Melinda French Gates to resign from the Gates Foundation

Melinda French Gates announced Monday that she is stepping down from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation next month. 

French Gates wrote in a post on X that her last day as co-chair of the foundation will be June 7, which she said isn't a decision she "came to lightly."

Under the terms of her agreement with her co-chair and ex-husband, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, she will have an additional $12.5 billion to commit to her work on behalf of women and families.

MELINDA FRENCH GATES TO RESIGN FROM THE GATES FOUNDATION

"This is a critical moment for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world – and those fighting to protect and advance equality are in urgent need of support," she wrote. 

For more than two decades, French Gates approved the organization’s strategies and overall direction, reviewed results and also worked with grantees and partners to advance the foundation’s goal of improving equity around the world, according to her bio on the foundation's website.  

In particular, she increasingly focused on "gender equity as a lever for change." In 2015, she founded Pivotal Ventures, a company that focuses on accelerating the pace of social progress in the U.S., according to her bio.

BILL AND MELINDA GATES ARE OFFICIALLY DIVORCED

Shortly after her post, Bill Gates thanked his ex-wife "for her critical contributions to the Foundation from its very beginning." He also noted that he remains "fully committed to the Foundation’s work across all our strategies."

"As a co-founder and co-chair Melinda has been instrumental in shaping our strategies and initiatives, significantly impacting global health and gender equality," he wrote.

The "foundation team is incredibly strong and deeply passionate about our work, and under the leadership of Mark Suzman, and a committed board of trustees, I am confident we will keep making substantial progress on our mission to create a world where every person can live a healthy, productive life," he continued. 

Since its inception in 2000, the foundation has given more than $59 billion to various causes, including gender equality, vaccine development and education. Last year alone, the foundation funded grantees in 48 states and the District of Columbia. It also funded work in 135 countries. 

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The couple officially divorced in August 2021 after 27 years of marriage. 

Prior to their separation, they both posted on their social media accounts that they "no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives" and decided to split "after a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship."

They have continued to work together at the foundation since then.