What next for Melinda French Gates? To use $12.5 billion for own philanthropy

Melinda French Gates will have “an additional $12.5 billion to commit to my work on behalf of women and families” following her resignation.

Melinda French Gates, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates' former wife, said that she would resign as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation next month. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter) she said that this was a “critical moment” to protect and advance women’s rights globally. She will have “an additional $12.5 billion to commit to my work on behalf of women and families” following her resignation, she said. The announcement comes after the couple's divorce in May 2021.

Melinda French Gates will step down as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the nonprofit shone of the largest philanthropic foundations in the world that she helped her ex-husband Bill Gates found more than 20 years ago. (AP)

With this, Melinda French Gates joins MacKenzie Scott, former wife of Amazon co-founder Jeff Bezos, in completely separating her philanthropic ventures from her ex-husband’s.

Melinda French Gates' complete statement

She said, "After careful thought and reflection, I have decided to resign from my role as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. My last day of work at the foundation will be June 7th.

This is not a decision I came to lightly. I am immensely proud of the foundation that Bill and I built together and of the extraordinary work it is doing to address inequities around the world. I care deeply about the foundation team, our partners around the world, and everyone who is touched by its work.

This is a critical moment for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world -- and those fighting to protect and advance equality are in urgent need of support. Under the terms of my agreement with Bill, in leaving the foundation, I will have an additional $12.5 billion to commit to my work on behalf of women and families. I’ll be sharing more about what that will look like in the near future."

Bill Gates' statement on his ex-wife's decision

Bill Gates said, “I am sorry to see Melinda leave, but I am sure she will have a huge impact in her future philanthropic work.”

CEO Mark Suzman said in a separate statement, “I know how beloved Melinda is here. This is difficult news for me, too. Like you, I truly admire Melinda, and I will deeply miss working with her and learning from her.”

Melinda French Gates and Bill Gates' divorce

The couple separated in 2021 over two years after Bill Gates' relationship with disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was reported. It was then claimed that Melinda French Gates began meeting with divorce lawyers in 2019 after reports of his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.