Get All Access for $5/mo

Melinda French Gates Resigns as Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation French Gates announced her resignation on social media on Monday.

By Sherin Shibu

Key Takeaways

  • Melinda French Gates is resigning from the Gates Foundation, which she cofounded.
  • Her last day of work at the foundation is June 7.

Melinda French Gates is resigning as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which she co-founded over 20 years ago.

In a statement posted to X at noon ET on Monday, Gates announced her resignation and said that her last day of work will be June 7.

"This is not a decision I came to lightly," French Gates wrote.

At the end of the statement, Gates added that she "will have an additional $12.5 billion" to commit to her philanthropic work under the terms of an agreement with her ex-husband Bill Gates.

"I'll be sharing more about what that [work] will look like in the near future," French Gates said in her statement.

Melinda French Gates. Photo by Christian Liewig - Corbis/Getty Images

In response, Bill Gates posted on X that he was "sorry to see Melinda leave."

After the former couple divorced in 2021, the Gates Foundation created a two-year backup plan in case the duo faced difficulty working together. The deal meant that Melinda Gates could choose to resign after two years.

The Gates Foundation was established in 2000 by the former couple.
Sherin Shibu

Entrepreneur Staff

News Reporter

Sherin Shibu is a business news reporter at Entrepreneur.com. She previously worked for PCMag, Business Insider, The Messenger, and ZDNET as a reporter and copyeditor. Her areas of coverage encompass tech, business, strategy, finance, and even space. She is a Columbia University graduate.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Most Popular

See all
Side Hustle

The Side Hustle He Started in His College Apartment Turned Into a $70,000-a-Month Income Stream — Then Earned Nearly $2 Million Last Year

Kyle Morrand and his college roommates loved playing retro video games — and the pastime would help launch his career.

By Amanda Breen
Growing a Business

How Visionary Leaders Transform Curiosity Into Groundbreaking Ideas

Lee Brian Schrager, founder of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, discusses the spark that launched FoodieCon, his best practices for running popular food events, and why all business owners need to adapt to social media trends.

By Shawn P. Walchef
Business News

Homeowners in These 10 States Pay the Most in 'Hidden' Upkeep Costs

Hidden home costs pile on top of mortgage payments.

By Sherin Shibu
Data & Recovery

Get $60 off This Portable VPN Travel Router

Why keep paying for a VPN service when you can have a tiny, lightweight piece of hardware that can provide you with a lifetime of maximum VPN protection?

By Entrepreneur Store
Money & Finance

Avoid These 10 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make with Money

Despite the challenging statistic that only 5% of startups survive beyond five years, common financial pitfalls often contribute to their failure. Through personal observation, I've identified the prevalent financial mistakes made by entrepreneurs.

By Chad Willardson
Growing a Business

5 Books to Help You Motivate, Unify and Build Perspective

In a post-Covid world, check out these must-read books to help build a more resilient organization, create a modern work culture and maintain a powerful growth mindset.

By David Wagoner