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Michael Dell Didn’t Tell His Wife That He Was Taking His Company Private Until He Announced It Publicly

michael susan dell
michael susan dell

Facebook.com/michaelsdell

What kind of tortured conversations did Michael Dell have with his wife Susan before launching into one of the most epic battles of his career and taking his company private?

None at all, he confessed in an interview CNBC Jon Fortt.

I thought it would go well, it has gone much better than I thought it would go. And you know, what did I tell my kids and my wife? Well, until we announced it, you know, I didn’t tell them anything, right? Because that is the way these things work. But once it was announced, you know, I told them what I was doing and why I was doing it.

It’s now been a year since Dell won that battle with Carl Icahn, who tried to block the plan, oust Dell, and say a lot of sharp things about it all along the way.

And it’s been a year since Dell broke down in tears in front of his employees during the shareholders meeting when the votes were being tallied, which would give him the win and approve the deal.

Dell married Susan in 1989, five years after he founded his computer business in his university dorm room. He was notoriously shy in those early days and Susan is credited for bringing him out of his shell, Biography reports.

While Susan may not be advisor to Michael about his company, they are big names in their home state of Texas, where they’re regarded as huge philanthropists. In 1999, the couple founded the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, which has given more than $1 billion to charity in the US, South Africa and India.

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