Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

Gates Foundation agrees break-up back-up plan

Gates Foundation agrees break-up back-up plan

The Gates Foundation has outlined back-up plans in case its co-chairs cannot work together in the wake of their divorce.

The deal gives Bill and Melinda Gates a two-year trial, after which Ms Gates could resign from the organisation.

Under the agreement, Ms Gates would also receive "personal resources" from her ex-husband for her own charity work.

Ms Gates said she was "deeply proud" of what the organisation has achieved.

In a statement, she added: "I believe deeply in the foundation's mission and remain fully committed as co-chair to its work."

The agreement comes after question marks were raised over the future of the organisation when the couple announced they were divorcing after 27 years of marriage in May.

The billionaires run the charitable foundation, which has worked on initiatives such as fighting infectious diseases and encouraging vaccinations for children.

Ms Gates will remain as a trustee during the "trial period", although it was announced in a blog post on Wednesday that the foundation will recruit new trustees to oversee its work.

Its chief executive Mark Suzman said the successful candidates will be announced in January next year.

He added that any funds received by Ms Gates in the event of her resignation would be "completely separate from the foundation's endowment, which would not be affected".

The announcement also follows on from billionaire investor Warren Buffett's recent decision to step back from the foundation's board.

He previously said his "physical participation is in no way needed" for the foundation to achieve its goals.

Mr Buffett is a co-founder of the Giving Pledge, along with Bill and Melinda Gates, which is a campaign that encourages billionaire philanthropy.

In a note to Gates Foundation staff on Tuesday, it was announced that the couple would be donating another $15bn (£10.9bn) of their personal wealth to the foundation.

Both Mr and Ms Gates do, however, have other charitable funds, focused on women's causes and green energy respectively.


The BBC's Michelle Fleury breaks down the story of Bill and Melinda Gates' relationship


Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×