2024-05-14 15:29:35
Melinda and Bill Gates divorced around three years ago. Now she is leaving the joint foundation.
Billionaire Bill Gates’ ex-wife, Melinda, is stepping down as co-chair of the Gates Foundation. Her last day of work will be June 7th, Melinda Gates announced on X. “The time is right for me to begin the next chapter of my philanthropy.”
Gates said she didn’t make the decision lightly. “I am incredibly proud of the foundation that Bill and I have built together.” She said she would share her future plans soon. But this much is clear: She wants to dedicate herself to the protection and rights of women and girls in the USA and around the world. “As per my agreement with Bill, when I leave the foundation I will have an additional $12.5 billion available for my work on behalf of women and families,” she said.
Largest philanthropic foundation in the world
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has existed since 1999 and is one of the largest philanthropic foundations in the world. It is one of the world’s most important donors in the area of health care and development cooperation. As the Foundation’s annual reports show, its total annual spending is in the single-digit billions.
Bill Gates, who founded the IT giant Microsoft together with Paul Allen in 1975, is considered one of the richest people in the world. According to Forbes magazine, the 65-year-old’s fortune is said to be more than 102 billion US dollars (which would currently correspond to around 100 billion euros). This puts him in fifth place on the global super-rich list. He led this for many years.
Divorce after 27 years of marriage
Melinda French Gates initially studied computer science and economics, and later completed a management degree (MBA), according to the foundation. In the first decade of her career, she worked at Microsoft developing multimedia products.
Melinda and Bill Gates divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage. “After careful consideration and a lot of work on our relationship, we have decided to end our marriage,” they both wrote at the time. According to information at the time, they wanted to continue the joint work of the influential Gates Foundation together. The couple has three adult children – Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe.