Early Life and Education
Mortimer Benjamin Zuckerman was born on June 4, 1937, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. His parents, Esther and Abraham Zuckerman, owned a tobacco and candy store. Zuckerman's family is Jewish. At the age of 16, he entered McGill University in Montreal, earning a BA in 1957 and a BCL in 1961. He later pursued an MBA at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, graduating with honors in 1961. In 1962, he obtained an LLM degree from Harvard Law School.
Rise to Success
After graduating, Zuckerman briefly taught at Harvard Business School and Yale University. He spent seven years at the real estate firm Cabot, Cabot & Forbes, where he became senior vice president and chief financial officer. In 1970, he co-founded Boston Properties, which grew to become one of the largest real estate investment trusts in the U.S.. In 1980, Zuckerman acquired The Atlantic magazine, serving as its chairman until 1999. In 1984, he bought U.S. News & World Report, where he remains the editor-in-chief. He purchased the New York Daily News in 1993 and sold it in 2017.
Key Business Strategies
Zuckerman's business strategy has been marked by strategic acquisitions and investments in both real estate and media. In real estate, he focused on developing high-quality office spaces, particularly in major cities. In media, he aimed to enhance the value and influence of the publications he owned, notably U.S. News & World Report, through strategic rankings and content.
Philanthropy
Zuckerman is known for his significant philanthropic contributions, particularly in education and cancer research. He has made substantial donations to Harvard University for fellowships, Memorial Sloan Kettering for cancer research, and Columbia University for the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute. In 2024, he paused the disbursement of funds to Columbia University due to concerns over the handling of anti-Semitism on campus.