Melinda French Gates announced her departure from the philanthropic foundation she co-founded with her ex-husband, Bill Gates, effective June 7. In a statement shared on social media, she cited careful consideration for her decision but did not elaborate on reasons. However, she revealed plans to commit an additional $12.5 billion to her advocacy for women and families.

The couple, who married in 1994 and divorced in 2021, had jointly chaired the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation since its establishment in 2001, leveraging wealth amassed from Microsoft’s success. The foundation, dedicated to addressing child poverty and preventable diseases, has notably contributed to malaria eradication and sanitation improvement in disadvantaged regions.

Acknowledging Melinda’s pivotal role, Bill Gates expressed gratitude for her contributions to the organization, which has disbursed $53.8 billion since its inception, claiming significant strides in child mortality reduction globally.

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