Speculation surrounding Larry Ellison, the Oracle chairman and world’s third-richest man, and his new wife, Jolin Zhu, has taken over social media in mainland China following the revelation of her identity.
On November 23, the University of Michigan’s booster group, Champions Circle, made an online announcement highlighting their success in securing a multimillion-dollar deal with star quarterback Bryce Underwood for its football team. The group extended gratitude to “Larry and his wife Jolin” for their “invaluable guidance and financial support” and identified Jolin as a University of Michigan alumna.
Ellison, the chairman and co-founder of Oracle Corporation, has not publicly confirmed Zhu as his wife, despite being frequently seen attending sports events with her since 2018, according to the Wall Street Journal. Zhu, whose full Chinese name is Zhu Keren, has remained enigmatic both before and after her identity came to light.
At 33 years old, Zhu, a Chinese native, is 47 years younger than Ellison. She reportedly earned a bachelor’s degree in International Studies from the University of Michigan in 2012.
Social media users in China have pieced together details of Zhu’s earlier life based on information shared by individuals claiming to have known her. Zhu attended Northeast Yucai Foreign Language School in Liaoning province during her junior secondary school years. The school, founded in 1998 in collaboration with Japan’s Kansai Language School, gained prestige for its foreign language programs, which paved the way for students to gain admission to overseas universities.
However, unlike many of her classmates, Zhu did not continue to the senior section of the school. Instead, she moved to Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Massachusetts, a decision that online commentators interpreted as a sign of her family’s financial strength.
Unverified claims about Zhu’s background have circulated online. Some suggest her father is the CEO of a Liaoning-based medical device company, with the family’s wealth exceeding 100 million yuan. Others contend her family had a more modest middle-class background.
Netizens have compared Zhu to Wendi Deng, the Chinese-born ex-wife of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, noting her millennial Chinese identity and unconventional English name, “Jolin.” The name is believed to be inspired by Taiwanese pop star Jolin Tsai.
Some social media users also remarked on how Zhu and Ellison share “couple face,” a Chinese phrase suggesting that married couples bear a resemblance to one another.
Details about how Zhu and Ellison met remain unclear, but reports suggest Zhu briefly lived in a rental apartment in Redwood Shores, California, near Oracle’s headquarters, following her graduation. She is now Ellison’s sixth wife. The 80-year-old reportedly separated from his fifth wife, Nikita Kahn, in 2016, with their divorce finalized in 2020.
Ellison, an admirer of Japanese culture, famously modeled one of his properties after a 16th-century Japanese emperor’s palace. Zhu, now a U.S. citizen, is registered to vote at the same address as Ellison: a sprawling Florida estate with 33 bedrooms and 38 bathrooms.
