Early Life
Marcelo Claure was born in La Paz, Bolivia, on December 9, 1970. Due to his father's work as a geologist for the United Nations, he spent his early years in Guatemala, Morocco, and the Dominican Republic before settling in La Paz. He graduated from the American Cooperative School in La Paz in 1989.
Rise to Success
Claure came to the United States in 1989 to attend Bentley University in Massachusetts, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Finance in 1993. After a brief stint as a marketing manager for the Bolivian Football Federation, he returned to the US and founded USA Wireless, a cellular retailer, which he sold shortly thereafter. In 1997, he founded Brightstar Corp., a wireless distribution and services company, which grew to become a global leader. He later became CEO of Sprint in 2014 and led its turnaround, as well as its merger with T-Mobile. Claure also held positions at SoftBank, including COO.
Key Business Strategies
Claure's success can be attributed to his entrepreneurial spirit and strategic vision. He built Brightstar into a multibillion-dollar enterprise, driving its expansion across numerous countries. At Sprint, he focused on customer acquisition and improving the company's financial performance, leading to a positive net income after a decade. His strategy involved identifying opportunities in the telecom sector and scaling businesses through effective leadership and strategic partnerships.
Philanthropy
Claure has a strong commitment to philanthropy, particularly in education and technology. He co-founded the One Laptop Per Child program in 2005, which provided laptops to underprivileged children. In 2016, he created the 1Million Project Foundation, aiming to provide free computer and internet access to disadvantaged high school students in the U.S..