The divorce of Bill and Melinda Gates could lead to profound changes in their previously jointly managed foundation: According to an announcement, Melinda Gates would give up her position as co-chair and member of the foundation's board of trustees if she or Bill Gates found out after two years that she was no longer can work together.

In other words, in this case the foundation would be controlled by Bill Gates alone.

Melinda, who now calls herself French Gates, would then receive money from Bill Gates for her own charitable work, so in a certain way paid out.

No amount was given.

Roland Lindner

Business correspondent in New York.

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    When the divorce was announced in May, the foundation gave the impression that little would change.

    The two founders retained their functions as co-chairs and members of the board of trustees and would continue to define the future strategy together.

    The now announced possible exit scenario for Melinda Gates is presented in the communication as an emergency plan.

    Bill and Melinda Gates currently feel “completely obliged” to continue their work in the foundation “constructively”, it says.

    Mark Suzman, the foundation's chief executive, told FAZ on Wednesday that he was optimistic that it would not come to that.

    He has had regular dealings with Bill and Melinda Gates since the divorce was announced.

    Board of trustees and capital are increased

    The foundation also announced on Wednesday that its board of trustees should be expanded to include additional members.

    This supervisory body previously consisted of Bill and Melinda Gates and the investor Warren Buffett, who announced his resignation a few weeks ago.

    Even before Buffett left, the board of trustees was considered unusually small.

    The additional members should be made public early next year.

    According to the announcement, the foundation will also receive an additional $ 15 billion from its two namesake.

    The money is to flow into the foundation's assets, which are currently around 50 billion dollars.

    Melinda Gates has been pursuing activities outside of the foundation so far. For example, in 2015 she founded the investment company Pivotal independently of her husband, which aims to give women more influence in fields such as business and politics. She has promised a billion dollars for this. She has also indicated that it has not always been easy for her to make her voice heard alongside her husband in the foundation, even though both are formally equal co-chairs.