Melinda French Gates has announced her resignation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and shared her plans to "commit" to her own philanthropic work. Through a statement posted to Instagram on May 13, 2024, the 59-year-old American philanthropist announced that her last day of work as cochair at the foundation will be on June 7, 2024.
"This is not the decision I came to lightly," she wrote. "I am immensely proud of the foundation that Bill and I built together and of the extraordinary work it is doing to address inequities around the world. I care deeply about the foundation team, our partners around the world, and everyone who is touched by its work."
"I am taking this step with full confidence that the foundation is in strong shape, with its extremely capable CEO Mark Suzman, the Executive Leadership Team, and an experienced board of trustees in place to ensure all its important work continues," the statement continued. "The time is right for me to move forward into the next chapter of my philanthropy."
"This is a critical moment for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world — and those fighting to protect and advance equality are in urgent need of support," Melinda said. She then added that she will be receiving $12.5 billion under the terms of her agreement with her ex-husband Bill.
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Bill posted his own statement to thank Melinda for her work. "I want to thank Melinda for her critical contributions to the Foundation from its very beginning. As a co-founder and co-chair Melinda has been instrumental in shaping our strategies and initiatives, significantly impacting global health and gender equality," the statement read. "I am sorry to see Melinda leave, but I am sure she will have a huge impact in her future philanthropic work."
