Melinda and Bill Gates divorced in 2021.
Bill Gates' ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, is formally stepping away from the former couple's philanthropic foundation.
Melinda, 59, announced on Monday that she has resigned as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with her last day of work set for June 7. This after Melinda and Bill finalized their high-profile divorce in August 2021.
Now, Melinda says she is committed to furthering her charitable work "on behalf of women and families" moving forward. In a statement, Melinda shared that she had secured "an additional $12.5 billion" to put toward that endeavor as a result of her agreement with Bill in exiting the foundation.
"I am immensely proud of the foundation that Bill and I built together and of the extraordinary work it is doing to address the inequities around the world," Melinda wrote in a statement shared on social media. "I care deeply about the foundation team, our partners around the world, and everyone who is touched by its work."
She continued, "I am taking this step with full confidence that the foundation is in strong shape, with its extremely capable CEO Mark Suzman, the Executive Leadership Team, and an experienced board of trustees in place to ensure all its important work continues. The time is right for me to move forward into the next chapter of my philanthropy."
She noted that it is "a critical moment for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world." As for her plan to support that initiative, Melinda promised to share more "in the near future."
Melinda most recently attended the Goalkeepers 2023 Daytime Event at Jazz at Lincoln Center in September. She was joined on the red carpet by her daughters, Jennifer Gates Nassar and Phoebe Gates, while Bill was also on hand for the event.
Bill and Melinda announced in early May 2021 that they decided to end their marriage after 27 years. The two had been married since January 1994 and share three children together. Three months later, their divorce was finalized.
Since then, they have become first-time grandparents as their daughter, Jennifer, welcomed a child -- baby Leila -- with husband Nayel Nassar last year.
"There is nothing quite like holding your first grandchild," Melinda wrote on Instagram at the time. "It seems like just yesterday I was holding Jenn at this age. Now she has a baby of her own—and I am bursting with pride watching her and Nayel step into their new role as parents."
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