US NEWS
Why did Melinda Gates resign from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation?
In May 2021, after twenty-seven years of marriage, Bill and Melinda Gates announced their divorce. The joint statement released on social media read that after much “thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage.” At the time, the couple said they would continue working on their shared goals through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which they started over two decades ago.
However, opinions have changed, with Melinda announcing her departure from the philanthropic organization this week. The announcement came through the foundation’s CEO, Mark Suzman, who said in a statement that Melinda’s last day will be 7 June and that she expressed her pride in the work done by the organization’s teams around the world.
“She made this decision, after considerable reflection, based on how she wants to spend the next chapter of her philanthropy,” explained Suzeman, who also mentioned that Melinda is looking at new ways to improve the lives of women in the United States and abroad.
Melinda has new ideas about the role she wants to play in improving the lives of women and families in the U.S. and around the world. And, after a difficult few years watching women’s rights rolled back in the U.S. and around the world, she wants to use this next chapter to focus specifically on altering that trajectory.
Suzman said that he understands the concerns and sadness of staff who have worked with Melinda over the years, adding that he will “deeply miss working with her and learning from her. Upon Melinda’s departure, the foundation will be renamed to the Gates Foundation which Suzman describes as a way to “honor Bill Sr.’s legacy and Melinda’s contributions.”
The exact reason for her departure remains unknown. Perhaps she feels that carving her own path with a separate entity from her ex-husband will allow her to expand her giving into areas she sees as priorities that the Foundation could not tackle. In the coming weeks, Melinda may be willing to provide more details. Until then, we will stay tuned.
A historic divorce
The couple’s net worth is around $150 billion, making their divorce historic. The separation reminds many of Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott’s split, which ended up being the largest divorce ever seen. Ms. Scott became the wealthiest woman in the world when she walked away from the divorce with a net worth valued at $36 billion. Although the couple hopes to separate amicably, it is no doubt that dividing the assets they have accumulated together over nearly three decades will be difficult.