underserved communities and their small and medium-size businesses and nonprofits.

Tom registering a voter
Tom registers voters
Thanks for noticing my favorite belt! I bought it on a trip to Kenya from female artisans. I wear it as a reminder not to be so formal, and also as a symbol that the world is a better place when we educate women and girls.

NextGen Nevada Organizing director Tia
NextGen Nevada Organizing Director Tia canvassing.

 

 

In 2012, Tom stepped down from Farallon and founded NextGen Climate to focus his time, energy, and resources on climate action. NextGen Climate became NextGen America, the largest youth voter engagement organization in American history.

In 2014, Tom partnered with Michael Bloomberg and Henry Paulson Jr. to commission The Risky Business Project, a series of reports on the risks the U.S. economy faces from unabated climate change. The reports revealed that the most severe risks could be avoided through early investments in resilience, and through immediate action to reduce the pollution that causes global warming.

In California, Tom led the successful effort to pass a ballot initiative that closed a corporate tax loophole, generating $1.9 billion that went towards energy upgrades in schools, reducing utility costs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Tom helped make California the largest jurisdiction in the world with a 100% clean energy law and prevented Big Oil’s effort to roll back California’s climate protections. Tom has continually pushed California to make bolder climate commitments and accelerate their implementation.

We are at a critical moment. Our actions today will determine whether we will succeed in securing a livable future.

Tom Steyer

Nationally, Tom has been a climate champion making sure climate was at the forefront of political conversation. In 2016, Tom partnered with LCV Victory Fund and NRDC Action Fund to found GiveGreen, a platform that allows donors to contribute strategically to elect climate champions. In the 2020 cycle, GiveGreen raised over $43 million for climate champions up and down the ballot. In 2018, Tom led campaigns in support of renewable energy ballot initiatives in Arizona, Nevada, and Michigan.

2020 Run for President

Tom at Charleston rally

In 2019, Tom ran for President, making the climate crisis his number one priority. He traveled the country, and deepened his understanding of the challenges facing Americans nationwide. Then Tom led an effort to support the Biden-Harris campaign, bringing in over $17 million through Climate Leaders for Biden. Tom co-chaired the Biden-Harris Campaign’s Climate Engagement Advisory Council, doing dozens of virtual events with climate, labor, and justice leaders to mobilize climate voters for the November election.

In 2020, Tom was appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom to serve as his top economic advisor to help California achieve a successful economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of this work, Tom led a 100-strong, bipartisan Task Force of top business, labor, equity and philanthropic leaders to advise the Governor on charting the course toward economic recovery.

Tom’s family

Young Tom and his family

Tom grew up in New York City, the youngest of three brothers. Shown: Brothers Hume, Jim, and Tom Steyer

This was my dog growing up named Pompy. When my brothers and I went swimming, she would jump in with us. As a Welsh Corgi her instinct was to herd and she would try to herd us in the water! Always a reminder to look out for others.
Tom and his mother

His mother, Marnie, was a journalist and teacher who taught in the city schools and volunteered to tutor prisoners in a large city jail.

His father, Roy, interrupted his law career to join the Navy and serve on the legal team that prosecuted Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg.

Tom's family

Tom and Kat have four grown children.
San Francisco has been their home since 1986.

Now Tom is fighting to make sure future generations have access to a climate-safe future.