How did billionaire Mark Walter, the new majority owner of the Lakers, make his fortune?

Los Angeles. Businessman Mark Walter, who will soon assume majority control of the Los Angeles Lakers after acquiring the Buss family’s stake, has built his fortune by leading complex investment groups and diversifying his businesses in areas ranging from sports franchises to artificial intelligence.

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Career and Education

• Education: Walter holds a degree in Business Administration from Creighton University and a Juris Doctor from Northwestern University. Although initially oriented towards the professional practice of Law, he soon opted for the financial sector.
• Beginnings in investments: In the mid-90s he co-founded Liberty Hampshire, an asset management firm based in Chicago, which later integrated into Guggenheim Partners, a firm that Walter co-founded at the end of the decade.

Guggenheim Partners
As CEO of Guggenheim Partners, Walter currently leads a global investment and advisory firm with over $325 billion in assets under management. Under his leadership, Guggenheim has expanded its reach into capital markets, fixed income, alternative investments, and financial advisory.

TWG Global and diversification
Together with businessman Thomas Tull, Walter created TWG Global, a holding company that groups businesses in

• Financial services and insurance: Guggenheim Investments, Guggenheim Securities, Group 1001 Insurance, Delaware Life.
• Aerospace and defense technology: Shield AI.
• Artificial intelligence: Partnership with Palantir Technologies and Elon Musk’s xAI for applications in finance.
• Sports and entertainment: Majority stakes in the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chelsea FC, bets on the Professional Women’s Hockey League and Formula 1 (Cadillac).

Heritage and Recognition

• Estimated fortune: $6.1 billion, according to Forbes (ranked 216 in Forbes 400, 2024).
• Sports franchises: Co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2012; major shareholder in multiple clubs and competitions.

Philanthropy and Social Commitment
Together with his wife Kimbra, Walter has promoted or supported entities such as the Dodgers Foundation, Chicago Beyond, OneGoal and the Academy Group, focused on education, community development and opportunities for young people. With this solid track record, Mark Walter now takes on the responsibility of leading the Lakers into a new era, combining his experience in asset management, technological innovation, and sports franchise management.