MELINDA GATES
(Melinda French Gates works in global philanthropy, women's rights advocacy and the technology sector. Over decades, she directed resources to issues such as poverty, health access and gender inequality.
Early Life and Academic Background
Born Melinda Ann French in Dallas, Texas, she grew up in an environment focused on education. Her father was an aerospace engineer and her mother a homemaker.
Melinda had contact with technology when her father acquired an Apple II in the seventies. She learned programming and excelled in her studies, serving as the valedictorian of her high school class. She graduated from Duke University with the following degrees:
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Economics.
MBA from the Fuqua School of Business.
Career at Microsoft
Melinda joined Microsoft in 1987 as a product manager. She held leadership positions in the company during its growth phase. She coordinated the development of products such as Encarta, Expedia and Microsoft Bob.
At Microsoft she met Bill Gates, whom she married in 1994. Melinda left the company in 1996, before the birth of her first daughter, to dedicate herself to personal projects and philanthropy.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
The couple founded the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, a private charitable organization. Melinda participated in the strategy of the foundation with a focus on:
Global Health: Polio eradication, malaria combat and vaccine distribution.
Education: Scholarships and changes in the US education system.
Gender Equality: Advocacy for access to contraceptives and female economic power for development.
New Phase: Pivotal Ventures and Divorce
In 2015, Melinda founded Pivotal Ventures, an investment and incubation company for the social progress of women and families in the United States. Through this initiative, she invested resources to reduce gender disparity in positions of influence.
In May 2021, Melinda and Bill Gates announced their divorce. They continued to work together at the foundation until May 2024, when Melinda announced her departure to focus independently on projects dedicated to women's rights, using her own resources for her initiatives.
Books and Legacy
Melinda wrote books about her experiences:
The Moment of Lift: Where she reports stories of women and argues that supporting women alters society.
The Next Day: Work focused on life transitions.
Melinda French Gates works on the application of private capital for social progress, arguing that philanthropy involves listening to communities and investing in solutions for autonomy.)