Doris Fisher and Hiroshi Mikitani built their careers in very different industries, but both became closely associated with major business brands. Doris Fisher helped create Gap Inc. with her husband Donald Fisher and later became known for her work in education and contemporary art. Hiroshi Mikitani founded Rakuten in 1997 and expanded it from an online marketplace into a broad technology, commerce and financial-services group. Their backgrounds, education, family lives and business journeys offer two distinct stories of long-term entrepreneurship.
| Detail | Doris Fisher | Hiroshi Mikitani |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Doris Lee Feigenbaum Fisher | Hiroshi Mikitani |
| Date of Birth | August 23, 1931 | March 11, 1965 |
| Net Worth | About $1.6 billion, estimated | About $3.65 billion, estimated |
| Age | 94 at the time of her death in 2026 | 61 years (2026) |
| Birthplace | San Francisco, California, USA | Kobe, Hyogo, Japan |
| Nationality | American | Japanese |
| Profession | Entrepreneur, businesswoman, philanthropist and arts patron | Entrepreneur, businessman, investor and author |
| Famous For | Co-founding Gap Inc. in 1969 | Founding Rakuten in 1997 |
| Nickname | No widely documented personal nickname | Mickey |
| Parents | B. Joseph Feigenbaum and Dorothy Feigenbaum | Ryoichi Mikitani and Setsuko Mikitani |
| Siblings | Ann F. Rossi and Joseph L. Feigenbaum | Ikuko and Kenichi |
| Height | Approx. 5 ft 5 in (165 cm), estimated | Approx. 5 ft 8 in (173 cm), estimated |
| Weight | Approx. 60–65 kg, estimated | Approx. 70–75 kg, estimated |
| Hair Color | Brown/gray in later life, estimated | Black/dark with gray in later life, estimated |
| Eye Color | Brown, estimated | Dark brown, estimated |
| Education | Stanford University, Economics, 1953 | Hitotsubashi University; MBA from Harvard Business School, 1993 |
| Husband / Wife | Donald G. Fisher | Haruko Mikitani |
| Married | Yes; married Donald Fisher in 1953 | Yes |
| Children | Three sons — Robert, William and John | Two children |
| Grandchildren | 10 grandchildren | Publicly detailed number not widely documented |
| Great-Grandchildren | 13 great-grandchildren | Not publicly detailed |
| Career Beginning | Business and retail work before helping establish Gap | Industrial Bank of Japan, 1988 |
| Major Company | Gap Inc. | Rakuten Group, Inc. |
| Company Founded | Gap, 1969 | Rakuten, 1997 |
| Business Role | Co-founder and early merchandiser | Founder, Representative Director, Chairman, President and CEO |
| Major Contribution | Helped shape Gap’s merchandising, name and customer-focused retail approach | Built Rakuten from an online marketplace into a diversified technology ecosystem |
| Business Industries | Fashion, retail and consumer products | E-commerce, fintech, mobile, digital content, travel and communications |
| Hobbies / Interests | Contemporary art, education, philanthropy and family | Tennis, technology, sports, business and entrepreneurship |
| Art Collection | More than 1,100 modern and contemporary works | No comparable personal art collection publicly documented |
| Notable Artists / Collection | Andy Warhol, Gerhard Richter, Alexander Calder, Agnes Martin and others | — |
| Philanthropy | Education, arts, healthcare and community organizations | Education, entrepreneurship, technology and economic initiatives |
| KIPP Connection | Supported and served the KIPP education network | — |
| Stanford Connection | Longtime supporter and recipient of Stanford’s Gold Spike Award | — |
| Sports Connection | — | Chairman of Rakuten Vissel Kobe and involved with Rakuten Baseball |
| Arts Connection | Major supporter of contemporary art and SFMOMA | Chairman of Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra |
| Major Award | Stanford Gold Spike Award, 2006 | HBS Alumni Achievement Award, 2012 |
| Other Honor | Major recognition for business and philanthropy | French Legion of Honour |
| No verified personal Instagram identified | No clearly verified personal Instagram identified | |
| Net Worth Source | Gap-related wealth and investments; Forbes estimate | Rakuten-related wealth and investments; Forbes estimate |
| Death | May 2, 2026, San Francisco | Living |
| Career Legacy | Co-created Gap and developed a major legacy in retail, education and art philanthropy | Built Rakuten into a major Japanese technology and internet-services group |
| Current Status | Remembered as Gap co-founder, philanthropist and arts patron | Active as Rakuten Group’s Chairman, President and CEO |
| Family Legacy | Her three sons continue family business and philanthropic commitments | Family details are largely kept private |
| Years in Business | More than five decades of influence in retail and philanthropy | More than three decades in technology and entrepreneurship |
Doris Fisher and Hiroshi Mikitani Images
