Strauss Zelnick


Harry Strauss Zelnick is an American businessman. Born in Boston and raised in South Orange, New Jersey, he attended Columbia High School, Wesleyan University, Harvard Business School, and Harvard Law School. He is the founder, chief executive officer and managing partner of private equity firm ZMC, the chairman and CEO of video game company Take-Two Interactive, and the former chairman of media conglomerate CBS Corporation.

Early life and education

Harry Strauss Zelnick was born on June 26, 1957, in Boston. He was the second-oldest of six children of Elsa and Allan Zelnick and grew up in South Orange, New Jersey. Strauss Zelnick graduated from Columbia High School in 1975 and studied psychology and English at Wesleyan University from 1975 until 1979, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors. During his time at Wesleyan, he was the national public relations director for the Coalition of Independent College and University Students. Zelnick simultaneously enrolled at Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School in 1979, obtaining a Master of Business Administration degree from the former in 1982 and a Juris Doctor from the latter the year after.

Career

Zelnick is the chief executive officer and managing partner of ZMC, a private equity investment firm based in New York City that specializes in leveraged buyouts and growth capital. He founded it in 2001 with a starting capital of. Following an investor-staged takeover of Take-Two Interactive in 2007, Zelnick became the chairman, chief executive officer and largest single shareholder of Take-Two.

Personal life

Zelnick is Jewish. He has four sisters: Karen Davis, Beth Kaufman, Marci Zelnick Rodriguez, and Laurie Zelnick. His brother, Carl D. Zelnick, died in 1995. Strauss Zelnick married Wendy J. Belzberg in January 1990; their engagement was announced by Belzberg's parents in December 1989. They have two sons, Cooper and Lucas, as well as a daughter, Leigh.