Aubrey McClendon CEO, co-founder of Chesapeake Energy Country: USA

Biography of Aubrey McClendon

Aubrey McClendon, an American billionaire, is the CEO, chairman, and co-founder of the major oil and gas exploration company Chesapeake Energy. He was born in Oklahoma in 1959 and comes from a politically influential family, as his grandfather served as the governor of Oklahoma and a senator.

McClendon received an excellent education, graduating from Duke University in 1981. It was during his time at Duke that he met his future wife, Katie.

Currently, McClendon serves on the Board of Directors of Chesapeake Energy, along with other prominent figures in Oklahoma such as Frank Keating and Don Nickles. In addition to his leadership role in the company, he is actively involved in philanthropy, particularly supporting political representatives. In 2000, McClendon made significant donations to Republican and conservative parties, including a notable contribution of $250,000 to the group Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, who campaigned against John Kerry in 2004.

McClendon is also one of the four partners who own the Professional Basketball Club, LLC (TPBC), which owns the NBA club Seattle Supersonics and the WNBA club Seattle Storm.

While McClendon has diverse interests, Chesapeake Energy remains his primary focus. Today, the company is one of the leading corporations among natural gas producers in the United States. Chesapeake Energy, along with BP and ConocoPhilips, is recognized as a leader in American gas production. The company holds numerous oil and natural gas deposits across several states, including Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kansas, Colorado, North Dakota, and New Mexico. Chesapeake Energy is renowned as the most active driller of new oil wells in the United States, according to analysts.