Three years after announcing her divorce from the Microsoft co-founder, Melinda French Gates announced Monday that she is leaving her philanthropic foundation, one of the most influential in the world.
A new page opens. Melinda French Gates, who ran one of the world’s most influential philanthropic foundations, announced this Monday, May 13, that she will leave the organization she founded with her now ex-husband, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. “This is not a decision that I took lightly,” the 59-year-old American philanthropist admits on his social networks, who, by the way, declares that he is “extremely proud” of the work of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which was born in 2000 year the leadership of the billionaire couple.
The Foundation is a major donor to the World Health Organization (WHO) and has significant influence on policies in developing countries, particularly in the areas of health and education. His work has, among other things, made it possible to reduce the mortality associated with malaria and other infectious diseases.
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New chapter
In her short press release, Melinda French Gates also states that her work at this organization, specifically dedicated to health and poverty reduction, will end on June 7, three years after the announcement of her divorce from Bill Gates. Then to give more details about his future plans; “The time has come for me to tackle the next chapter of my philanthropy,” he notes. “Under the terms of my agreement with Bill, when I leave the foundation, I will have $12.5 billion to work with women and families.”
“This is a pivotal moment for women and girls in the United States and around the world, and those fighting to protect and advance equality need urgent help,” she adds.
Hillary Clinton’s encouragement
The announcement comes in the middle of the presidential campaign in the United States, where the issue of abortion has become a major political issue after the Supreme Court’s repeal of the constitutional guarantee of abortion in 2022. Democrat Hillary Clinton. The former presidential candidate hastened to welcome that news. “Melinda, this is so exciting. Thank you for all you’ve already done and I can’t wait to see what you do next. Go!” he responded on Instagram.
Having said that, the departure of Melinda Gates is not surprising. It was marked shortly after the couple announced their divorce in May 2021. In July of that year, the foundation issued a press release stating that “if one or the other decides after two years that they cannot continue to work together because. co-chairs, Ms. French Gates will resign from her position. “In this case, Mrs. French Gates will receive personal resources from Mr. Gates for her charitable work,” the organization already expected. Recall that before entering charity, Melinda Gates was a computer programmer and then a marketing manager at Microsoft.
“Sorry to see Melinda go”
Bill Gates praised his ex-wife’s “major contributions” to the foundation on Monday. “I’m sorry to see Melinda go, but I’m sure she will have a huge impact on her future philanthropy,” said the billionaire, one of the founders of the IT giant near Seattle. As for him, he will remain “fully loyal” to the foundation, he assured.
Following this departure, the organization will be renamed the Gates Foundation, said its executive director, Mark Suzman. Since its founding in 2000, the organization has spent $53.8 billion, according to its website. A sum he says has contributed to the halving of under-5 mortality seen since 1990. In 2023, the foundation funded projects in 48 US states and 135 countries around the world. In addition to the personal wealth of Bill Gates, the organization was also heavily financed by the American billionaire and businessman Warren Buffett.
Source: Le Figaro
