Melinda French Gates, the philanthropist and co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, recently opened up about her newfound independence and professional recognition after her 2021 divorce from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. In a recent interview, she spoke candidly about how her life has changed and how her accomplishments are now being acknowledged on her own merits.
"When I get a meeting now, I know it's because of me," Ms French Gates told Vanity Fair. "So that's just -- it's different than before. Quite honestly, it feels quite good."
Their divorce three years ago marked the end of a decades-long partnership, both personal and professional. The couple had collaborated on charitable ventures through their foundation, which has reportedly disbursed $77.6 billion in global aid since its inception. However, Ms French Gates noted that, in many instances, people would still default to addressing Bill Gates first in meetings, assuming she had less to contribute -- a frustrating reality she attributed to sexism.
"I get that he was well-known and did great things in the tech industry, but why would they assume I knew less about philanthropy when we had been doing it together for almost 25 years?" she questioned. “Unless I interrupted the conversation, they could have just kept going for the whole meeting,” she revealed.
Describing herself as a “challenger,” Ms French Gates recalled how she had to assert herself in meetings to ensure her voice was heard. “I would speak first to make sure they listened to me,” she shared.
This dynamic was also highlighted in The New York Times reporter Anupreeta Das's recent biography of Bill Gates, which characterised him as a “mansplainer” in their early years. He would often cut Ms French Gates off in conversations, leaving her quietly fuming. However, as time passed, the dynamic shifted. “In the final half decade or so at the foundation, I would stop him if he went on too long, and he could tolerate that,” she noted.
Melinda Gates' commitment to philanthropy, especially focused on women's rights, health, and education, has remained steadfast even after her resignation from the Gates Foundation in May 2024. While the foundation remains a cornerstone of her work, Ms French Gates has also expanded her influence through Pivotal Ventures, an investment and incubation company she founded in 2015 to drive social progress, particularly for women and families.
In her new chapter of life, Ms French Gates is embracing a more flexible approach to philanthropy, stating that it's essential to “place trust in the people and organisations we partner with and let them define success on their own terms.” She stressed the importance of humility in her team and her belief in standing behind movements rather than leading them from the front.
Warren Buffett, a longtime friend of the Gateses, previously called Ms French Gates “smarter” than Bill Gates in seeing the bigger picture. Mr Buffett stepped down as a trustee of the Gates foundation shortly after their divorce.
