Dan Schulman is a business executive who has spent four decades reshaping how people move and manage money. From his early days at AT&T, where he became the youngest member of its senior executive team, through his transformative nine-year tenure as CEO of PayPal, to his current role as CEO of Verizon, Schulman has consistently landed at the center of industries in transition. His leadership philosophy combines a sharp instinct for operational performance with a genuine commitment to social equity, a combination that is rarer in the corporate world than many organisations would like to admit.
Dan Schulman Biography
| Full Name | Daniel H. Schulman |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | January 19, 1958 |
| Place of Birth | Newark, New Jersey (raised in Princeton, NJ) |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Middlebury College (B.A.); NYU Stern School of Business (MBA, Finance) |
| Profession | Business Executive, CEO |
| Known For | CEO of PayPal (2015-2023); CEO of Verizon (2025-present) |
| Hobbies | Krav Maga (mixed martial arts) |
Early Life and Background
Dan Schulman was born on January 19, 1958, in Newark, New Jersey, and raised in Princeton. His mother once took him to a civil rights demonstration in Washington when he was still in a stroller, and his grandfather was a union organiser who fought for workers’ rights. These early influences gave Schulman a social conscience that later informed his business decisions. He has described social activism as part of his DNA.
Education
Schulman earned his Bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College and an MBA in Finance from New York University’s Stern School of Business.
Career Journey
Schulman began his career at AT&T in 1981, spending 18 years there and rising to become the company’s youngest senior executive, eventually serving as President of the Consumer Markets Division. He then became CEO of Priceline.com, growing annual revenues from approximately 20 million to nearly one billion dollars in two years. He was founding CEO of Virgin Mobile USA, which he built from startup to a major carrier before its 2009 acquisition by Sprint Nextel for $688 million. After a period at American Express as Group President of Enterprise Growth, he was named CEO-designee of PayPal in 2014.
During his nine years at PayPal’s helm, revenues tripled from $8 billion to $30 billion, total payment volume grew more than five-fold to over $1.5 trillion, and the customer base expanded to 435 million across 200 markets. Fortune ranked PayPal the number one company in the world for addressing society’s biggest challenges. He was knighted as a chevalier in France’s Legion of Honor by President Macron and received the Commander of the Order of the Oak from Luxembourg. In October 2025, he was named CEO of Verizon.
Personal Life
Schulman is known as a devoted practitioner of Krav Maga, the Israeli martial art system. He serves on several boards and maintains an active philanthropic profile.
Net Worth
Dan Schulman’s net worth is estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars, reflecting his long career in senior executive roles and significant equity compensation from PayPal and other companies.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Dan Schulman born? January 19, 1958, in Newark, New Jersey.
What is Dan Schulman currently doing? As of 2026, he is CEO of Verizon, a position he took up in October 2025.
What did he accomplish at PayPal? He tripled revenue, grew the customer base to 435 million, and oversaw its rise to a globally trusted digital payments platform.
Where did Dan Schulman go to school? Middlebury College (B.A.) and NYU Stern School of Business (MBA).
What is his hobby? He is a dedicated practitioner of Krav Maga.
Editorial Notice
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