Melinda French Gates is an American businesswoman and philanthropist, the billionaire Co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Founder of Pivotal Ventures. Her colossal wealth is tied to the equity stake in Microsoft Corporation received through her 2021 divorce settlement from Bill Gates.

French Gates holds a B.A. in Computer Science and Economics from Duke University (1986) and an MBA from Duke's Fuqua School of Business (1987). Her career began at Microsoft in 1987, where she rose to become a General Manager of information products. Her philosophical commitment centers on global health, gender equity, and systemic reform through data-driven philanthropy.

• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Co-founder): The world's largest private foundation, dedicated to global health and poverty eradication (managing $75+ billion in assets).
• Pivotal Ventures (Founder): Her core investment and incubation firm focusing on accelerating social progress (primarily for women and families).
• Academic Background: She holds an MBA and two degrees in Economics and Computer Science from Duke University.
• Divorce/Wealth: She received billions in publicly traded stocks (e.g., Canadian National Railway, AutoNation) as part of her 2021 divorce settlement.

Melinda French Gates's strategic leadership transformed global philanthropy. At Microsoft, she led teams that developed early multimedia and information products. Her structural contribution is immense: co-founding the Gates Foundation (2000), which became the world's most influential philanthropic organization, driving structural change in global health (vaccines) and poverty.

Following her 2021 divorce, she launched Pivotal Ventures, focusing on gender and racial equity through investment and policy advocacy. Her wealth is secured by the colossal, long-term, stable value of the Gates Foundation endowment and her personal investment portfolio.

Melinda French Gates is arguably the most influential female philanthropist in the world. Her structural social impact is tied to the Gates Foundation's work in vaccination programs, malaria eradication, and education reform globally. Her Pivotal Ventures is driving major structural change in gender and racial equity through investment and policy.

Her structural contribution is tied to her belief in data-driven decision-making and market-based solutions to solve the world's largest public health challenges.

Melinda French Gates maintains the professional, intellectual style of a global executive and philanthropist. Her attire is consistently high-quality, favoring tailored suits and elegant business wear. Her aesthetic reflects stability and immense intellectual authority, typical of a leader in global health policy.

Residing in Seattle, Washington, her luxury is the immense security and autonomy derived from her multi-billion dollar fortune. Her life is dedicated to philanthropic strategy, social investment, and global policy reform.