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Ryan Cohen

Ryan Cohen

R. Cohen
0.4% | + $20.30M
$5.15 B ₹ 46,879 Cr
Real Time Net Worth #817 Ranking as of 21 Feb 2026 By Forbes

More on Ryan Cohen

Gender

Male

Age

41Y

Country

United States

Born On

January, 1985

Deceased

No

Relationship Status

Unknown

Children

Unknown

Education

Unknown

Designation Info :

Self-Made

Yes

Entrepreneur Type

Self-Made (E-Commerce)

Primary Organization

GameStop

Titles

Chairman

Sources of Wealth

Chewy (Sold), GameStop

Industry

E-Commerce, Investments, Retail, Gaming

About Ryan Cohen


R yan Cohen is an American entrepreneur and investor who made his fortune in the e-commerce industry and later became a major figure in the "meme stock" phenomenon. He is the co-founder of the successful online pet food and supplies retailer, Chewy. He and his partner founded the company in 2011 and built it into a major player in the pet e-commerce market. In 2017, they sold Chewy to the retail giant PetSmart for $3.35 billion, which was at the time the largest-ever e-commerce acquisition.

After his massive success with Chewy, he became a prominent activist investor. He is most famous for his large and influential investment in the struggling video game retailer, GameStop. His investment and his subsequent appointment as the company's chairman in 2021 was a key catalyst in the massive and historic short squeeze of GameStop's stock, which was driven by retail investors on social media platforms like Reddit. He has since been leading the company's attempted transformation from a brick-and-mortar retailer into a technology company, and he has become a cult-like figure for the "ape" community of retail investors.

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Quick Reads


  • Co-founder of the online pet food retailer Chewy.
  • Sold Chewy to PetSmart for $3.35 billion in 2017.
  • He is the chairman of the video game retailer GameStop.
  • A central figure in the 2021 GameStop "meme stock" saga.
  • He has a cult following among retail investors.

Early Life and Background


Ryan Cohen is a Canadian-American businessman, the self-made billionaire Co-founder and former CEO of Chewy and the Chairman and controlling shareholder of GameStop (NYSE: GME). His career is rooted in e-commerce, serial entrepreneurship, and activist investing.

Cohen left college to focus on his business full-time. His philosophical approach centers on technological disruption, customer-centricity, and long-term asset hold in the essential retail and e-commerce sectors (pioneering the online pet supply model). His structural wealth is tied to the massive $3.35 billion sale of Chewy to PetSmart in 2017.

  • Chewy (Co-founder & Former CEO): The foundational source of his wealth, the dominant online pet supply retailer he sold to PetSmart for $3.35 billion in 2017.
  • GameStop (Chairman & Controlling Shareholder): The video game retailer he acquired a major stake in and now chairs, leading its major e-commerce transformation (a key structural challenge).
  • Academic Note: He left college to pursue his business (reflecting his self-made status).
  • Investment Strategy: His philosophy is rooted in long-term investment in e-commerce IP and activist campaigns to drive corporate restructuring.

Career Journey of Ryan Cohen


Ryan Cohen's strategic genius was his commitment to customer experience and logistics. He co-founded Chewy in 2011 (with Michael Day), recognizing the immense, untapped domestic demand for online pet supplies (a complex logistical challenge). His structural contribution is immense: pioneering the scale e-commerce model for pet products. The $3.35 billion sale to PetSmart in 2017 secured his liquid capital.

His pivot to activist investing came with his acquisition of a major stake in GameStop in 2020. He became Chairman in 2021 and is actively leading the struggling retailer's transformation into an e-commerce and blockchain platform (a highly ambitious and challenging endeavor). His wealth is secured by the colossal liquid gains from the Chewy sale and the long-term appreciation of his diversified assets.

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Ryan Cohen's Timeline


2011:

Co-founds Chewy (Founding 1).

2017 (April):

Sells Chewy to PetSmart for $3.35 billion (Major Exit).

2020 (December):

Acquires a major stake in GameStop (Activist Entry).

2021 (June):

Becomes Chairman of GameStop (Executive Apex).

Ongoing:

Continues as Chairman, guiding the turnaround of the massive retail chain (Executive Oversight).

Major Business Ventures and Investments


Ryan Cohen's wealth is concentrated in the liquid capital generated from the $3.35 billion sale of Chewy to PetSmart and his controlling stake in the publicly traded retailer, GameStop (NYSE: GME).

  • Chewy (Co-founder & Former CEO): The foundational source of his wealth, the dominant online pet supply retailer he sold to PetSmart for $3.35 billion in 2017.
  • GameStop (Chairman & Controlling Shareholder): The video game retailer he acquired a major stake in and now chairs, leading its major e-commerce transformation.
  • Academic Note: He left college to focus on his business.
  • Investment Strategy: His philosophy is rooted in long-term investment in e-commerce IP and activist campaigns to drive corporate restructuring.

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Philanthropy and Social Impact


Ryan Cohen's social impact is structural, stemming from Chewy's role in pioneering the online pet supply market (a major consumer service). His current focus on GameStop aims to prove the potential of entrepreneurial management in transforming legacy retail assets. His personal philanthropy supports various community and educational initiatives.

His structural contribution is tied to his belief in technology and entrepreneurial disruption as forces for economic growth.

Fashion, Style, and Lifestyle


Ryan Cohen maintains the professional, high-energy style of a technology executive. His attire is consistently formal and high-quality, favoring tailored suits. His aesthetic reflects serious authority and confident disruption, typical of a pioneer in the specialized e-commerce sector.

Residing in Miami, Florida, his luxury is the immense security and financial reward derived from his multi-billion dollar fortune. His life is dedicated to e-commerce innovation, activist investment, and corporate governance.

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Quotes and Philosophy


No publicly available quotes.

Fun Facts & Trivia


  • He is the Chairman of GameStop and Co-founder of Chewy (online pet supply).
  • He sold Chewy to PetSmart for $3.35 billion in 2017.
  • He is known for his activist campaign to transform GameStop into an e-commerce giant.
  • He left college to start his business.
  • He acquired a major stake in Bed Bath & Beyond (which he later sold, leading to a financial controversy).
  • His wealth is estimated at $1.8 billion (2024 estimate).
  • His philosophy emphasizes customer-centricity and technological disruption.

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Sources & References


This profile is compiled from verified biographical and financial records:

  • Wealth Data: Real-time tracking and historical data from Forbes Billionaires and the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
  • Biographical Records: Educational and career history sourced from Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, and official university alumni directories.
  • Regulatory Filings: Shareholder and executive disclosures from stock exchange databases, including HKEX, SSE, SZSE, and SEC EDGAR.
  • Corporate History: Primary data from annual company reports, founding charters, and verified press announcements.

All information is cross-referenced with public sources for accuracy; some narrative sections are AI-assisted summaries.

If you find any inaccuracies, please report them to admin@redcarpetlife.in

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