Robert F. Smith

Robert F. Smith is an American investor, philanthropist and entrepreneur. He leads Vista Equity Partners, a global technology investor that specializes in enterprise software.

Throughout his life, Smith’s commitments to philanthropy and eqality of opportunity have never wavered, and finding ways to make a difference in the communities where he lives and works is central to his character and approach to life. During his 2019 commencement address at Morehouse College, a Historically Black College, Smith committed to eliminating the student loan debt of the graduating class and later expanded his gift to eliminate student loan debt held by the students’ guardians on their behalf. Smith holds many board positions – he is the Chairman of Carnegie Hall and Student Freedom Initiative (SFI), co-lead of Southern Communities Initiative (SCI) and the founding director and President of Fund II Foundation. In addition, he is a major donor to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the King Center, his alma maters, Cornell University and Columbia University, and the Sphinx Organization, among many others. Smith was honored by being listed as one of Forbes’ 100 Greatest Living Business Minds in 2017 and TIME100’s “Most Influential People” in 2020.