Leading software giant Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has dropped a bombshell on the philanthropy-tech world.
The news came on Monday that Bill Gates and Melinda Gates have decided to go separate ways after 27 years of marriage.
Bill Gates took to Twitter to release the joint statement from the couple.
The 27-year-old bond is over
“After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage. We have raised three incredible children and built a foundation that works all over the world to enable all people to lead healthy, productive lives.” the two said in a brief statement posted on Twitter on Mr. Gates’ account.
Bill Gates, 65, the co-founder of Microsoft, which was founded in 1970. In 1987, he was named the world’s richest man for the first time by Forbes. Continued to hold the position for 24 years now stands as the fourth richest man in the world with the current wealth of $ 124 billion, according to the latest Bloomberg report.
Melinda, 56, who joined Microsoft as a product manager in 1987, met Bill Gates at a dinner party the same year. The couple started dating in the same year. They fully understood each other and got married in 1994.
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Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
The Gates couple founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000 and became part of the social service.
So far, the foundation has helped millions of people, using over $ 50 Billion, focusing mainly on public health and education.
They have also done their part for environmental protection, gender equality, and women’s empowerment.
In addition, the Foundation has released $ 1.75 billion in grants for vaccine research and development in the wake of the covid-19 outbreak. Thereby playing a key role in the development of the vaccine.
They will remain the foundation’s co-chairs and trustees, a representative for the foundation, wrote in an email statement.
The couple filed for divorce online in king county’s court. According to the divorce application copy posted on TMZ, their marriage is said to be “irretrievably broken.”
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