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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Melinda French Gates announced on May 13, 2024, that she would resign as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Her last day was June 7, 2024. She said she wanted to focus the next chapter of her philanthropy on women and families; Bill Gates became the foundation’s sole chair, and the organization said it would take the name Gates Foundation.
When did Melinda French Gates resign?
French Gates announced her decision on May 13, 2024. The departure took effect on June 7, 2024, which the foundation identified as her last day. The foundation’s leadership page lists her co-chair tenure as 2000–2024.
The announcement date and last day are distinct: May 13 was when the decision became public, while June 7 was when she left the organization.
Why did she leave?
French Gates said she wanted to direct the next chapter of her philanthropy toward women and families. In a statement reproduced by the Associated Press, she wrote, “The time is right for me to move forward into the next chapter of my philanthropy.” She described the decision as following considerable reflection.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteFoundation CEO Mark Suzman also cited French Gates’ concern about setbacks to women’s rights. These are the public explanations from French Gates and Suzman; the announcement does not establish any additional private motive.
The departure followed a contingency disclosed by Suzman in July 2021, after Bill and Melinda Gates’ divorce. He said their settlement provided that if, after two years, either felt unable to continue working with the other, French Gates would step down as co-chair and trustee and receive personal resources from Bill Gates for her philanthropy. That clause provides context, but does not prove it was the sole cause of her 2024 decision.
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What changed at the foundation?
Bill Gates became the foundation’s sole chair. The organization said it would change its name to the Gates Foundation, and Suzman stated that French Gates would not take foundation work with her: “Melinda will not be bringing any of the foundation’s work with her when she leaves.”
Her departure therefore did not transfer the foundation’s programs or work to her. The organization continued under its new name and leadership structure.
What is the $12.5 billion for?
The $12.5 billion reported in 2024 was personal money Bill Gates would provide for French Gates’ future philanthropic work, according to the Associated Press. It was not a withdrawal from the foundation’s endowment. The figure was described as an amount to support her philanthropy, not as a foundation grant or a stated budget for one particular initiative.
AP reported that French Gates had used Pivotal Ventures for some investments and philanthropic gifts. That does not establish that all of the $12.5 billion—or every future grant—would be administered through Pivotal Ventures.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How does the amount compare with the foundation’s finances?
The personal resources reported for French Gates and the foundation’s assets are separate. The foundation’s 2023 financial statements reported a $75.225846 billion beneficial interest in the net assets of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust as of December 31, 2023. This is a dated accounting figure for the foundation’s beneficial interest in Trust net assets, not a current valuation or a figure that should automatically be relabeled as the foundation’s endowment.
For comparison, AP reported the foundation’s endowment at $75.2 billion as of December 2023 and planned 2024 spending of $8.6 billion. Those are figures tied to AP’s reporting and specified periods. In his May 2024 employee statement, Suzman described an “unprecedented annual payout of $9 billion.” That was a forward-looking statement about the foundation’s payout, not a verified final spending total.
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What the transition means for readers
- French Gates announced her resignation on May 13, 2024, and left on June 7, 2024.
- Her public explanation centered on directing her philanthropy toward women and families; Suzman also pointed to her concern about women’s rights.
- Bill Gates became sole chair, and the foundation said it would operate as the Gates Foundation.
- The reported $12.5 billion was personal funding from Bill Gates for French Gates’ future philanthropy, not foundation endowment money.
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