David H. Koch Biography

David Hamilton Koch was an American businessman who was a co-owner of Koch Industries, a conglomerate that is the second-largest privately held company in the United States. He also served as the company’s executive vice president. An alumnus of the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), he was a professionally qualified chemical engineer. Following the completion of his education he worked for several engineering consulting firms including the Amicon Corporation, Halco International, and the Scientific Design Company. Eventually he joined the family business Koch Industries that had been founded by his father, Fred Koch, in 1940. At the time of his joining his elder brother Charles was heading the company and young David worked as a technical-services manager under him. Eventually David went on to found his company’s New York office and became the president of his own division, Koch Engineering, renamed Chemical Technology Group. The Koch family is counted amongst the wealthiest ones in the United States, and David himself was named the ninth wealthiest person in the world in 2014. He was also a very generous philanthropist and as a cancer survivor, had donated millions to medical research causes and institutions including $100 million to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for the construction of a new research and technology facility.