Born in 1915 as the youngest child of John D. Rockefeller Jr., David Rockefeller eventually oversaw the transformation of the Chase Manhattan Corporation into a global financial powerhouse. His career spanned decades of international expansion, high-level political engagement, and significant influence over the structure of American banking during the twentieth century.
Formative Years and Academic Training
Raised in a Manhattan residence at 10 West 54th Street, Rockefeller attended the New Lincoln School in Harlem. He pursued his undergraduate studies at Harvard University, graduating in 1936. His education included a year at the London School of Economics under Friedrich von Hayek, followed by a doctorate in economics from the University of Chicago, which he completed in 1940.
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Before his long career in private finance, Rockefeller served as a secretary to New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia. During World War II, he joined the United States Army, entering Officer Candidate School in 1943. As a captain and a member of a specialized military intelligence unit, he operated in North Africa and France, later serving as an assistant military attaché at the American Embassy in Paris.
Leadership at Chase Manhattan
Joining the Chase National Bank in 1946, he climbed the ranks to become president in 1960. As chairman and CEO from 1969 to 1980, he led the bank through a period of immense international growth, establishing branches in the Soviet Union and China. Despite criticism regarding the bank's loan performance and its involvement in the 1979 admission of the Shah of Iran to the United States, he oversaw a period of significant recovery that restored the firm's financial health by 1981.
Fast facts
- Born: 1915, Manhattan
- Died: 2017, Pocantico Hills
- Education: Harvard, LSE, University of Chicago
- Military Rank: Captain
- Key Role: Chairman and CEO of Chase Manhattan
- Presidential Medal of Freedom: 1998
- Fortune at Death: $3.3 billion
- Burial: Rockefeller Family Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was David Rockefeller's educational background?
He attended Harvard University, the London School of Economics, and received a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago in 1940.
What was his role at Chase Manhattan Bank?
He served as president starting in 1960 and was chairman and CEO from 1969 to 1980, focusing on international expansion and global correspondent banking.
Achievements
- Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour
- Commander of the Order of the Crown
- Knight Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Presidential Medal of Freedom — 1998
- Grand Officer of the Order of the Sun of Peru
- Educated at Harvard University and London School of Economics and Political Science
