Paul Hewson (Bono)

The lead singer of Irish rock band U2, Bono was born Paul David Hewson in Ballymun, Dublin. He met the Edge, Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton at school, and in 1978 the band was formed. Acknowledged as one of the best live acts in the world, U2 have sold over 140 million albums and won numerous awards, including 22 Grammys. Bono is also a well-known activist in the fight against AIDS and extreme poverty in Africa. In 2002, he co-founded DATA (debt, AIDS, trade, Africa) to raise public awareness of the issues in its name and influence government policy on Africa. In 2004, DATA helped to create ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History, an advocacy and campaigning organization dedicated to fighting extreme poverty and preventable disease. In early 2008, DATA and ONE combined operations under the name ONE. As part of his work with ONE, Bono has lobbied U.S. Presidents and Congressional leaders, along with the heads of many other G8 nations. In 2006, Bono and Bobby Shriver launched Product (RED) to raise money from businesses to buy AIDS drugs for people in Africa unable to afford them. Product (RED) has an ongoing relationship with a number of iconic global brands that sell (RED) products and donate a percentage of the profits directly to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Bono also helped launch EDUN, an ethically-sourced high fashion clothing company run by his wife Ali Hewson; EDUN produces clothing in developing areas of the world, particularly in Africa. Bono has received a number of awards for his music and activism, including the Legion D’Honneur from the French Government in 2003, TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year for 2005 (along with Bill and Melinda Gates), and an honorary British knighthood in 2007. Bono lives in Dublin with Ali and their four children.