Melinda French Gates
Microsoft · Seattle, Washington
Net worth
$34.6B
Today
+$17M+0.05%Past month
+$424M+1.24%As of Nov 11, 2026, 1:50 PM EST
Melinda French Gates is one of the most powerful women in philanthropy. In 2024, she resigned as co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation after a nearly 24-year run. French Gates did not give a reason for leaving the Gates Foundation; however, Bill and Melinda Gates divorced in 2021. Forbes estimates her settlement from the 2021 divorce was $25 billion. French Gates has doubled down on her previous commitment to support women's and girls' rights, announcing in 2024 a $1 billion donation through 2026 to the cause. French Gates also aims to close the funding gap for female founders through her investing, advocacy and philanthropic firm Pivotal Ventures.
Net worth over time
Principal holdings
5 positions| Company | Industry | Share | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
Private and other holdings | Technology | 83.4% | $28.9B |
Deere & Co NYSE: DE | Technology | 10.1% | $3.5B |
Canadian National Railway Co. NYSE: CNI | Technology | 5.9% | $2.0B |
Microsoft NASDAQ: MSFT | Technology | 0.6% | $203M |
Waste Management NYSE: WM | Technology | 0.0% | $712K |
Also known for
- French Gates was one of a small number of women working at Microsoft when she joined the company in 1987.
- She majored in computer science and economics at Duke University and then got her MBA degree at Duke.