JULIAN ROBERTSON

ROBERTSON--Julian. The Trustees, faculty, and students of The Rockefeller University mourn the loss of our cherished friend and Trustee Emeritus Julian Robertson. A visionary philanthropist, innovator in finance, legendary mentor, and trusted advisor to five Rockefeller University presidents, Julian joined the university's Board of Trustees in 2001 and became a Trustee Emeritus in 2007. His tremendous success in the financial sector was mirrored by his monumental achievements in the philanthropic arena. With his adored wife, Josie, who predeceased him in 2010, Julian derived enormous pleasure from using his wealth to benefit society, supporting a wide range of nonprofit institutions in the United States as well as New Zealand. At Rockefeller, through personal gifts and grants from the Robertson Foundation, Julian's philanthropy was transformative. His support for the recruitment of outstanding tenure-track faculty enabled us to bring scientific leaders of the future to Rockefeller to head their own labs and conduct the type of bold and imaginative science that is most likely to lead to breakthroughs. The Robertson Therapeutic Development Fund revolutionized the way the university conducts research by helping investigators advance their basic research discoveries into treatments and therapeutics. In 2014, Rockefeller awarded Julian an honorary degree in recognition of his lasting contributions to the university and society at large through his support of high-impact initiatives in areas such as biomedical research, environmental protection, education reform, and the arts. In 2020, in appreciation of his exceptional stewardship at Rockefeller and many other institutions, the university presented Julian with the Enlightened Philanthropy Award. With the support of Julian's family, friends, and colleagues, the university created a professorship in his name, which will honor him in perpetuity at Rockefeller. Beyond Rockefeller, Julian leaves an indelible imprint on many nonprofits, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Lincoln Center, the Wildlife Conservation Society, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina. Julian was a man of tremendous charm, incisive wit, great intelligence, and generosity of spirit. He will be remembered at Rockefeller for his passionate commitment to the university and our programs in biomedical research, as well as the extraordinary personal integrity that guided all aspects of his life. We will miss him terribly, and we send our heartfelt sympathy to his three sons and daughters-in- law, Spencer and Sarah; Julian and Claire; and Alexander and Alexandra; their children; and Julian's beloved sister, Wyndham Robertson. William Ford, Chair Russell Carson, Chair Emeritus Richard Lifton, President Torsten Wiesel, President Emeritus Paul Nurse, President Emeritus Marc Tessier-Lavigne, President Emeritus