Melinda French Gates 2025 | Amazing Net Worth, Biography, Philanthropy

Melinda French Gates Net Worth and Biography — **Melinda Anne French Gates**

Full Name	Melinda Anne French Gates
Born	August 15, 1964 Dallas, Texas, USA
Education	Bachelor’s degree in computer science and economics from Duke University MBA from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business
Children	She has three children with Bill Gates – Jennifer Rory Phoebe Gates
Marriage	Married Bill Gates in 1994 Divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage
Career	Worked at Microsoft from 1987 to 1996, where she was a project manager for products like Microsoft Encarta
Authorship	Published a book in 2019 titled The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World On April 15, 2025, she published another book, The Next Day: Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward
Philanthropy	Co-founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000, one of the largest private charitable foundations in the world
Own Foundation	Launched Pivotal Ventures in 2015, an organization focusing on advancing gender equality and women’s leadership
Causes Supported	Focuses on global health, poverty alleviation, gender equality, and education
Net Worth	$30.4 billion as of May 2025

Introduction

Melinda French Gates, an American businesswoman and a powerful philanthropist and former multimedia product developer and manager at Microsoft, has been ranked as one of the world’s most powerful women by Forbes.

In 2000, she and her then-husband Bill Gates co-founded the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the world’s largest private charitable organization. She was recognized as one of the BBC’s 100 women of 2021.

Melinda French Gates and her Early Life

Melinda Gates was born on August 15, 1964, at Dallas, Texas in USA.
Her parents were Raymond Joseph French Jr., an aerospace engineer and Elaine Agnes Amerland, a homemaker.
She has an older sister and two younger brothers.
She gained interest in computer games and Basic Programming Language when her father gifted her an Apple II and a seventh-grade teacher placed her in an advanced math class.
She was graduated as valedictorian from the Ursuline Academy (a Catholic girls’ high school) of Dallas in 1982.
She secured a bachelor’s degree in computer science and economics at Duke University in 1986 and an M.B.A. from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business in 1987.

Melinda French Gates and her Career

Melinda Gates joined Microsoft in multimedia product development in 1987 and became a marketing manager. These included Cinemania, Microsoft Bob, Works (Macintosh), Word, Encarta, Publisher.
She worked on Expedia, the most popular travel booking websites.
In the early 1990s, French Gates was appointed as General Manager of Information Products, a position which she held until 1996.

Melinda French Gates and her Personal Life

Melinda started dating an American business magnate and CEO of Microsoft, Bill Gates in 1987, after meeting him at a trade fair in New York.
On January 1, 1994 she got married to him in Lanai, Hawaii.
They have three children: Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe Gates.
She quit the company when their first child was born in 1996 and devoted her time to her family and charitable work.

Melinda French Gates and her Divorce

Bill and Melinda Gates announced in May 2021 that they were getting divorced, but they would remain co-chairs of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Melinda became a billionaire on her own after Bill Gates transferred her $2.4 billion worth of stock in May 2021.
In May 2021, the former couple released a joint statement regarding their divorce. “After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage,” they said. “Over the last 27 years, we have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives.” They added that they’d continue to work together for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
As per the reports, Bill Gates stated that he stepped down from the board of Microsoft due to philanthropic priorities in March 2020. Later on, it was disclosed that he was being questioned for initiating an intimate relationship with a company employee in the year 2000. The board received the concern in late 2019.Subsequent reports claimed that Bill had few relationships with employees while married to Melinda.
While talking to “CBS Mornings” co-host, Gayle King, Melinda said that she cried a lot of tears for many days when she was going through her divorce from Bill. There were also times when she was angry. “That’s part of the grieving process. You’re grieving a loss of something you thought you had and thought you had for your lifetime,” she said.
She’s now “starting to get to the other side” on her “journey of healing,” which made it easy for her to share what really happened to their marriage.
“I certainly believe in forgiveness, so I thought we had worked through some of that,” she said of the affair Bill admitted to having 20 years ago.” It wasn’t one moment or one specific thing that happened. There just came a point in time where there was enough there that I realized it just wasn’t healthy, and I couldn’t trust what we had.”
Melinda also said, ” she’s looking forward to enjoying her new life. “I do feel like I’m turning a page in the chapter,” she told King. “I mean, it’s 2022 and I’m actually really excited about what’s to come and life ahead for me.”

Melinda French Gates and her Charitable Endeavors

Melinda Gates and William H. Gates Foundation (1994)

As Bill’s father, William H. Gates and mother, a devoted philanthropist always encouraged them to work for charity so Melinda along with Bill started their charitable effort in 1994. Those eight words changed the rest of their lives. “Dad, maybe we can do something about this.”
To commence the charitable foundation, consultation was done with experts and meetings were done with the local people and research was done related to disease and poverty so that global health to become a great priority and our resources help to save and transform lives.
In the United States computers and internet are made easily accessible to students so they had an equal opportunity to learn, graduate, and succeed.
In June, billionaire investor Warren Buffett, a close friend of Bill and Melinda Gates, announced his plan to contribute approximately $30 billion of his fortune to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation over the coming years. As part of this monumental philanthropic gesture, $20 billion worth of Microsoft stock has already been invested into the foundation — making it the largest charitable donation in history to date.
Everyone devoted more and more time to this commendable work.
The foundation become more optimistic as the death ratio of the children has fallen by half since 2000. Million number of kids are saved.
It mainly aims at global health programs (reproductive and child health) as well as projects in the Pacific Northwest where they lived.

Gates Library Foundation renamed as Gates Learning Foundation (1999)

In 1999, the Gates Library Foundation was launched.
Later on, Gates Library Foundation was renamed as Gates Learning Foundation.
It helps to bring internet technology to public libraries in North America.

Gates Millenium Scholars Program (1999)

It was launched in 1999.
$1 billion was donated towards minority study grants.

Bill And Melinda Gates Foundation (2000)

William H. Gates Foundation merged with the Gates Learning Foundation to create the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000 with a reported endowment of $17 billion.
As of 2020, it is the second largest charitable foundation in the world holding $49.8 billion in assets.
It’s main focus is to enhance healthcare and reduce extreme poverty across the world, and to expand educational opportunities and access to information technology in the U.S.
Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, Warren Buffet, Chief Executive Officer Mark Suzman and Michael Larson are the main individuals of the foundation.
In 2007, its founders were ranked as the second most generous philanthropists in the U.S. besides Warren Buffett.
Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates had donated around $36 billion to the foundation till 2018 and supported a broad range of social, health, and education developments, including the establishment of the Gates Cambridge Scholarships at Cambridge University.
The Gates Foundation was reorganized into three divisions: global health (including nutrition), global development, and community and education causes in the United States.
It is committed to solve health problems around the world, develop treatments and vaccines for malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis controlling insects that transmit diseases; and develop superfoods in the fight against malnutrition.
The quote that is always endorsed by Melinda and her foundation, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.”
The foundation always entrusted other organizations, firms, and even countries to help underwrite programs. In 2018, Melinda told People (U.S. Magazine) how important it was for them to work together on their foundation. “We lead this organization together—the goals, the people we hire, the values we set—we enjoy doing that together,” she said. “Bill is the first person I want to talk to when I get back from being out in the field. We sharpen each other’s thinking.”
She has devoted much of her work to women’s and girls’ rights. To encourage more women in the computing field she announced her desire to increase women work force especially in the technology industry.
In June 2024, she resigned as co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a role she held for nearly 24 years. Despite her departure, she remains deeply committed to philanthropy, focusing on initiatives that support women and families.

Gates Cambridge Trust (2000)

In 2000, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation established the Gates Cambridge Scholarships with a $210 million donation to support outstanding graduate students all around the world to study at the University of Cambridge.
The scholarship is one of the most competitive and prestigious in the world, with around 1.3% of applicants receiving an award in recent years.

Melinda French Gates and Pivotal Ventures, investment and Philanthropy Firm (2015)

In 2015, Pivotal Ventures, an investment and incubation company was founded by Melinda French Gates.
She has pledged to utilize her wealth to foster gender equality, social progress, and women’s leadership in the U.S. through her investment company, Pivotal Ventures.
This is what continues to drive her in the United States by removing barriers that hold people back.
Their main mission is to pursue greater equality and access to opportunity.
With big ambitions, open minds, innovative ideas and proven solutions, they strive to work harder day by day.
In 2024, in order to support women’s health worldwide, Melinda Gates has announced a $250 million open call for nonprofits to apply for funding through her Pivotal Ventures.

Melinda French Gates is firmly rooted in action-driven philanthropy, especially in women’s health, reproductive rights, and global development. When criticized, she prioritizes continued work over engagement in political or rhetorical disputes. In an April 2025 interview with Scott Galloway, Melinda explained she simply ignores the attacks from “tech bros” like Elon Musk who criticize her philanthropic work. She stays focused on setting her own agenda and remains “in the arena doing the work”—refusing to be distracted by detractors

Melinda French Gates and her plans not to give most of wealth to Gates Foundation- WSJ reports

In 2021, The Wall Street journal reported that Melinda French Gates has no longer plans to donate most of her wealth to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and will instead give away the funds among other philanthropies.
French Gates outlined in her latest Giving Pledge letter, which she posted separately from Bill Gates. Here’s one of the passages that stands out:

“I recognize the absurdity of so much wealth being concentrated in the hands of one person, and I believe the only responsible thing to do with a fortune this size is give it away – as thoughtfully and impactfully as possible,” she wrote.

Melinda French Gates and her Awards

YEAR	AWARDS	NOTES
2002	Jefferson Award	Greatest public service benefitting the disadvantaged
2005	Persons Of the Year by Time Magazine	Influencing events of the year
2006	Spain’s Prince of Asturias Award for International Co-operation	In recognition of their world impact through charitable giving
2006	Insignia Of the Order of The Aztec Eagle	Philanthropic work around the world in the areas of health and education, particularly in Mexico, and specifically in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation program
2015	Padma Bhushan (India’s third-highest civilian honor)	In recognition of the foundation’s philanthropic activities in India
2016	Presidential Medal of Freedom	Meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors
2016	Otto Hahn Peace Medal of the United Nations Association of Germany (DGVN), Berlin-Brandenburg	For outstanding services to peace and international understanding
2017	Commander of the Legion of Honour by President Francois Hollande	France’s highest national honor for charitable efforts

Melinda French Gates and her Accomplishments

In May 2006, Seattle Children’s Hospital dedicated Ambulatory Care building at Seattle Children’s (formerly Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center) to Melinda French Gates to improve the lives of children locally and around the world. She joined the campaign and raised $300 million funds for the hospital which were utilized for research program to find cures and treatments.
In 2007, French Gates received an honorary doctorate in medicine from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.
In 2009, she and her husband received honorary degrees from the University of Cambridge.
She was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by Duke University in 2013 as a tribute for her philanthropic commitment.
In Forbes Magazine’s List Of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women she was ranked 3 in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017, ranked 4 in 2012 and 2016 and ranked 5 in 2020, and 6 in 2011, 2018, and 2019.
She was awarded the UCSF (The University of California, San Francisco) medal in 2013.
French Gates was appointed an honorary Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2013 for services to philanthropy and international development.
In 2016, French Gates was listed at number 12 in the list of 200 Most Influential Philanthropists and Social Entrepreneurs Worldwide by UK-based company Richtopia.

Melinda French Gates as an Author

Melinda French Gates has authored two books so far: The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World (2019) and The Next Day: Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward (April 15, 2025)

The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World (2019)

(For promotional purpose former president Barack Obama starred in a comedy sketch)

In this book, she shares her experiences from years of philanthropy, focusing on gender equality and women’s empowerment.
She discusses issues such as child marriage, access to contraception, and women’s economic independence.
The book highlights personal stories and insights from her work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Next Day: Transitions, Change, and Moving Forward (April 15, 2025)

In this work, she delves into significant life transitions, drawing from personal experiences such as her divorce from Bill Gates and her departure from the Gates Foundation.
The book aims to offer readers insights and comfort as they navigate their own life changes.

Melinda French Gates has contributed to anthologies such as “AIDS Sutra: Untold Stories from India”. In collaboration with Flatiron Books, she created the “Moment of Lift Books” imprint, to publish nonfiction works by visionaries focusing to work for gender equality and social progress.

Melinda French Gates and her Net Worth

As of May 2025, Melinda French Gates‘ net worth is estimated at $30.4 billion, according to Forbes, making her one of the richest women in the world.
She received a significant financial settlement following her 2021 divorce from Bill Gates. The other sources of wealth: Microsoft shares and Investment portfolios.
Melinda remains committed to donating a significant portion of her wealth to philanthropic causes.
Her philanthropic efforts continue to make a significant impact on global health, education, and women’s empowerment.

Conclusion: Melinda Gates-a global symbol of impact-driven philanthropy and gender equality

Melinda Gates’ successful story is a testament to the fact that true leadership goes beyond wealth and influence- enjoys in uplifting others. Through her philanthropy, advocacy for women’s empowerment, and commitment to global health, she has inspired millions, regardless of their background, bringing meaningful change in their lives.

Under her leadership, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has transformed healthcare, education, and economic opportunities for marginalized communities.In an April 2025 interview with Scott Galloway, Melinda explained she simply ignores the attacks from “tech bros” like Musk who criticize her philanthropic work. She stays focused on setting her own agenda and remains “in the arena doing the work”—refusing to be distracted by detractors

With the treasure of compassion, innovation, and determination, Melinda Gates’ leadership journey offers valuable lessons to all the people from all walks of life, creating meaningful change and making a positive impact on the world around.

Key Takeaways About Melinda French Gates

Melinda Gates is a pioneer in pledging wealth via the Giving Pledge. She has pledged billions of dollars towards women’s health, education, and economic empowerment.
Before joining Microsoft in 1987, she was recruited by IBM but chose Microsoft because she liked its dynamic and growing environment more.
At a time when tech was overwhelmingly male dominated, she stood out not only as a leader but also as a female mentor in the field.
She continues to advocate for greater female representation in computing—echoing her earlier work as a Microsoft executive
She officially stepped down from the Gates Foundation in 2024 to focus on independent philanthropy.
Her net worth is over $30 billion (May 2025) and consistently ranked among the world’s most powerful women.
Melinda wrote The Moment of Lift (2019), highlighting how empowering women changes societies, and The Next Day (2025), exploring transitions and resilience.
Melinda French Gates has received numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.
Her firm Pivotal Ventures is allocating $250 million toward women’s health via an open grant call.

FAQ on Melinda French Gates

Melinda French Gates is an American philanthropist, businesswoman, and former Microsoft executive.

Melinda was born on August 15, 1964, in Dallas, Texas, USA.

Melinda holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science and economics from Duke University and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business.

Melinda joined Microsoft in 1987, where she worked as a product manager and general manager. She contributed to the development of Microsoft’s multimedia products and played a key role in the company’s growth.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, co-founded by Melinda and her ex-husband Bill Gates, is one of the world’s largest private philanthropic foundations. It focuses on addressing global health, poverty, education, and promoting gender equality.

The Moment of Lift (2019) is a book by Melinda in which she discusses her experiences working at the Gates Foundation. It explores the challenges women face globally and advocates for their empowerment to create positive social change.

Pivotal Ventures is a company founded by Melinda French Gates in 2015. It is dedicated to advancing social progress, with a focus on addressing systemic inequality and supporting women’s rights

After the divorce, Melinda has focused more on her own philanthropic initiatives, including her work on gender equality and women’s rights. She also started the Pivotal Ventures firm, which is dedicated to advancing social progress and addressing systemic inequality.

While Melinda’s work has primarily been in philanthropy, she made a significant impact in the tech industry during her time at Microsoft. She was instrumental in the development of Microsoft’s early multimedia products and was one of the first women to have a leadership position in a major tech company, paving the way for future female leaders in the tech field.

Web Story on Melinda French Gates

10 Points to Know About Melinda French Gates

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