Melinda French Gates has revealed that her ex-husband, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, did not consult her before deciding to donate 99% of his fortune, which was accumulated by the foundation she co-founded.
“This particular decision was made after I left,” Melinda said. “‘It was made between Bill and Mark [Suzman, the foundation’s CEO] and the board, and I think it’s a fantastic decision.”
On May 8, Bill, 69, announced he would give away “virtually all” of his wealth within the next 20 years. The Gates Foundation, one of the world’s largest philanthropic organizations, will close by Dec. 31, 2045, according to the U.K.’s Daily Mail.
In an interview with the BBC, Bill said he believed future generations of wealthy individuals would be better suited to tackling global challenges. The foundation currently invests billions of U.S. dollars annually in global health, development aid, and social welfare programs.
Melinda co-founded the foundation in 2000 but stepped away following their divorce in 2021. In 2022, she announced she would not distribute most of her wealth through the organization. In June 2024, she officially departed to focus on her own nonprofit, Pivotal Ventures, which supports women and girls.
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Melinda French Gates and ex-husband Bill Gates. Photo courtesy of Melinda’s Instagram |
Although not involved in the recent decision, Melinda voiced her support, saying it reflected a long-standing commitment. “That’s been the plan, that the vast majority of those resources were to go back to society. I think it is fantastic that there’s now a public pledge to do that,” she told Fortune.
Commenting on the foundation’s closure, she told the Associated Press that “the timeline was Bill’s decision to make with the board of trustees.”
“I like to think that right now, the foundation’s work is contributing to a child getting a vaccine or a woman opening her first bank account,” she said. “And that decades from now, their families and communities are going to continue to look different, because of what that child and that woman unlocked for the people around them.”
Despite pledging to give away nearly all of his wealth, Bill may still remain a billionaire. He currently ranks as the world’s fifth-richest person with a net worth of US$168 billion, according to Bloomberg.
Bill shares three children with Melinda — Phoebe, 22; Rory, 25; and Jennifer, 29 — who are expected to inherit the remaining portion of his fortune.