United States: Bill and Melinda Gates continue to manage their foundation, despite their divorce

Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder-turned philanthropist (pictured February 2018), and his wife Melinda are divorcing after a 27-year-marriage John Lamparski GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP / File

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After 27 years of marriage, billionaire and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates announce their separation.

In a joint statement, the couple say they will divorce on Twitter.

However, they remain at the helm of their philanthropic foundation.

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With our correspondent in San Francisco,

Éric de Salve

After much thought and hard work on our relationship, we made the decision to end our marriage

 ."

It is with this press release posted on twitter that Bill Gates announces his separation from his wife Melinda: the end of a 27-year marriage after meeting at Microsoft and raising 3 children and launching their foundation.

pic.twitter.com/padmHSgWGc

- Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 3, 2021

This foundation is moreover the most emblematic and the most important of the world private philanthropy.

It has spent some $ 53 billion in 20 years and employs nearly 1,600 people, according to its official website.

But if they can no longer live together Bill and Melinda will continue to work together the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation will indeed remain and continue its mission, the statement says.

With its 50 billion funds, this foundation will therefore continue its work on health, education and especially climate change.

For the rest Melinda and Bill ask that their space of privacy be respected.

But as after the divorce of the CEO of Jeff Bezos PGD from Amazon in 2019, many questions are already being asked in the American media about the fate of his fortune as the 4th richest man on the planet.

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