When prominent financial news anchor Maria Bartiromo makes headlines, public curiosity often turns toward her private life and her long-standing marriage. Her husband is Jonathan Steinberg, an established Wall Street executive, entrepreneur, and the founder of WisdomTree. While Bartiromo spends her days interviewing corporate leaders and covering macroeconomic shifts, Steinberg has spent decades building his own footprint in the asset management industry.
The couple married in 1999 after meeting early in their respective careers. Their partnership bridges broadcast journalism and institutional finance, creating a powerful household at the intersection of media and markets. Beyond their public profiles, their relationship spans more than three decades of changing media landscapes, financial crises, and corporate ventures.
Early Life and Family Background
Jonathan Steinberg was born into a prominent New York financial family. He is the son of the late billionaire financier Saul Steinberg and Barbara Herzog. His father built a massive corporate empire during the boom decades of the late twentieth century, founding Leasco Data Processing Equipment Corporation and becoming one of Wall Street's most recognizable and aggressive corporate raiders. Growing up in this environment exposed Steinberg to high-stakes finance, deal-making, and corporate strategy from an early age.
For his education, Steinberg attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, following in his father's footsteps. However, his path through higher education wasn't entirely traditional. He faced notable struggles with reading during his younger years and ultimately left Wharton during his junior year without completing a degree. Despite leaving school early, his practical acumen for capital markets quickly propelled him onto Wall Street. He began his professional career as an analyst within the mergers and acquisitions department at Bear, Stearns & Co. Working at the investment firm during the mid-1980s gave him foundational experience in institutional finance before he struck out on his own entrepreneurial path.
Founding WisdomTree Investments
In 1988, Steinberg founded WisdomTree Investments, a financial firm that would eventually reshape aspects of the exchange-traded fund (ETF) market. Long before ETFs became the dominant investment vehicle for retail and institutional portfolios alike, Steinberg envisioned an asset management company centered on dividend-weighted and alternative indexing strategies.
Building the company required weathering years of regulatory hurdles, market skepticism, and intense competition from legacy financial giants. Under his leadership as Chief Executive Officer, WisdomTree grew from an ambitious startup into a global exchange-traded fund sponsor managing billions of dollars in client assets. His contributions to the financial sector earned him recognition, including Ernst & Entrepreneur of the Year awards. Through market panics, economic recessions, and structural shifts in how everyday investors access global stock markets, Steinberg has maintained his position at the helm of the firm.
Romance and Marriage to Maria Bartiromo
Steinberg and Maria Bartiromo crossed paths in 1990, shortly after Bartiromo graduated from New York University with a degree in journalism and economics. At the time, Bartiromo was taking her first steps into professional journalism, eventually rising to prominence as a breakout anchor on CNBC and later at Fox Business.
After dating for nearly a decade, the couple tied the knot in June 1999 during a ceremony held at Steinberg's family estate in Quogue, New York. Their wedding united two rising forces in the New York financial ecosystem—one shaping how news was reported, and the other shaping how financial products were built.
The couple has chosen not to have children, a decision Bartiromo has addressed candidly in interviews over the years. She has expressed contentment with the life and career path they built together, noting that their shared dedication to their respective professions requires immense focus and time.
Real Estate and Lifestyle
As fixtures of Manhattan's elite business community, Steinberg and Bartiromo maintain a private life divided between urban convenience and coastal quiet. For many years, their primary residence has been a sprawling, multi-story townhouse on Manhattan's Upper East Side. This property places them close to the financial district, television studios, and corporate headquarters.
In addition to their New York City home, the couple owns a coastal property in Westhampton, New York. This beach house serves as a private getaway from the relentless 24-hour news cycle and the high-pressure demands of running a publicly traded financial institution. Despite their wealth, the couple keeps a relatively low profile outside of high-profile industry events, charity galas, and professional engagements.
Common Misconceptions and Frequently Asked Questions
Did Jonathan Steinberg inherit his wealth?
While Steinberg was born into an affluent family as the son of billionaire Saul Steinberg, he built his primary business venture, WisdomTree, independently. He worked as an M&A analyst before launching his own asset management firm in his twenties, scaling it over decades into a publicly traded financial institution.
Does Jonathan Steinberg work in television?
No. Steinberg is a corporate executive and financier. While his wife Maria Bartiromo is a well-known television anchor, Steinberg operates entirely behind the scenes in corporate governance, asset management, and financial product innovation.
How long have Jonathan Steinberg and Maria Bartiromo been married?
The couple married in 1999 after meeting in 1990, giving them a relationship spanning more than three decades.
What is WisdomTree?
WisdomTree is a global financial asset management firm specializing in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded products. Founded by Steinberg in 1988, the company provides investment strategies across equities, fixed income, currencies, and alternatives to investors worldwide.
