Larry Ellison & Nikita Kahn Host VIP Benefit for the California Wildlife Center

Photo Credit: Infidea Studios

After buying and revitalizing the Hawaiian island of Lanai, it’s safe to say that Oracle founder Larry Ellison appreciates the wild. He took this sentiment one step further when, along with girlfriend, animal activist and philanthropist Nikita Kahn, he hosted a benefit for the California Wildlife Center over the weekend at his stunning oceanfront hotspot, Nikita Malibu.

The intimate event was attended by some of the biggest stars and producers in Hollywood, a select crew who impressively raised over $600,000 in minutes. Kahn also announced a $100,000 donation courtesy of Marc and Lynne Benioff, who were unable to attend the event.

Photo Credit: Infidea Studios

Attendees included Ellison’s daughter and film producer Megan Ellison; film director Kathryn Bigelow; actor Bradley Cooper and his girlfriend, Suki Waterhouse; surfer Laird Hamilton and his wife, Gabrielle Reece; filmmaker Nash Edgerton; business magnate Haim Saban and his wife, Cheryl Saban; TV personality Elizabeth Chambers; NetSuite founder Evan Goldberg; film producer Donald Kushner; TV producers Angela Robinson and Alexandra Kondracke; Nobu restaurant co-founder Meir Teper; CAA agent Brian Siberell; and Gersh managing partner Leslie Siebert.

All enjoyed an outdoor cocktail hour with flowing Champagne Billecart-Salmon and virgin mojitos before heading inside for a luncheon created by Chef Salvatore Sodano and his team with wines curated by sommelier Renee-Nicole Kubin. The menu consisted of a selection of crudite with freshly-grown vegetables, a choice of rustic chicken with with wild mushrooms, poached salmon or fettucine alfredo, and Sicilian cannoli for dessert. Kubin’s carefully selected wines included a Kistler pinot noir, a Scarecrow cabernet, a Puligny-Montrachet burgundy and a Chateau Leoube rose.

David Foster, the afternoon’s “musical director,” then introduced the room to two new Verve Records artists, the awesome Fairground Saints and soulful singer Charles Perry. He then gave Ellison a big surprise in the form of his favorite artist: t Chris Botti, alongside violinist Caroline Campbell, performed for the VIP crowd.

Photo Credit: Infidea Studios

Sunday’s fundraiser, which featured a call-to-action by Kahn, screened four moving films produced by Audrey Cavenecia, Ellison’s collaborating brand executive. The videos were filmed on-site at the CWC’s facility, which is located just above Malibu in the Santa Monica Mountains.

“Recently, we had a lot of very young seals come up on the beach in Malibu because they were too small and weak to feed themselves,” Kahn says. “The California Wildlife Center came to the beach, picked them up, fed them, and cared for them until they were big enough and strong enough to be released back into the wild. I didn’t even know an organization like that existed. I was so impressed with how they responded to the emergency, I decided I had to get involved.”

Photo Credit: Infidea Studios

The CWC is a non-profit organization that rescues and rehabilitates sick, injured, and orphaned native wildlife ranging from seals, deer, and hawks to bobcats, foxes, and opossums. Because of the challenges local animals are facing, including pollution, urban encroachment, and reduced food supplies due to overfishing, the CWC’s work is crucial in supporting a balanced ecosystem.

The CWC opened in 1998 with the intention of serving 200 animals per year, but is now helping close to 5,000. The money raised at the event will build a much-needed new facility and surgery center at an alternate location that will allow the organization to not only take in animals it is currently turning away due to space restrictions but also work with additional species such as bears and mountain lions. It is a fit for Ellison’s brand, as wildlife is an integral part of his plans for nurturing a compassionate, sustainable future on Lanai, the Hawaiian island that Ellison purchased the majority share of in 2012.

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