Larry Ellison, aged 70, has stepped down as Oracle’s chief executive officer. Ellison has headed the company since 1977, and he was the first and only one to be in this position at the company. As Oracle’s CEO Ellison became one of the wealthiest individuals in the United States and in the entire world.

In comparison to the philanthropic Bill Gates or the technology-crazed Elon Musk, Ellison never had a world-saving vision; he preferred to spend his money on himself. Although Ellison dropped out of college twice, he came to manage a world leading business and data base software manufacturing company. His departure is of historical significance, because he was the last remaining active founder and chief executive officer of the great old pioneering times in Silicon Valley.