Bill Gates

Bill Gates
Born	William Henry Gates III (1955-10-28) October 28, 1955 Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Other names	William Gates III, Trey
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, philanthropist, software developer
Years active	1975–present
Known for	Co-founder of Microsoft, philanthropy through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Notable work	Source Code: My Beginnings (memoir)

William Henry Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist. A key figure in the microcomputer revolution during the 1970s and 1980s, he co-established the software corporation Microsoft in 1975 alongside his childhood companion Paul Allen. Following the company's 1986 initial public offering (IPO), Gates became a billionaire at age 31 in 1987, making him the youngest individual to achieve this status at the time. Forbes listed him as the richest person worldwide for 18 out of 24 years between 1995 and 2017, including an unbroken streak from 1995 to 2007. In 1999, he was the first to reach centibillionaire status, momentarily exceeding $100 billion. As of May 2025, his estimated net worth stood at US$115.1 billion, ranking him as the thirteenth wealthiest person globally.

Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Gates attended Lakeside School, where he met Allen and nurtured his interest in computing. He enrolled at Harvard University in 1973 but left two years later in 1975 to co-found Microsoft. He held the CEO position for 25 years and served as president and chairman from the firm's inception in 1981. In 2000, he passed CEO responsibilities to Steve Ballmer and took on the role of chief software architect until 2008. Gates resigned as chairman in 2014 and shifted to advising CEO Satya Nadella, a position he held until stepping down from the board in 2020.

Over time, Gates reduced his involvement with Microsoft to concentrate on philanthropy through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which he co-led with then-wife Melinda French Gates from 2000 until their separation in 2024. As the largest private charitable organization globally, the foundation focuses on health, education, and poverty reduction, with notable campaigns against diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, and polio. After their divorce, French Gates stepped down as co-chair, leading to the foundation’s renaming as the Gates Foundation, with Gates serving as sole chair.

He is also the founder and chairman of multiple enterprises including BEN, Cascade Investment, TerraPower, Gates Ventures, and Breakthrough Energy. In collaboration with Warren Buffett in 2010, he initiated the Giving Pledge, encouraging billionaires to dedicate at least half of their fortunes to philanthropic causes. Recognized by Time magazine among the 100 most influential individuals of the 20th century in 1999, Gates has received many accolades, including a joint award of the Presidential Medal of Freedom with French Gates in 2016 for their charitable efforts. His first memoir, Source Code: My Beginnings, was published in 2025.

Early life and education

William Henry Gates III entered the world on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington. He is the only son of William H. Gates Sr. (1925–2020), a distinguished lawyer, and Mary Maxwell Gates (1929–1994), who served on boards such as First Interstate BancSystem and United Way of America. His heritage includes English, German, and Irish/Scots-Irish roots; he has two sisters. Often called William Gates III or "Trey," he was raised in Seattle’s Sand Point neighborhood.

Although his parents initially encouraged him toward a legal career, Gates demonstrated an early passion for programming. At age thirteen, he enrolled at Lakeside School—a private institution—where a Mothers' Club purchase of a Teletype Model 33 ASR terminal along with computer time ignited his enthusiasm for coding. His first program was a tic-tac-toe game. Subsequently, he co-founded the Lakeside Programmers Club with peers including Paul Allen and Ric Weiland to identify software bugs in exchange for computer access.

After being banned from Computer Center Corporation for exploiting system vulnerabilities, this group developed software projects like an automated class-scheduling system for Lakeside School that generated royalties. Following the untimely death of his friend Kent Evans, Gates collaborated with Allen to complete this initiative.

At seventeen, Gates and Allen co-founded Traf-O-Data to create traffic counting devices using Intel 8008 microprocessors. Graduating from Lakeside in 1973 as a National Merit Scholar with an almost perfect SAT score, he enrolled at Harvard University where he took advanced courses in mathematics and computer science and met future Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. He left Harvard after two years without declaring a major.

During his time at Harvard, Gates developed an efficient solution to pancake sorting—an unsolved combinatorial problem—which held a performance record for over three decades before being marginally improved. This research was published alongside computer scientist Christos Papadimitriou.

Maintaining close ties with Allen during summers working at Honeywell, Gates saw an opportunity when the MITS Altair 8800 microcomputer based on Intel’s 8080 CPU was released in 1975. That year marked his decision to leave Harvard permanently with parental support to dedicate himself fully to building Microsoft—viewing this step as temporary should their venture fail.

BASIC

In January 1975, Gates came across the issue of Popular Electronics that showcased the Altair 8800, prompting him to reach out to Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems (MITS) with a proposal to create a BASIC interpreter for their machine. Although neither Gates nor Allen owned an Altair or had written any code at that time, they developed an Altair emulator along with a BASIC interpreter on a minicomputer to demonstrate at MITS's Albuquerque location. This successful presentation resulted in an agreement to market the interpreter as Altair BASIC. Following this, MITS employed Allen, and Gates paused his studies at Harvard to join MITS in November 1975. Allen coined the name "Micro-Soft," merging "microcomputer" and "software"; their initial office was located in Albuquerque. Their first employee was collaborator Ric Weiland. They later removed the hyphen and officially registered "Microsoft" on November 26, 1976. Gates never resumed his Harvard education.

While Altair BASIC became popular among enthusiasts, Gates noticed widespread unauthorized copying. In February 1976, he published An Open Letter to Hobbyists, arguing that unpaid use jeopardized the motivation for professional software development. Despite facing criticism, Microsoft maintained its stance that software should be paid for. By late 1976, Microsoft separated from MITS and broadened its range of programming language products for multiple platforms. The company moved its headquarters to Bellevue, Washington on January 1, 1979.

During Microsoft's initial five years, Gates personally examined and frequently rewrote every code line before shifting his focus toward management and executive responsibilities.

IBM partnership

In July 1980, IBM, then a dominant provider of computer systems for businesses, approached Microsoft regarding software for its forthcoming IBM PC. This connection was facilitated after Gates’s mother mentioned Microsoft to IBM CEO John Opel. IBM initially requested Microsoft to develop the BASIC interpreter and also sought an operating system. Gates directed them to Digital Research (DRI), the creators of the widely-used CP/M OS. However, licensing negotiations between IBM and Digital Research did not succeed. Subsequently, IBM representative Jack Sams inquired if Microsoft could supply an operating system. Gates and Allen proposed utilizing 86-DOS, created by Tim Paterson of Seattle Computer Products (SCP), which resembled CP/M and was compatible with PC hardware. Microsoft acquired exclusive licensing rights from SCP and eventually full ownership, employing Paterson to customize it for the PC. They delivered this OS to IBM as PC DOS for a one-time payment of $50,000.

Although this contract provided Microsoft with only a modest initial payment, IBM’s use of their operating system significantly boosted Microsoft’s industry standing, marking its evolution from a small startup into a major software enterprise. Gates retained the copyright rights because he anticipated other manufacturers would clone IBM’s PC hardware—a prediction that proved accurate—establishing the IBM-compatible PC running DOS as an industry standard. Sales of MS-DOS, the non-IBM version, further cemented Microsoft's market leadership. Media outlets acknowledged Microsoft's impact on the IBM PC; PC Magazine referred to Gates as "the man behind the machine."

On June 25, 1981, Gates reorganized Microsoft by reincorporating it in Washington state and assuming roles as president and chairman, while Paul Allen became vice president and vice chairman. In early 1983, Allen departed following a Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis, which ended their formal business collaboration amid previous disputes over company equity. Later in that decade, Gates and Allen reconciled and together donated millions to their childhood school Lakeside. They remained close friends until Allen’s passing in October 2018.

Windows

Microsoft, under Bill Gates' leadership, introduced the inaugural retail edition of Microsoft Windows on November 20, 1985. This launch aimed to rival Apple's Macintosh GUI, which was widely acclaimed for its user-friendly design and intuitive interface. In August 1986, Microsoft joined forces with IBM to co-develop the operating system OS/2. Despite initial success, the collaboration ended due to differing creative visions. Over more than ten years, Windows evolved from its DOS roots until the release of Windows 95, which by default concealed the DOS command prompt. The debut of Windows XP occurred one year after Gates stepped down as CEO. Later, Windows 8.1 marked the final version released prior to Gates transferring the chairman role to John W. Thompson in February 2014.

Management style

During Microsoft's formative period, Gates was deeply engaged in software development, particularly in programming languages, though he primarily functioned as a manager and executive for most of the company's lifespan. He discontinued formal programming contributions following work on the TRS-80 Model 100, yet continued submitting code until 1989. In 1985, Jerry Pournelle observed that Gates valued Microsoft Excel not only for its commercial potential but also as an ingenious technical accomplishment. Throughout the late 1990s, Gates faced criticism regarding Microsoft's assertive business strategies, which were judged anti-competitive in several legal cases.

In June 2006, Gates revealed plans for a phased withdrawal from daily Microsoft operations to dedicate himself to philanthropic efforts, assigning management duties to Ray Ozzie and product strategy oversight to Craig Mundie. This transition was finalized on June 27, 2008.

Post-Microsoft

Following his exit from active management at Microsoft, Gates shifted his focus toward philanthropy and other interests. In February 2014, he stepped down as chairman to assume the role of technology advisor, providing support to CEO Satya Nadella.

In a March 2014 interview with Rolling Stone, Gates addressed topics including climate change, philanthropy, technological advancements, and America's development. He emphasized innovation as the driving force behind progress while expressing concern over significant global threats such as pandemics, nuclear weapons, and bioterrorism. Additionally, Gates has cautioned about risks associated with superintelligence, sharing views with figures like Elon Musk on the importance of prudent oversight.

At the March 2015 TED conference, Gates recommended Nick Bostrom's book Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies and alerted audiences that the world was ill-prepared for upcoming pandemics—a warning that proved prescient before COVID-19 emerged. In 2018, he engaged with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to explore investment opportunities aligned with Saudi Vision 2030. By June 2019, Gates publicly admitted that losing the mobile operating system competition to Android was a significant error influenced partly by antitrust challenges. That same year, he joined the advisory board of the Bloomberg New Economy Forum.

In March 2020, Gates resigned from his board memberships at Berkshire Hathaway and Microsoft to concentrate fully on philanthropic initiatives addressing climate change, global health, education, and development. According to The Wall Street Journal in May 2021, his departure followed an inquiry into a previous inappropriate relationship with a Microsoft employee.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Gates emerged as a prominent voice in public health discussions despite lacking formal medical credentials. His foundation established the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator in 2020 to hasten drug development for treatments. As of early 2021, Gates maintained regular consultations with Dr. Anthony Fauci regarding vaccines and medical innovations combating the pandemic.

Entrepreneurial activities and investment holdings (selected examples)

Gates manages an extensive investment portfolio valued in the billions, spanning multiple industries, and has engaged in various business ventures beyond his Microsoft legacy, such as:

• AutoNation, an automotive retail company listed on the NYSE, where Gates holds a 16% equity interest.
• bgC3 LLC, a research and think-tank organization established by Gates.
• Canadian National Railway (CN), a leading freight rail operator in Canada; as of 2019, Gates is its largest individual shareholder.
• Cascade Investment LLC, Gates’s private investment and holding entity headquartered in Kirkland, Washington. Through Cascade, he ranks as the foremost private farmland owner in the United States, possessing 242,000 acres across 19 states and placing 49th among private landowners nationwide.
• Carbon Engineering, a commercial carbon capture enterprise co-founded by Gates with financial backing from Chevron and Occidental Petroleum.
  • SCoPEx, an academic geoengineering initiative focused on "sun-dimming," primarily funded by Gates with an investment of $12 million.
• Corbis (currently Branded Entertainment Network), a digital image licensing firm founded and chaired by Gates; its photographic archive was sold to a Chinese corporation in 2016.
• EarthNow, a Seattle-based startup delivering live satellite video globally, with Gates as a principal investor.
• Eclipse Aviation, a now-defunct manufacturer of very light jets where Gates was an early significant investor.
• Impossible Foods, a company specializing in plant-based meat alternatives; Gates invested around $396 million between 2014 and 2017.
• Ecolab, a global supplier of water treatment, hygiene, and energy solutions; combined with holdings through his foundation, Gates owns 11.6% of the firm.
• ResearchGate, a professional network for scientists; Gates contributed to a $35 million funding round.
• TerraPower, a nuclear technology company co-founded and chaired by Gates, focused on developing next-generation traveling-wave reactors to combat climate change.
• Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a closed investment fund launched by Gates in 2015 that targets long-term returns through backing green technology startups, including advanced nuclear power and synthetic biology sectors.
• Ginkgo Bioworks, a biotechnology startup that secured $350 million in funding in 2019 with partial capital from Cascade Investment.
• Luminous Computing, which develops neuromorphic photonic integrated circuits aimed at accelerating artificial intelligence applications.
• Mologic, a UK-based diagnostics firm acquired jointly by Gates and the Soros Economic Development Fund, producing affordable rapid Covid lateral flow tests.

Climate change and energy

Bill Gates identifies climate change and global access to energy as intertwined critical issues. He champions increased public and private sector funding for research and development to make clean, dependable energy solutions more economically accessible. He asserts that breakthrough innovations in sustainable energy can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, alleviate poverty, and stabilize energy costs. In 2011, he emphasized that securing affordable and environmentally responsible energy surpasses even the importance of presidential elections.

In 2015, Gates acknowledged the challenges inherent in shifting from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources, noting that historical global energy transitions have taken decades. Nonetheless, he expressed hope that urgent climate imperatives combined with accelerated innovation could hasten this transition. He underscored the necessity for enhanced government financing alongside private investments in technologies such as nuclear power, grid-scale energy storage, and solar fuel development.

During the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, Gates introduced two significant initiatives: Mission Innovation, wherein twenty governments committed to doubling carbon-free energy research budgets within five years; and Breakthrough Energy, a coalition investing in high-risk clean energy startups. He personally pledged $2 billion toward these programs. By 2020, he proposed establishing U.S. federal institutes dedicated exclusively to clean energy research modeled after the National Institutes of Health. Additionally, he has advocated for transitioning to fully synthetic beef production to reduce emissions associated with livestock.

Gates has faced scrutiny for maintaining substantial ownership in Signature Aviation, which provides services to carbon-intensive private jets. Since 2019, he has been divesting from fossil fuel assets—recognizing that divestment alone has limited direct impact but preferring not to benefit financially from fossil fuel stock appreciation should alternative energies fail. His book How to Avoid a Climate Disaster attracted criticism from some climate activists for its emphasis on technological fixes. In 2022, the educational platform Wondrium released "Solving for Zero: The Search for Climate Innovation," inspired by his efforts.

In June 2021, TerraPower partnered with Warren Buffett’s company PacifiCorp to announce development of the first sodium-cooled nuclear reactor project located in Wyoming. This venture was lauded for advancing carbon-negative nuclear technology while potentially revitalizing uranium mining within the state.

Gates played an active role supporting passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, lobbying influential senators including Joe Manchin since 2019. The legislation seeks substantial reductions in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions—equivalent to eliminating pollution from both France and Germany combined—and aligns with goals to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius under the Paris Agreement. He publicly expressed gratitude toward Manchin and Chuck Schumer, describing the act as potentially the most consequential climate legislation ever enacted in the United States due to its capacity to accelerate new technological development. In May 2023, during his commencement address at Northern Arizona University—where he received an honorary doctorate—Gates elaborated further on climate change issues.

Political stances

In October 2024, The New York Times disclosed that Gates contributed $50 million to Future Forward USA Action, a 501(c)(4) entity backing Kamala Harris's 2024 presidential bid. Although Gates did not directly verify the contribution or publicly endorse Harris, he remarked that "this election is different."

Software industry regulation

During a 1998 testimony before the United States Senate, Gates opposed imposing regulations on the software sector. In the course of the Federal Trade Commission’s investigation into Microsoft in the 1990s, Gates was reportedly displeased with Commissioner Dennis Yao’s suggestions about potential restrictions on Microsoft’s monopoly dominance.

Facebook ban on Donald Trump

After Facebook and Twitter banned Donald Trump in February 2021 following the 2020 election and January 6 Capitol events, Gates described a permanent ban as "a shame" and an "extreme measure." He cautioned that such actions might deepen divisions by fragmenting users across different platforms and questioned whether permanently excluding a candidate who garnered substantial votes was effective.

COVID-19 vaccine patents

In April 2021, Gates attracted criticism for opposing the TRIPS waiver and advocating that pharmaceutical companies maintain patents and intellectual property rights for COVID-19 vaccines. The Gates Foundation influenced Oxford University to collaborate with a major pharmaceutical company rather than donate vaccine rights freely, resulting in a partnership with AstraZeneca. Critics contended this arrangement restricted vaccine availability for lower-income countries. Gates responded by stating that primary obstacles were safety regulations and the complexity of scaling production, not intellectual property rights. This position aligns with his broader perspective on legal monopolies within technology industries.

Cryptocurrencies

Gates has expressed skepticism toward cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, arguing they generate no "valuable output," offer limited societal benefit, and pose significant risks particularly to smaller investors vulnerable to substantial losses. He personally does not hold any cryptocurrency assets.

Philanthropy

In a 2025 interview with the BBC, Gates disclosed that his philanthropic contributions have reached $100 billion, with $60 billion allocated to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Inspired by philanthropists like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller, Gates donated Microsoft shares in 1994 to create the "William H. Gates Foundation." In 2000, he and his wife consolidated three family foundations, contributing $5 billion in stock to form the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which was recognized in 2013 as the largest charitable foundation globally with assets surpassing $34.6 billion. The foundation prioritizes transparency by offering comprehensive details on fund deployment.

It contributed $20 million to Carnegie Mellon University for establishing the Gates Center for Computer Science, which opened in 2009. Drawing inspiration from David Rockefeller, Gates structured his philanthropic approach around addressing global challenges frequently neglected by governments.

The foundation manages five program sectors: Global Development, Global Health, United States, and Global Policy & Advocacy Divisions. It supports public health campaigns targeting diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, funds vaccination efforts aimed at eradicating polio, invests in educational institutions and scholarships, and promotes sustainable water and sanitation projects in developing regions. Its agricultural initiatives include backing developments like Golden Rice to combat vitamin A deficiency. Additionally, it advances family planning services for women and girls worldwide.

In 2007, the Los Angeles Times criticized its investments in corporations associated with poverty and environmental harm. Although a social responsibility audit was announced, it was subsequently canceled; nonetheless, the foundation continues investing for optimal financial returns while leveraging shareholder voting power to influence corporate behavior.

On December 8, 2020, Gates took part in a virtual fireside discussion at the Singapore FinTech Festival focusing on expanding financial inclusion after the COVID-19 pandemic. He stressed that governments must take responsibility for pandemic preparedness through proactive funding and simulation exercises.

Gates also advocates for normalizing mask-wearing during COVID-19; in November 2020 he compared opposition to masks to rejecting basic social conventions such as wearing pants.

Personal donations

Melinda Gates drew attention to the philanthropic actions of the Salwen family, who sold their residence and contributed half its proceeds, as recounted in The Power of Half. Motivated by this example, Bill and Melinda Gates, together with investor Warren Buffett, endorsed the "Giving Pledge" on December 9, 2010, committing to allocate at least 50% of their fortune to charitable causes. The Foundation has encountered criticism for its role in Common Core, with accusations suggesting it profited from associated government contracts.

Bill Gates has personally contributed substantial sums to academic institutions: $20 million to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1999 for the establishment of the "William H. Gates Building," $6 million toward Stanford University's Gates Computer Science Building completed in 1996, and funding for Harvard's Maxwell Dworkin Laboratory, named in honor of the mothers of both Gates and Microsoft President Steven A. Ballmer.

Since 2005, Gates and his foundation have concentrated efforts on addressing global sanitation issues, initiating programs such as the "Reinvent the Toilet Challenge." To demonstrate this work, Gates publicly consumed water purified by the Omni Processor, a technology designed to treat sewage sludge. In 2015, he appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to highlight this innovative reclaimed water.

In November 2017, Gates committed $100 million toward Alzheimer's disease research—dividing $50 million to the Dementia Discovery Fund and $50 million to emerging startups in the sector. Bill and Melinda Gates intend to leave each of their three children $10 million apiece, planning to donate nearly 99.96% of their wealth. In August 2018, through his foundation and in partnership with UNICEF, Gates distributed $600,000 to aid flood relief efforts in Kerala, India.

To enhance educational accessibility, Gates offered free ebooks to U.S. college graduates in 2018 and extended this initiative globally to students in 2021. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supports OpenStax, which provides complimentary digital textbooks. In July 2022, via Twitter, Gates reaffirmed his philanthropic dedication by announcing plans to give away "virtually all" of his $113 billion fortune and exit the ranks of the world's wealthiest individuals.

Charity sports events

In April 2017, Gates teamed up with Swiss tennis champion Roger Federer for the Match for Africa 4, a charitable tennis event held at Seattle's Key Arena. The match benefited the Roger Federer Foundation's initiatives across Africa. Federer and Gates competed against John Isner and Mike McCready, securing a 6–4 victory and raising $2 million for African children. They participated again in the Match for Africa 5 in March 2018 at San Jose's SAP Center, defeating Jack Sock and Savannah Guthrie 6–3 and generating over $2.5 million.

Books

In 1989, Gates penned the foreword to Learn BASIC Now, emphasizing BASIC’s significance as a universal programming language. He authored multiple books including The Road Ahead (1995), co-written with Nathan Myhrvold and Peter Rinearson, which examined the personal computing revolution alongside future prospects for digital connectivity. His 1999 publication, Business @ the Speed of Thought, co-authored with Collins Hemingway, analyzed how digital infrastructure integrates with business strategy to secure competitive advantage.

In 2021, Gates released How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, outlining a decade’s worth of climate research alongside investments in innovative solutions. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, he published How to Prevent the Next Pandemic (2022), proposing a Global Epidemic Response and Mobilization (GERM) team under WHO supervision funded at $1 billion annually.

The first installment of his planned memoirs, Source Code, was published in February 2025.

Personal life

Gates is a passionate reader, with a notable quote from The Great Gatsby inscribed on the ceiling of his home library. He partakes in bridge, golf, and tennis as leisure activities. His daily routine is carefully structured, resembling the disciplined schedule of the U.S. president. Despite his substantial wealth and frequent travel, Gates flew economy class until 1997, when he acquired a private aircraft.

During the 1990s, Gates commissioned an earth-integrated residence designed by James Cutler and Peter Bohlin overlooking Lake Washington in Medina, Washington. Known as "Xanadu 2.0," the property includes amenities such as a swimming pool equipped with underwater sound systems, a fitness center, and an elegant dining area. In 2009, the estate's property tax was reported at US$1.063 million based on an assessed value of US$147.5 million.

In 1994, Gates purchased the Codex Leicester, a compilation of Leonardo da Vinci's scientific manuscripts, for US$30.8 million. Four years later, in 1998, he acquired the maritime artwork Lost on the Grand Banks for $30 million, setting a record price for an American painting at that time. Gates disclosed in 2016 that he is color-blind. On May 10, 2022, he tested positive for COVID-19 but experienced only mild symptoms; he had received three vaccine doses prior to infection. In his 2025 memoir Source Code, Gates revealed his belief that he is on the autism spectrum.

Marriage, family and divorce

Gates met Melinda French in 1987 at a trade exhibition in New York; she had recently joined Microsoft after graduating from Duke University. They became engaged in 1993 and were married on January 1, 1994, at the Manele Golf Course on Lānaʻi. The couple had three children: two daughters and one son. After more than 27 years together, they announced their separation on May 3, 2021. Reports suggested Melinda initiated divorce proceedings in 2019 partly due to concerns regarding Gates's connections with Jeffrey Epstein. They postponed finalizing their divorce until their youngest child completed high school. The divorce was finalized on August 2, 2021, with financial details remaining confidential.

In October 2021, their eldest daughter Jennifer—who is both a pediatrician and professional show-jumper—married Olympic equestrian Nayel Nassar; they have two daughters born in 2023 and 2024. Their son Rory is undertaking doctoral studies at the Institute of World Politics. The youngest daughter Phoebe co-founded Phia, a digital fashion platform, and actively supports women's health and reproductive rights causes.

In February 2023, Gates confirmed his relationship with Paula Hurd (née Kalupa), widow of former Oracle and Hewlett-Packard CEO Mark Hurd. During a February 2025 interview, he referred to Hurd as his "serious girlfriend" and stated that he had "moved past the divorce."

Public image

Gates’s reputation has undergone substantial transformation over time. Initially perceived as a brilliant yet cutthroat "robber baron" and "nerd-turned-entrepreneur," his public persona shifted following the establishment of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000 and his departure from Microsoft leadership. He committed over $50 billion to philanthropic efforts focusing on health care, poverty alleviation, and education—reshaping his image from a "tyrannical technocrat" into a "huggable billionaire techno-philanthropist." He frequently appeared on magazine covers and was sought after for insights on global challenges including health crises and climate change.

Nevertheless, his public standing suffered after his 2021 divorce amid revelations about workplace relationships, a prolonged extramarital affair, and associations with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. These controversies combined with his role during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a shift in perception from "endearing nerd" to "tech supervillain" accused of prioritizing profits over public well-being.

Investigative journalist Tim Schwab alleged that Gates used media funding to shape favorable coverage protecting his reputation. A 2022 Politico investigation criticized NGO leadership involved in the global COVID-19 response for close connections to Gates and questioned his medical expertise.

Gates and his foundation have been frequent subjects of conspiracy theories claiming involvement in depopulation schemes, harmful vaccinations, and microchip implantation—narratives that gained traction during the pandemic as people searched for explanations online. Gates has rejected these allegations, emphasizing that some individuals prefer simplistic villains over complex scientific realities and denying any intention to use microchips for tracking individuals.

Religious perspectives

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Gates highlighted the significance of ethical frameworks within religion, mentioning that he and his family attend the Catholic church. He characterized his dedication to addressing global inequality as rooted in a moral or religious conviction. While recognizing science's ability to clarify phenomena once explained by religion, Gates expressed that the world's wonder and complexity imply a belief in God, though he remained uncertain about how this belief impacts his everyday choices.

Financial standing

At Microsoft's initial public offering in 1986, Gates held a 44.9% stake in the company. By 1987, he appeared on the inaugural Forbes list of America's wealthiest individuals, becoming the youngest self-made billionaire with a net worth of $1.25 billion. Between 1995 and 2018, Gates frequently ranked as the richest person worldwide until Jeff Bezos overtook him. As of February 17, 2025, his net worth was approximated at US$108.8 billion, placing him 16th among the world's wealthiest.

Gates was the first individual to exceed $100 billion in net worth back in 1999. The value of his Microsoft shares declined following the dot-com crash and due to his extensive philanthropic contributions. Although he temporarily lost the top position to Carlos Slim and later Jeff Bezos, he reclaimed it multiple times, with his wealth increasing from $40 billion to $82 billion between 2009 and 2014. In 2023, he was ranked sixth on the Forbes 400 list with a fortune of $115 billion. Publicly, Gates has advocated for increased taxation on affluent individuals and disclosed paying over $6 billion in taxes.

Beyond Microsoft, Gates has expanded his investment portfolio. In 2006, Microsoft compensated him with nearly $1 million in salary and bonuses. He established Corbis, a digital imaging firm, in 1989 and joined the board of Berkshire Hathaway in 2004, aligning himself with Warren Buffett’s investment philosophy.

Antitrust cases

While serving as Microsoft's CEO, Gates authorized actions that resulted in major antitrust proceedings. During the 1998 United States v. Microsoft trial, journalists perceived Gates’s deposition as evasive, noting frequent disagreements over terminology with examiner David Boies. The court's reaction to the videotaped deposition included laughter and skepticism from the judge. BusinessWeek observed that Gates often responded with "I don't recall," while prosecutors countered by presenting emails he had authored or received.

Gates later admitted to resisting Boies’s attempts to misrepresent him and confessed to being "rude to Boies in the first degree." Despite Gates's denials, the court found Microsoft guilty of monopolization, tying, and obstructing competition violations under the Sherman Antitrust Act.

Interaction with staff and colleagues

From Microsoft's inception until 2006, Gates steered product strategy and was known for being somewhat aloof and hard to reach. An executive from Atari recalled Gates's intense competitiveness after observing him repeatedly lose at a game before mastering it. In the early 1980s, during co-founder Paul Allen’s cancer treatment, Allen accused Gates of attempting to diminish his ownership share through issuing additional stock options—a claim Gates denies.

By 1987, Computerworld noted that Gates embodied Microsoft’s identity and attracted elite talent; however, he faced frequent allegations of intimidating employees. Senior leaders described him as verbally aggressive, often chastising them harshly over business decisions perceived as jeopardizing company interests. For instance, when Borland's Turbo Pascal outperformed Microsoft's products, Gates reportedly reprimanded programming director Greg Whitten for thirty minutes.

Gates was notorious for blunt interruptions such as "that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard" or sarcastic comments like "why don’t you just give up your options and join the Peace Corps?" Proposals had to withstand rigorous scrutiny until he was convinced of their merit. Despite his harsh tone, some managers interpreted such critiques as a reflection of high expectations—being singled out by Gates was considered an honor within Microsoft. Additionally, he employed sarcasm to challenge delays in work completion, famously quipping, "I'll do it over the weekend."

Connection with Jeffrey Epstein

According to a 2019 report by the New York Times, Bill Gates's association with financier Jeffrey Epstein commenced in 2011, shortly after Epstein’s conviction related to child prostitution, and persisted for several years thereafter. This relationship included a 2013 visit to Epstein’s residence accompanied by his wife, despite her unease. Gates characterized Epstein’s way of life as "quite different and somewhat fascinating, though not suitable for me."

The full scope of their interactions remains ambiguous; Gates asserted, "I met him. I had no business dealings or friendship with him." Nevertheless, he visited Epstein on multiple occasions despite Epstein’s criminal history. Reports revealed that their discussions involved topics such as the Gates Foundation and philanthropic endeavors. Gates emphasized that all meetings were exclusively male gatherings, never social parties, and that Epstein never contributed financially to his initiatives. In 2021, Gates admitted to meeting Epstein in an attempt to obtain philanthropic support, which ultimately did not materialize, describing it as "a significant error to spend time with him."

Gates came under public scrutiny following reports alleging he traveled on Epstein's private jet; however, claims concerning visits to Epstein’s private island were unverified. Additionally, Epstein and Gates met with Nobel Committee chair Thorbjørn Jagland in 2013 to discuss the Nobel Prize. Representatives from the International Peace Institute, which received millions in grants from the Gates Foundation—including $2.5 million in 2013—were also present.

In 2023, new reports surfaced indicating that Epstein threatened to reveal an alleged affair between Gates and a Russian bridge player.

Honors and Awards

• Time magazine included Gates among the 100 most influential figures of the 20th century (1999) and repeatedly featured him during the early 2000s. In 2005, Gates, Melinda Gates, and Bono were jointly honored as Time Person of the Year for their humanitarian contributions.
• He was ranked eighth on New Statesman's "Heroes of our time" list (2006) and appeared on various influential compilations such as the Sunday Times power list (1999), was named CEO of the Year by Chief Executive Officers magazine (1994), and earned high placements in rankings by Time and Upside magazines.
• Honorary doctorates have been bestowed upon him by numerous institutions including Nyenrode Business Universiteit, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Waseda University, Tsinghua University, Harvard University, Karolinska Institute, University of Cambridge, and Northern Arizona University. He also served as an honorary trustee at Peking University.
• His accolades include being named Distinguished Fellow of the British Computer Society (1994), receiving the New York Institute of Technology's President's Medal (1999), and election to the US National Academy of Engineering in 1996 for his innovations in personal computing.
• In 1997, a species of flower fly was named Eristalis gatesi in his honor.
• Other distinctions comprise honorary membership from the American Library Association (1998), the Jefferson Award for Greatest Public Service (2002), and an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) conferred by Queen Elizabeth II (2005).
• His philanthropic efforts earned him awards such as the James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award (2006), Portugal’s Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry (2006), and Mexico’s Order of the Aztec Eagle (2006).
• The Franklin Institute granted him the Bower Award for Business Leadership in 2010; that same year he received the Boy Scouts of America Silver Buffalo Award.
• Forbes ranked him as the fourth most powerful individual worldwide in 2012.
• Together with Melinda Gates, he was honored with India’s Padma Bhushan for social work (2015), France’s Legion of Honour as Commanders (2017), election into the Chinese Academy of Engineering (2017), and Cambridge Union’s Professor Hawking Fellowship (2019).
• Japan awarded him its Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun in 2020.
• In 2021, he received a Streamy Award nomination for crossover content on his YouTube channel.
• Pakistan recognized his social contributions with the Hilal-e-Pakistan award in 2022.
• In June 2025, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu honored him with the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic for his efforts combating poverty across Africa.

Portrayal in Media

Documentaries Featuring Gates

• The Machine That Changed the World (1990)
• Triumph of the Nerds (1996)
• Nerds 2.0.1 (1998)
• Waiting for "Superman" (2010)
• The Virtual Revolution (2010)
• Inside Bill's Brain: Decoding Bill Gates (2019)
• What's Next? The Future with Bill Gates (2024)

Feature Films

• In 1999’s Pirates of Silicon Valley, which chronicles Apple and Microsoft’s evolution from the 1970s through 1997, Gates was portrayed by Anthony Michael Hall.
• The mockumentary Nothing So Strange (2002) featured Gates as a target for assassination; Steve Sires briefly played him.
• Steve Sires also portrayed Gates in The Social Network (2010), which depicts Facebook's creation story.
• The National Geographic Channel produced a film titled Steve Jobs vs. Bill Gates: The Competition to Control the Personal Computer, 1974–1999 for its American Genius series in 2015.

Video and Film Appearances

• In 1983, Steve Jobs hosted Bill Gates and others during a parody event called "Macintosh dating game" at Apple’s Macintosh pre-launch party, spoofing TV's The Dating Game.
• At a Berkeley Macintosh Users Group meeting held at University of California, Berkeley in 1991, Gates engaged in Q&A sessions with attendees.
• A notable joint appearance occurred at All Things Digital’s D5 Conference in 2007: Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Together at the D5 Conference on YouTube.
• Since 2009, Gates has delivered numerous TED talks addressing topics such as innovation, education reform, and global health issues.

Radio

On January 31, 2016, Gates appeared on BBC Radio 4’s program Desert Island Discs, where he discussed his relationships with his father and Steve Jobs, recounted how he met Melinda Ann French, reflected on founding Microsoft, and shared personal habits like reading The Economist weekly. His selections for desert island included music: "Blue Skies" performed by Willie Nelson, a book: The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker, and a luxury item: a DVD set featuring lectures from The Teaching Company.

Television

Gates has made cameo appearances portraying himself on shows such as Frasier ("The Two Hundredth Episode"), The Big Bang Theory ("The Gates Excitation"), and appeared in the finale episode of Silicon Valley in 2019. He was also satirized on The Simpsons episode "Das Bus". In 2023, he was interviewed on BBC Two's series Amol Rajan Interviews and featured in Channel 4’s documentary series titled The Billionaires Who Made Our World.

See also

• Big History Project
• List of richest Americans in history

References

Primary sources

• Gates, Bill (2024). "Bill Gates Explains How AI Will Change Our Lives in 5 Years". CNN.
• Gates, Bill (2013). "An Exclusive Interview with Bill Gates". Financial Times 1.
• Gates, Bill. "Remarks of Bill Gates, Harvard Commencement Address 2007". The Harvard Gazette 7 (2007).
• Kinsley, Michael; Clarke, Conor; Eds. Creative Capitalism: A Conversation with Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Other Economic Leaders (Simon & Schuster, 2009).
• National Museum of American History. "Bill Gates Interview".

Related links

• Official website
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Profile on Forbes