Patrick Soon-Shiong is a name that resonates across diverse fields, from medicine and technology to sports and media. Often referred to as Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, this South African-American billionaire businessman, surgeon, and philanthropist has carved a unique path, marked by groundbreaking innovations, ambitious ventures, and a relentless pursuit of progress. His close relationship with the late Kobe Bryant, particularly surrounding Bryant’s Achilles injury, offers a glimpse into Soon-Shiong’s proactive and unconventional approach, a hallmark of his multifaceted career. But who is Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong beyond the headlines, and what drives his extraordinary endeavors?
From Basketball Courts to Breakthrough Surgeries: Inside Soon-Shiong’s World
Those close to Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong paint a picture of a man who operates on a grand scale, both in his professional and personal life. Bacharach, a friend, described Soon-Shiong’s Brentwood property not as a home, but as a “campus,” hinting at the expansive and multifaceted nature of his existence. The legendary basketball court within this estate is a recurring motif in anecdotes about him. Former NBA player Sandiford-Artest, awestruck by its grandeur, called it “the best court I’ve ever seen in my life,” emphasizing its professional-grade facilities, “insane” depth, and features like locker rooms, televisions, and even bowling alleys, reminiscent of an NBA practice facility hidden beneath the surface. This anecdote sets the stage for understanding Soon-Shiong’s penchant for excellence and his immersion in the world of high-performance sports, a world that intersected significantly with his medical expertise through his relationship with Kobe Bryant.
The bond between Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong and Kobe Bryant extended beyond casual acquaintance; it was a relationship built on mutual respect and trust. A pivotal moment that exemplified this connection occurred when Bryant tragically ruptured his Achilles tendon in 2013. Soon-Shiong’s immediate reaction was not that of a distant observer but of a concerned friend and a proactive medical mind. He rushed to the Lakers’ locker room, driven by both personal concern and his unique insight into Achilles injuries, having experienced a similar rupture himself years prior while playing basketball.
Soon-Shiong, drawing from his personal experience, advocated for an immediate surgical intervention, deviating from the standard protocol of waiting for swelling to subside. He believed in a novel approach to treating the injury, urging Bryant to undergo surgery without delay. This bold recommendation led Bryant to Dr. Neal ElAttrache, a highly respected and evidence-based orthopedist known for his work with elite athletes.
A Surgeon’s Insight and a Doctor’s Daring: Soon-Shiong’s Medical Influence
Dr. ElAttrache, a figure of established medical prudence, was initially scheduled to operate on baseball pitcher Zack Greinke the morning after Bryant’s injury. However, influenced by Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong’s conviction and Bryant’s urgent need, ElAttrache adjusted his schedule to accommodate both surgeries. Soon-Shiong, despite not having practiced surgery for years and lacking a background in orthopedics, was present in the operating room during Bryant’s procedure. ElAttrache explained Soon-Shiong’s rationale, noting the logic in capitalizing on the body’s immediate inflammatory response to injury, aligning with Soon-Shiong’s understanding of the body’s natural healing mechanisms. “The body’s natural healing elements are activated shortly after the tear, so it made sense to me, what he was saying,” ElAttrache acknowledged, highlighting Soon-Shiong’s insightful perspective.
While ElAttrache clarified that Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong’s input didn’t fundamentally alter his surgical technique, he deeply admired Soon-Shiong’s audaciousness and experimental spirit. ElAttrache recognized the value of individuals who “function on the edge,” appreciating Soon-Shiong’s willingness to challenge conventional approaches and explore innovative solutions. “Patrick functions on the edge,” ElAttrache stated, emphasizing the importance of such forward-thinking individuals in pushing medical boundaries. He further explained his receptiveness to Soon-Shiong’s ideas: “I ask myself, ‘Is there some kernel of genius in there that can help the people I need to take care of?’ So I listen to him. I definitely listen.” This underscores the respect Soon-Shiong commands even within specialized medical fields, despite his diverse range of activities.
Beyond the Operating Room: Soon-Shiong’s Expanding Empire
Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong’s influence extends far beyond the realm of sports medicine and surgical innovation. His acquisition of a share in the Los Angeles Lakers in 2010 from Magic Johnson marked his entry into the world of professional sports ownership. Simultaneously, he returned to academia as a visiting professor at U.C.L.A., indicating his continued engagement with research and education. In 2012, Soon-Shiong ventured into baseball, participating in an unsuccessful bid to purchase the Los Angeles Dodgers, demonstrating his interest in expanding his sports portfolio. His foresight in technology investments is evident in his early investment in Zoom in 2013. This startup, then valued at fifty million dollars, has since exploded into a seventy-billion-dollar behemoth, showcasing Soon-Shiong’s astute investment acumen.
Soon-Shiong’s investment portfolio spans clean-tech ventures, healthcare IT systems, and even entertainment, with his wife Michele opening a movie studio and his investment in e-sports platforms. His philanthropic side is also noteworthy; influenced by his wife Michele’s Catholic faith, Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong has contributed to various Christian charities, reflecting a blend of business acumen and personal values. His acquisition of a controlling stake in Verity Health Systems, operating six California hospitals, further solidified his presence in the healthcare sector. Politically, his donations to Hillary Clinton’s campaign in 2016 and a subsequent dinner meeting with Donald Trump twelve days after the election illustrate his engagement across the political spectrum.
However, not all of Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong’s ventures have been universally successful. Verity Health filed for bankruptcy in 2018, raising questions about financial management, particularly regarding investments in IT systems from a vendor with Soon-Shiong’s financial ties. Following Verity’s failure, Soon-Shiong took control of St. Vincent Medical Center in downtown Los Angeles, the very hospital where he had performed a groundbreaking islet-cell transplant on Steven Craig years prior. This venture also faced challenges, and the facility was later repurposed as a temporary COVID-19 ward, highlighting the volatile nature of the healthcare industry and the risks inherent in ambitious undertakings. Soon-Shiong attributed St. Vincent’s failure to underfunded pensions, illustrating the complex factors influencing hospital viability.
Media Mogul: Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong and the Los Angeles Times
In 2015, Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong made a significant foray into media, acquiring a stake in Tribune Publishing, the media conglomerate then controlling the Los Angeles Times. By 2018, he emerged as the sole owner of the paper, marking a pivotal moment in the history of this iconic Los Angeles institution. Soon-Shiong recalled his early experiences delivering newspapers as a teenager, expressing a deep respect for journalism. He visited the printing press upon acquiring the L.A. Times, emphasizing his appreciation for the tangible aspects of news production. His reception within the journalistic community has been mixed, ranging from laudatory profiles in mainstream media to critical investigations in publications like Forbes and STAT News, reflecting the complex narrative surrounding his career and ventures. Soon-Shiong’s vision for the L.A. Times, emphasizing “podcasting,” “storytelling,” and “test kitchen” initiatives, hinted at a modernizing approach, though specific business plans remained less defined.
The Los Angeles Times holds a unique historical significance within the city. From its early days promoting an “Anglo Saxon” ideal under Harrison Gray Otis to its evolution through generations of Chandlers, the paper has mirrored the changing demographics and politics of Los Angeles. Once a bastion of conservative viewpoints, it shifted leftward in the 1960s, embracing a period of liberal respectability and journalistic accolades. However, by the time Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong acquired it, the paper had faced significant decline due to shifts in the media landscape and declining advertising revenues.
The modern news industry’s reliance on digital subscriptions presents both opportunities and challenges for publications like the L.A. Times. While national platforms like the New York Times have thrived on this model, local papers face increased competition and shrinking subscriber bases. The L.A. Times, under Soon-Shiong’s ownership, aimed to expand its national audience to compete effectively. Despite investment, subscriber growth has been slower than anticipated compared to the New York Times, highlighting the uphill battle in the evolving media market.
Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the L.A. Times Guild’s Black Caucus addressed a public letter to Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong, raising concerns about racial inequities within the newspaper. The letter resonated with Soon-Shiong, who, according to Erin B. Logan, chair of the Black Caucus, demonstrated receptiveness to these concerns. Soon-Shiong responded by hiring more Black journalists and commissioning an apology for the paper’s past racist coverage. Logan acknowledged Soon-Shiong’s unique perspective, stating, “Newspapers tend to be owned by a certain kind of person. But Patrick is different. He’s personally experienced discrimination like this.”
Rumors of Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong considering selling the Times surfaced in early 2024, but were quickly refuted by his daughter Nika Soon-Shiong, indicating the family’s continued commitment to the publication. Nika’s increasing involvement and interest in the paper’s influence on public perception and policy suggest a potential generational transition in the stewardship of the L.A. Times. Despite Pearlstine’s departure as editor in 2020, he maintained a positive view of Soon-Shiong, emphasizing his non-interference in editorial matters. The appointment of Kevin Merida as Pearlstine’s successor, a Black journalist with a background in sports and race-focused media, signaled a continued commitment to diversity and evolving content strategies under Soon-Shiong’s ownership.
Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong’s focus appears to be primarily on the Los Angeles Times itself, rather than the broader news business. His decision to sell Tribune Publishing to Alden Capital, known for its cost-cutting measures in the newspaper industry, suggests a strategic prioritization of the L.A. Times over other regional papers within the former conglomerate. Soon-Shiong’s rationale of “Local benefactors should manage local papers” indicates a belief in localized ownership and management for publications outside of Los Angeles.
NantWorks and the Pursuit of Innovation: Soon-Shiong’s Technological Galaxy
Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong’s entrepreneurial ecosystem extends far beyond media and sports, reaching into a vast network of ventures under the umbrella of NantWorks, based in El Segundo, California. This “sandbox” for his second phase of business career encompasses numerous companies spanning healthcare, technology, and beyond. NantWorks subsidiaries like NantHealth, NantCloud, ImmunityBio, and NantStudios represent his diverse interests in medical software, cloud computing, immunotherapy, and entertainment technology. The sheer breadth of NantMobile, NantBioScience, NantEnergy, NantOmics, and NantGames further illustrates the expansive and diversified nature of his business empire.
His COVID-19 vaccine efforts are spearheaded through ImmunityBio, with a vaccine factory resembling a “brewery,” as described by C.O.O. Leonard Sender. Soon-Shiong’s management style at NantWorks is largely virtual, reflecting his ability to oversee a complex network of operations remotely. His early insights into the Delta variant’s impact and the limitations of existing vaccines demonstrated his continued scientific acumen and proactive approach to emerging health challenges.
Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong’s vaccine strategy, similar in delivery method to Johnson & Johnson’s, focuses on stimulating both antibody and T-cell responses. He emphasizes the importance of targeting the viral nucleocapsid, “N,” in addition to the spike protein, “S,” arguing for a more comprehensive and future-proof vaccine approach to combat evolving variants. His visual explanations and diagrams during conversations highlight his deep understanding of virology and immunology, reinforcing his credentials as a doctor and researcher alongside his business ventures.
Conclusion: The Enduring Enigma of Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong
Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong remains an enigmatic figure, a blend of medical innovator, business magnate, media owner, and philanthropist. His journey, marked by both remarkable successes and notable setbacks, reflects a relentless drive to innovate and make a significant impact across diverse sectors. From his early medical breakthroughs to his current ventures in media and biotechnology, Soon-Shiong consistently operates on a large scale, pushing boundaries and challenging conventional norms. Whether in the operating room with Kobe Bryant, navigating the complexities of the Los Angeles Times, or spearheading vaccine development at NantWorks, Doctor Patrick Soon-Shiong’s multifaceted career continues to evolve, leaving an undeniable mark on the worlds of medicine, technology, and beyond. His enduring legacy will likely be defined by his audacious vision, his willingness to experiment, and his unwavering pursuit of transformative change.
