Facebook IPO Will Make U2′s Bono a Billionaire

Random Celebrity Article By Brian Warner on May 17, 2012

You know what's cooler than being a millionaire rock star named Bono? How about being a BILLIONAIRE rock star named Bono. Yep, that's right, U2 front man Bono is set to become a full fledged billionaire thanks to a savvy early stage investment in Facebook. The IPO will not only give him billionaire status, it will also make him the richest rock star ever. Bono will be richer than Elton John, Mick Jagger, Sting, Tom Jones, David Bowie, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton… and even Sir Paul McCartney himself.

Related story: Bono Net Worth

Bono Becomes a Billionaire

So how did this savvy investment come about? Many people would be surprised to know that Bono actually owns and controls a private equity firm called Elevation Partners. Elevation Partners was founded in 2004 and today manages nearly $2 billion in assets. Elevation has invested in such companies as Forbes Magazine, the game companies BioWare and Pandemic Studios, Palm Inc, and Yelp. But it was their 2009 investment in facebook that is set to really hit the jackpot for Bono and Elevation.

In 2009, Elevation invested $90 million to purchase a 1.5% stake in Facebook. Last week Facebook announced that they expect to file for an initial public offering (IPO) very soon and they are looking to raise $5 billion. Analysts believe that once FB shares begin selling to the public, it will achieve a market cap of $100 billion which will mean Bono's 1.5% stake will be worth a cool $1.5 billion.

Bono Net Worth

Before his Facebook investment, Bono already had a net worth north of $300 million thanks to a near 30 year career at the top of the charts. U2 is consistently one of the highest grossing bands around and Bono is no stranger to allowing his music to be used in commercials and movies. U2′s last tour, "360″, was the highest grossing tour of 2011, raking in over $300 million.

Hopefully Bono will use some of his windfall to fund some of the many charities he famously supports!

Here's how the list of the world's richest rock stars will look after Facebook's IPO:

1. Bono Net Worth: $1 billion

2. Paul McCartney Net Worth: $780 million

3. Elton John Net Worth: $320 million

4. Mick Jagger Net Worth: $305 million

5. Sting Net Worth: $290 million

Brian Warner

Prior to launching Celebrity Net Worth, Brian spent seven years as the Managing Editor of one of the largest entertainment portals on the internet. Before that, Brian attended Georgetown University where he double majored in finance and marketing. A native of Northern California, Brian currently resides in Los Angeles. Follow him on Google+.

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