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These Are the 8 Best Books of All Time, According to Bill Gates

Gates picks his favorites from among the huge number of books he's recommended over the years..

When asked what advice he had for young people who want to make a positive impact on this world as part of a recent Reddit AMA (ask me anything) recently, Bill Gates's first suggestion was, "Read a lot." 

He's certainly taken his own advice. The billionaire entrepreneur-turned-philanthropist and super reader is constantly doling out book recommendations on his blog. 

Out of the dozens and dozens of titles he's mentioned over the years, which are his absolute favorites? In the course of the AMA Gates answers that too, naming eight diverse titles that he considers among his top books of all time. 

1. Grand Transitions by Vaclav Smil 

When Gates reviewed this book back in 2019, he called it "masterpiece" from "one of my favorite thinkers." While he cautioned the book is "not for everyone" and that "long sections read like a textbook or engineering manual," he also insisted that Smil's examination of the growth of just about everything , from dinosaurs to the number of transistors on a computer chip, is nothing short of brilliant. "Nobody sees the big picture with as wide an aperture as Vaclav Smil," Gates concluded. 

2. How the World Really Works by Vaclav Smil 

Another title from the Czech-Canadian professor and Gates's favorite author, this one is apparently a light read compared to Smil's other more technical tomes. The book "represents the highly readable distillation of this lifetime of scholarship," according to  The Wall Street Journal . It offers readers an overview of exactly how our material world, from concrete to fertilizer, is made. 

3. The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker 

"Steven Pinker's The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined stands out as one of the most important books I've read--not just this year, but ever,"  wrote Gates back in 2012 . Apparently his opinion hasn't changed in a decade. 

Gates also had good things to say about Enlightenment Now , the follow-up book from the Harvard professor arguing that, despite appearances to the contrary, our world is not only growing less violent, but also more rational, prosperous, and all around better. If you're looking for a ray of sunshine amid the current gloom, maybe pick up one of these titles. 

4. The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt

In his AMA, Gates says he's just finished this book by a First Amendment expert and social psychologist about the increasing unwillingness to engage with difficult ideas on college campuses, declaring it "good." A lot of critics seem to have agreed. 

The authors "do a great job of showing how 'safetyism' is cramping young minds. Students are treated like candles, which can be extinguished by a puff of wind," wrote Edward Luce in the Financial Times, concluding, "their book is excellent. Liberal parents, in particular, should read it."

5. Why We're Polarized by Ezra Klein

This topical book by the well-known journalist and political analyst is also deemed "good" by Gates. The deeply researched book looks into what's driving Americans' division into highly partisan political camps.

"Reading Why We're Polarized is like having a conversation with a brilliant, extremely persuasive friend who has read everything and who is armed with scores of studies that he's able to distill into accessible bites," claims Amy Chua in Foreign Affairs . 

6. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Gates admits he reads a lot more nonfiction than fiction, but that doesn't mean he isn't profoundly moved by a novel now and again. In fact, he includes three on his best books ever list. In his 2019 review of this one about a Russian count sentenced to 30 years of house arrest in a hotel by the Bolsheviks, he confesses the novel brought him to tears. 

" A Gentleman in Moscow is an amazing story because it manages to be a little bit of everything. There's fantastical romance, politics, espionage, parenthood, and poetry," he writes, suggesting it not just for students of Russian history but for everyone who likes a great story well told.  

7. The Heart by Maylis de Kerangal

I have to confess I'm not entirely sure about this one, as Gates says only "Heart" is one of his favorites and there are a lot of books out there with the word "Heart" in the title. But I think it's a fair bet that he's referring to this novel about the untimely death of a young man and his family's decision to donate his heart because Gates wrote a rave review about it several years back. 

"It's poetry disguised as a novel," Gates said of the book at the time, noting, "At times I found myself reading more slowly than usual, simply because the way she describes things is so beautiful," He adds that the book forced him to face the depth of the grief of parents who have lost a child he encounters in the course of his philanthropic work. 

8. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr 

This Pulitzer-prize winning novel follows the story of a German soldier and a blind French girl whose lives collide during World War II. Critics used words like mesmerizing, exquisite, stunning, soulful, and hauntingly beautiful to describe it. Gates apparently also fell under the novel's spell, as it was the last book on his list of all-time favorites. 

A refreshed look at leadership from the desk of CEO and chief content officer Stephanie Mehta

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17 Books Everyone Should Read, According to Bill Gates

W hile Bill Gates has a schedule that’s planned down to the minute , the entrepreneur-turned-billionaire-humanitarian still gobbles up about a book a week .

Aside from a handful of novels, they’re mostly nonfiction books covering his and his foundation’s broad range of interests. A lot of them are about transforming systems: how nations can intelligently develop, how to lead an organization, and how social change can fruitfully happen.

We went through the past five years of his book criticism to find the ones that he gave glowing reviews and that changed his perspective.

Tap Dancing to Work: Warren Buffett on Practically Everything, 1966-2012 by Carol Loomis

Warren Buffett and Gates have a famously epic bromance, what with their recommending books to each other and spearheading philanthropic campaigns together .

So it’s no surprise that Gates enjoyed Tap Dancing to Work , a collection of articles and essays about and by Buffett, compiled by Fortune magazine journalist Carol Loomis.

Gates says that anyone who reads the book cover-to-cover will walk away with two main impressions:

First, how Warren’s been incredibly consistent in applying his vision and investment principles over the duration of his career;

[S]econdly, that his analysis and understanding of business and markets remains unparalleled. I wrote in 1996 that I’d never met anyone who thought about business in such a clear way. That is certainly still the case.

Getting into the mind of Buffett is “an extremely worthwhile use of time,” Gates concludes.

Buy it here .

Making the Modern World: Materials and Dematerialization by Vaclav Smil

Gates says his favorite author is Vaclav Smil, an environmental-sciences professor who writes big histories of things like energy and innovation.

His latest is Making the Modern World . It got Gates thinking.

“It might seem mundane, but the issue of materials — how much we use and how much we need — is key to helping the world’s poorest people improve their lives,” he writes. “Think of the amazing increase in quality of life that we saw in the United States and other rich countries in the past 100 years. We want most of that miracle to take place for all of humanity over the next 50 years.”

To know where we’re going, Gates says, we need to know where we’ve been — and Smil is one of his favorite sources for learning that.

The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert

It can be easy to forget that our present day is a part of world history. Gates says that New Yorker writer Elizabeth Kolbert’s new book The Sixth Extinction helps correct that.

“Humans are putting down massive amounts of pavement, moving species around the planet, over-fishing and acidifying the oceans, changing the chemical composition of rivers, and more,” Gates writes, echoing a concern that he voices in many of his reviews.

“Natural scientists posit that there have been five extinction events in the Earth’s history (think of the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs),” he continues, “and Kolbert makes a compelling case that human activity is leading to the sixth.”

To get a hint of Kolbert’s reporting, check out the series of stories that preceded the book’s publication.

Stress Test: Reflections on Financial Crises by Tim Geithner

Gates stood at the center of an enormously complex system as CEO of Microsoft. Timothy Geithner did much the same as U.S. Treasury secretary — and saw the structure fall down around him during the financial crisis.

“Geithner paints a compelling human portrait of what it was like to be fighting a global financial meltdown while at the same time fighting critics inside and outside the Administration as well as his own severe guilt over his near-total absence from his family,” Gates says . “The politics of fighting financial crises will always be ugly. But it helps if the public knows a little more about the subject.”

Stress Test provides that knowledge.

The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined by Steven Pinker

In Better Angels , Harvard cognitive scientist Steven Pinker branches out into the history of the most contentious of subjects: violence.

Gates says it’s one of the most important books he’s ever read.

“Pinker presents a tremendous amount of evidence that humans have gradually become much less violent and much more humane,” he says, in a trend that started thousands of years ago and continued until this day.

This isn’t just ivory-tower theory. Gates says the book has affected his humanitarian work.

“As I’m someone who’s fairly optimistic in general,” he says, “the book struck a chord with me and got me to thinking about some of our foundation’s strategies.”

The Man Who Fed the World by Leon Hesser

Even though Gates can get a meeting with almost anyone, he can’t land a sit-down with Norman Borlaug, the late biologist and humanitarian who led the “Green Revolution” — a series of innovations that kept a huge chunk of humanity from starving.

“Although a lot of people have never heard of Borlaug, he probably saved more lives than anyone else in history,” Gates says . “It’s estimated that his new seed varieties saved a billion people from starvation,” many of whom were in India and Pakistan.

Borlaug was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Congressional Gold Medal for his efforts — and is one of only seven people to receive that honor.

For Gates, Borlaug is a model in getting important work done in the world.

“Borlaug was one-of-a-kind,” he says, “equally skilled in the laboratory, mentoring young scientists, and cajoling reluctant bureaucrats and government officials.”

Hesser’s The Man Who Fed the World lets you peer into the personality that saved a billion lives.

Business Adventures: Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street by John Brooks

Back in 1991, Gates asked Buffett what his favorite book was .

To reply, Buffett sent the Microsoft founder his personal copy of Business Adventures , a collection of New Yorker stories by John Brooks.

Though the anecdotes are from half a century ago, the book remains Gates’ favorite .

Gates says that the book serves as a reminder that the principles for building a winning business stay constant. He writes :

For one thing, there’s an essential human factor in every business endeavor. It doesn’t matter if you have a perfect product, production plan and marketing pitch; you’ll still need the right people to lead and implement those plans.

Learning of the affections that Gates and Buffett have for this title, the business press has fallen similarly in love with the book. Slate quipped that Business Adventures is “catnip for billionaires.”

The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Like us , Gates is fascinated by the way Theodore Roosevelt was able to affect his society: busting trusts, setting up a park system, and the like.

For this reason, Gates appreciates how Goodwin’s biography uses the presidency as a lens for understanding the shift of society.

“How does social change happen?” Gates asks in his review. “Can it be driven by a single inspirational leader, or do other factors have to lay the groundwork first?”

He says that TR shows how many stakeholders need to be involved.

“Although he tried to push through a number of political reforms earlier in his career,” Gates says , “[Roosevelt] wasn’t really successful until journalists at ‘McClure’s’ and other publications had rallied public support for change.”

The Rosie Project: A Novel by Graeme Simsion

Gates doesn’t review a lot of fiction, but The Rosie Project , which came on the recommendation of his wife, Melinda, is an oddly perfect fit.

“Anyone who occasionally gets overly logical will identify with the hero, a genetics professor with Asperger’s Syndrome who goes looking for a wife,” he writes . “(Melinda thought I would appreciate the parts where he’s a little too obsessed with optimizing his schedule. She was right.)”

The book is funny, clever, and moving, Gates says, to the point that he read it in one sitting.

On Immunity by Eula Biss

Even though the science all says that vaccines are among the most important inventions in human history , there’s still a debate about whether they’re a good idea.

In “On Immunity,” essayist Eula Biss pulls apart that argument.

She “uses the tools of literary analysis, philosophy, and science to examine the speedy, inaccurate rumors about childhood vaccines that have proliferated among well-meaning American parents,” Gates writes. “Biss took up this topic not for academic reasons but because of her new role as a mom.”

How Asia Works by Joe Studwell

Joe Studwell is a business journalist whose central mission is understanding “development.”

The Financial Times said that How Asia Works is “the first book to offer an Asia-wide deconstruction of success and failure in economic development.”

Gates says that the book’s thesis goes like this:

All the countries that become development success stories (1) create conditions for small farmers to thrive, (2) use the proceeds from agricultural surpluses to build a manufacturing base that is tooled from the start to produce exports, and (3) nurture both these sectors with financial institutions closely controlled by the government.

How to Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff

Published in 1954, How to Lie with Statistics is an introduction to statistics — and a primer on how they can be manipulated.

It’s “more relevant than ever,” Gates says.

“One chapter shows you how visuals can be used to exaggerate trends and give distorted comparisons,” he says. “It’s a timely reminder, given how often infographics show up in your Facebook and Twitter feeds these days.”

Epic Measures by Jeremy Smith

Reading this biography was especially meaningful for Gates because he’s known its subject, a doctor named Chris Murray, for more than a decade.

According to Gates , the book is a “highly readable account for anyone who wants to know more about Chris’s work and why it matters.”

That work involves creating the Global Burden of Disease , a public website that gathers data on the causes of human illness and death from researchers around the world. The idea is that we can’t begin finding cures for health issues if we don’t even know what those issues are.

Writes Gates: “As Epic Measures shows, the more we make sure reliable information gets out there, the better decisions we all can make, and the more impact we all can have.”

Stuff Matters by Mark Miodownik

If you’re like most people, you use steel razors, glass cups, and paper notepads every day without thinking much about the materials they’re made of.

In “Stuff Matters,” Miodownik, a materials scientist, aims to show you why the science behind those materials is so fascinating.

That premise might sound similar to “Making the Modern World,” a book by Gates’ favorite author Smil, which Gates has also recommended . But Gates says the two works are “completely different.” While Smil is a “facts-and-numbers guy,” Miodownik is “heavy on romance and very light on numbers,” potentially making “Stuff Matters” an easier read.

Gates claims his favorite chapter is the one on carbon, “which offers insights into one atom’s massive past, present, and future role in human life.”

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

It might be hard to imagine Gates curled up with a book of comic drawings. But Hyperbole and a Half , based on the blog by the same name , is more moving and profound than it is silly.

The stories and drawings in the book are based on scenes from Brosh’s life, as well as her imagined misadventures.

“It’s funny and smart as hell,” Gates writes , adding that “Brosh’s stories feel incredibly — and sometimes brutally — real.”

Gates was especially moved by the parts of the book that touch on Brosh’s struggles with severe depression, including a series of images about her attempts to leave an appropriate suicide note.

It’s a rare book that can simultaneously make you laugh, cry, and think existential thoughts — but this one seems to do it.

What If? by Randall Munroe

Another book based on a blog , What If? is a collection of cartoon-illustrated answers to hypothetical scientific questions.

Those questions range from the dystopian (“What if I took a swim in a typical spent nuclear fuel pool?”) to the philosophical (“What if everyone actually had only one soul mate, a random person somewhere in the world?”) Each question was posed by a different reader, and Munroe, a former roboticist for NASA, goes to the greatest lengths to answer it accurately through research and interviews.

Gates writes :

The reason Munroe’s approach is a great way to learn about science is that he takes ideas that everybody understands in a general way and then explores what happens when you take those ideas to their limits. For example, we all know pretty much what gravity is. But what if Earth’s gravity were twice as strong as it is? What if it were three times as strong, or a hundred? Looking at the question in that way makes you start to think about gravity a little differently.

For anyone who’s ever wished there were someone to indulge and investigate their secret scientific fantasies, this book comes in handy.

Should We Eat Meat? by Vaclav Smil

Gates isn’t shy about proclaiming Smil, a professor emeritus at the University of Manitoba, his favorite author. In fact, he’s recommended several of Smil’s books before.

As usual, Gates writes , Smil attacks the issue of whether humans should consume meat from every possible angle. First he tries to define meat, then he looks at its role in human evolution, as well as how much meat each country consumes, the health and environmental risks, and the ethicality of raising animals for slaughter.

Gates, who was a vegetarian for a year during his 20s, is especially impressed by how Smil uses science to debunk common misconceptions, like the idea that raising meat for food involves a tremendous amount of water.

In fact, Gates writes:

Smil shows you how the picture is more complicated. It turns out that not all water is created equal. Nearly 90 percent of the water needed for livestock production is what’s called green water, used to grow grass and such. In most places, all but a tiny fraction of green water comes from rain, and because most green water eventually evaporates back into the atmosphere, it’s not really consumed.

Overall, the book left Gates feeling that eventually, “the world can meet its need for meat.”

This article originally appeared on Business Insider

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When was Bill Gates born?

How did bill gates become famous, where did bill gates go to college, what are bill gates’s major accomplishments.

Bill Gates (born October 28, 1955, Seattle , Washington , U.S.) is an American computer programmer and entrepreneur who cofounded Microsoft Corporation , the world’s largest personal-computer software company.

Gates wrote his first software program at the age of 13. In high school he helped form a group of programmers who computerized their school’s payroll system and founded Traf-O-Data, a company that sold traffic -counting systems to local governments. In 1975 Gates, then a sophomore at Harvard University , joined his hometown friend Paul G. Allen to develop software for the first microcomputers . They began by adapting BASIC , a popular programming language used on large computers, for use on microcomputers. With the success of this project, Gates left Harvard during his junior year and, with Allen, formed Microsoft. Gates’s sway over the infant microcomputer industry greatly increased when Microsoft licensed an operating system called MS-DOS to International Business Machines Corporation —then the world’s biggest computer supplier and industry pacesetter—for use on its first microcomputer, the IBM PC ( personal computer ). After the machine’s release in 1981, IBM quickly set the technical standard for the PC industry, and MS-DOS likewise pushed out competing operating systems. While Microsoft’s independence strained relations with IBM, Gates deftly manipulated the larger company so that it became permanently dependent on him for crucial software. Makers of IBM-compatible PCs, or clones, also turned to Microsoft for their basic software. By the start of the 1990s he had become the PC industry’s ultimate kingmaker.

Largely on the strength of Microsoft’s success, Gates amassed a huge paper fortune as the company’s largest individual shareholder. He became a paper billionaire in 1986, and within a decade his net worth had reached into the tens of billions of dollars—making him by some estimates the world’s richest private individual. With few interests beyond software and the potential of information technology , Gates at first preferred to stay out of the public eye, handling civic and philanthropic affairs indirectly through one of his foundations. Nevertheless, as Microsoft’s power and reputation grew, and especially as it attracted the attention of the U.S. Justice Department ’s antitrust division, Gates, with some reluctance, became a more public figure. Rivals (particularly in competing companies in Silicon Valley ) portrayed him as driven, duplicitous, and determined to profit from virtually every electronic transaction in the world. His supporters, on the other hand, celebrated his uncanny business acumen, his flexibility, and his boundless appetite for finding new ways to make computers and electronics more useful through software.

All of these qualities were evident in Gates’s nimble response to the sudden public interest in the Internet . Beginning in 1995 and 1996, Gates feverishly refocused Microsoft on the development of consumer and enterprise software solutions for the Internet , developed the Windows CE operating system platform for networking noncomputer devices such as home televisions and personal digital assistants, created the Microsoft Network to compete with America Online and other Internet providers, and, through Gates’s company Corbis, acquired the huge Bettmann photo archives and other collections for use in electronic distribution.

In addition to his work at Microsoft, Gates was also known for his charitable work. With his then wife, Melinda , he launched the William H. Gates Foundation (renamed the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 1999) in 1994 to fund global health programs as well as projects in the Pacific Northwest . During the latter part of the 1990s, the couple also funded North American libraries through the Gates Library Foundation (renamed Gates Learning Foundation in 1999) and raised money for minority study grants through the Gates Millennium Scholars program. In June 2006 Warren Buffett announced an ongoing gift to the foundation, which would allow its assets to total roughly $60 billion in the next 20 years. At the beginning of the 21st century, the foundation continued to focus on global health and global development, as well as community and education causes in the United States . After a short transition period, Gates relinquished day-to-day oversight of Microsoft in June 2008—although he remained chairman of the board—in order to devote more time to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In February 2014 he stepped down as chairman but continued to serve as a board member until 2020. During this time he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016). The documentary series Inside Bill’s Brain: Decoding Bill Gates appeared in 2019. Two years later Gates and his wife divorced.

It remains to be seen whether Gates’s extraordinary success will guarantee him a lasting place in the pantheon of great Americans. At the very least, historians seem likely to view him as a business figure as important to computers as John D. Rockefeller was to oil. Gates himself displayed an acute awareness of the perils of prosperity in his 1995 best seller , The Road Ahead , where he observed, “Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.”

Biography Online

Biography of Bill Gates

Early life of Bill Gates

His father William Gates Sr was a senior lawyer, and his mother, Mary, served as an executive for a major bank. The family were wealthy but, remembering the challenges of the Great Depression, they encouraged their children to work hard and take nothing for granted.

Aged 13, Gates attended the private Lakeside school. It was here that Gates had his first introduction to computers. He taught himself to programme in Basic, making a simple ‘Tic-Tac-Toe’ game. Gates enjoyed the process of working with computers and arranged with a company Computer Center Corporation (CCC) to spend time on their computers – learning source code, such as Fortran, Machine Code and Lisp.

In 1973, Gates enrolled at Harvard, where he studied mathematics and computer science. However, Gates was more interested in pursuing his own coding, and when he saw an opportunity to found his own company, he dropped out of Harvard without finishing his course.

Bill Gates foundation of Microsoft

Altair 8800 computer

Bill Gates founded Microsoft in 1976 when he formed a contract with MITS (Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems) to develop a basic operating system for their new microcomputers. In the early days, Bill Gates would review every line of code. He was also involved in several aspects of Microsoft’s business such as packing and sending off orders.

Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1981

The big break for Microsoft came in 1980 when IBM approached them for a new BASIC operating system for its new computers. In the early 1980s, IBM was by far the leading PC manufacturer. However, increasingly, there developed many IBM PC clones; (PCs produced by other companies compatible with IBM’s). Microsoft worked hard to sell its operating system to these other companies. Thus Microsoft was able to gain the dominant position of software manufacture just as the personal computer market started to boom. Since its early dominance, other companies have struggled to displace Microsoft as the dominant provider of computer operating software. Programs like Microsoft Word and Excel have become the industry standard.

Bill Gates – Windows

Throughout his time in office, Bill Gates has been keen to diversify the business of Microsoft. For example, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer became the dominant web browser, although this was primarily because it came pre-installed on most new computers. In recent years, Internet Explorer has seen its market share slip.

One area where Microsoft has never been successful is in the area of search engines. MSN live search has struggled to gain more than 5% of market share. In this respect, Microsoft has been dwarfed by Google. Nevertheless, the success of Microsoft in cornering various aspects of the software market has led to several anti-trust cases. In 1998 US v Microsoft, Microsoft came close to being broken up into three smaller firms. However, on appeal, Microsoft was able to survive as a single firm. Although Microsoft was the dominant computer firm of the 1980s, and 1990s, they are now seen as an ageing and declining company – compared to the more dynamic Google and Apple.

Philanthropic Activities – Bill Gates

“This leads to the paradox, that because the disease (malaria) is only in the poor countries, there is not much investment. For example, there is more money put into baldness drugs, than are put into malaria. Now, baldness, it is a terrible thing [audience laughter] and rich men are afflicted, so that is why that priority is set.”

From 2008 Gates has worked full time on his philanthropic interests. It is estimated Gates and his wife Melinda have given away $28 billion via their charitable foundation – including $8 billion to improve global health.

Gates has said that he has no use for money, and will only leave a small percentage of his wealth to his children. In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Gates states:

“I’m certainly well taken care of in terms of food and clothes,” he says, redundantly. “Money has no utility to me beyond a certain point. Its utility is entirely in building an organisation and getting the resources out to the poorest in the world.” ( 1 )

His main areas of interest in philanthropy have been improving health, and in particular helping to reduce diseases, such as polio which affect young children. He has also given more focus on environmental issues. In 2015, he gave $1 billion to a clean energy project, as he sees supporting new ‘greener’ technologies as a way to help deal with global warming. Asked about the motivation of his giving, Gates replies:

“It doesn’t relate to any particular religion; it’s about human dignity and equality,” he says. “The golden rule that all lives have equal value and we should treat people as we would like to be treated.” – Gates

Bill Gates has often warned about the potential dangers of a global pandemic. In 2015, Gates gave a warning that the world is not ready for the next pandemic, which could lead to the deaths of millions of people. When COVID-19 became a threat to global health, Gates devoted time and money to co-ordinating efforts to provide a global vaccine. He spent millions of pounds in getting ready to mass-produce one of the many potential vaccinations.

“Humankind has never had a more urgent task than creating broad immunity for coronavirus. It’s going to require a global cooperative effort like the world has never seen. But I know we’ll get it done. There’s simply no alternative.” – Bill Gates, Twitter, 30 April 2020

He criticised the response of the US administration under Trump for being behind the curve and allowing the virus to spread, in particularly he criticised Trump’s decision to stop funding for WHO, in the middle of the pandemic.

Religion of Bill Gates

Bill Gates is not overtly religion and has not specifically stated he follows a particular belief system. He has expressed the view that he approaches life from a scientific point of view, though he has participated in services of the Catholic Church (which is wife attends).

Also, when asked whether he believed in God, Gates replied.

“The moral systems of religion, I think, are superimportant. We’ve raised our kids in a religious way; they’ve gone to the Catholic church that Melinda goes to and I participate in. I’ve been very lucky, and therefore I owe it to try and reduce the inequity in the world. And that’s kind of a religious belief. I mean, it’s at least a moral belief.” – March 27, 2014. “I think it makes sense to believe in God, but exactly what decision in your life you make differently because of it, I don’t know.”

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “Biography of Bill Gates”, Oxford, UK.  www.biographyonline.net , 25th Feb. 2015. Last updated 20 April 2020.

Bill Gates: The Life and Business Lessons of Bill Gates

Bill Gates: The Life and Business Lessons of Bill Gates at Amazon

Who is Bill Gates?

Who is Bill Gates? at Amazon

Related pages

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External links

• Bill Gates Blog
• Bill Gates at BBC
• Bill Gates interview

116 Comments

Wow the world greatest in IT

• March 03, 2019 6:27 PM

Wow i want to be the real man just like u

• March 03, 2019 4:47 PM

AM STUDYING IT AND I REALLY WANT TO BE LIKE HIM HE REALLY INSPIRES ME I WISH

• February 08, 2019 11:52 AM
• By TREVOR MUFAYA

Wow,,, it has been my dream to become exactly a successful person like you… And make an amazing thing in the whole world, please if you may open doors for me to be like you,, I’ll be so greatful

• January 12, 2019 8:28 PM
• By Stephen mulwa

Wowwww Bill Gates opens the gate to my inspiration

• December 29, 2018 6:55 PM

Top 10 Authorized and Unauthorized Books About Bill Gates

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Want to learn more about the enigmatic philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft? There are many top authorized and unauthorized books on the man who, at the time, became the youngest self-made billionaire in history.

Barbarians Led by Bill Gates

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Jennifer Edstrom and Marlin Eller were two "insiders" who wrote this book on the success and sordid details of Bill Gates' company. Based on accounts by the daughter of a Microsoft spin doctor and a 13-year veteran Microsoft developer, it gives the scoop on Microsoft's history from the early '80s to the present. The book is filled with juicy bits of gossip and humor. Some highlights include the Netscape vs. Explorer wars and Microsoft's trial with the Justice Department.

Business the Bill Gates Way

Learn about the business success secrets that made  Bill Gates  rich with this book from Des Dearlove. The book describes how Gates went from being a Harvard dropout to becoming one of the richest men in the world. This includes ten ways Bill Gates succeeded, and how you could apply it towards your own success. While written as a motivational aid for aspiring entrepreneurs, the book provides fascinating biographical insight into Bill Gates as well.

Bill Gates (Biography series)

Part of the A & E "Biography" series, this book from Jeanne M. Lesinski is an easy and entertaining read about Bill Gates' life. It has 100 pages packed with photos that showcase Gates' life from childhood to his charitable works to brushes with the Justice Department. While other books may give more in-depth detail, this book gives readers a great overview.

Bill Gates and the Race to Control Cyberspace

Focusing on the years between 1992 and 1997, author James Wallace captures the browser wars between Microsoft and Netscape like a good spy novel. It was a time when Bill Gates doubled his net worth while doing what many experts thought he had missed the opportunity to do: capture the highway to the internet. The book is a fascinating, if somewhat unproven, exposé of the latter years of Bill Gates' life.

Business @ the Speed of Thought

This book is a very expensive and hard-to-get collector's item that's written by Bill Gates himself. Gates gives the hard sell on why new technology is good for business and the need to regard it as an asset rather than an expense. "I have the simple but strong belief," Gates writes. "How you gather, manage, and use information will determine whether you win or lose."

How Microsoft's Mogul Reinvented an Industry

Stephen Manes and Paul Andrews' chronicling of one of the youngest self-made billionaires in history has become a well-liked book among Bill Gates fans. Publisher Simon & Schuster says the book is "vivid and definitive, details the behind-the-scenes history of the personal computer industry and its movers and shakers, uncovering the inside stories of the bitter battle for control. A bracing, comprehensive portrait of the industry, the company, and the man."

Bill Gates and the Making of the Microsoft Empire

The book from James Wallace and Jim Erickson is an unauthorized biography of Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates that details tactics such as software programming in Microsoft products that led to the failure of non-Microsoft products, Microsoft managers spying on employee email, and allegations of abusive behavior towards female executives. It covers the early history of Bill Gates' life up to Windows 3.0, with the rest continued in the sequel Overdrive.

Bill Gates Speaks

Best-selling author Janet Lowe researched and transcribed Bill Gates quotes from articles, essays, interviews, and newscasts to create this one-of-kind authorized biography about the legendary businessman.

Bill Gates' Personal Super-Secret Private Laptop

Henry Beard and John Boswell wrote this humorous book about Bill Gates and Microsoft that folds out like a laptop. The left page is the screen and the right is the keyboard. Beard and Boswell are well-known parody writers and this book represents one of their best efforts.

Billionaire Computer Genius

This novel from Joan D. Dickinson is a great book for kids interested in the computer age revolution. It's also an unusual find for the younger reader. It's an easy-to-read biography about Bill Gates that tells the inspirational story of how he became a technology innovator and billionaire. It is fun and entertaining for kids and includes plenty of black-and-white photographs.

There are many books about one of the most successful businessmen in history. But only a select few provide meaningful insight into Bill Gates and his story of how he became who he is today. If you are a fan of this self-made billionaire, these are must-reads.

Gates, Bill. "Business @ the Speed of Thought: Succeeding in the Digital Economy." Hardcover, Grand Central Publishing, March 1999.

Manes, Stephen and Paul Andrews. "How Microsoft's Mogul Reinvented an Industry — and Made Himself the Richest Man in America." Simon & Schuster, January 1994.

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Entrepreneurs

Bill Gates   Biography

William Henry Gates III , known in the world as Bill Gates, is a computer scientist, philanthropist and American businessman, known for being the creator of Microsoft with Paul Allen. He was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington, and is the son of William Henry Gates II and Mary Gates. He studied at the private Lakeside elite school in Seattle, where he began to show interest in computer science.

On April 4, 1975, while being a student at Harvard University, he founded the Microsoft Software Company along with his friend Paul Allen. A year later, he retired from the University to move to Albuquerque, New Mexico, headquarters of ITS (Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems), to agree with that company the session of 50% of the language for Basic computers.

In 1979, Microsoft began to grow, and Bill Gates decided to move his company to Seattle. Around 1980, he met with the representatives of IBM, where he managed to sell them the MS-DOS operating system; as he still did not have it he bought it from a young programmer, IBM needed that operating system to be able to compete with Apple.

After a while, Microsoft bought the copyright of QDOS from Tim Paterson, who worked for Seattle Computer Products. Aware of the importance of the graphics environment that Apple had shown, Bill Gates , visited them to offer his help to improve their spreadsheets and other programs, obtaining an Apple-Microsoft alliance.

Under the management of Bill Gates , Microsoft legally got the technology of the graphic and mouse environment, brought to the market for Microsoft Windows, as a direct competitor of the Macintosh.

In 1992, President Bush recognized the importance of the work of Bill Gates by awarding him the National Medal of Technology.

Around 1983, Bill Gates revolutionized personal computing again with the introduction of the “mouse” and a new graphical interface called to replace DOS (Windows). That same year, his friend Paul Allen left Microsoft, due to health problems. During this time, the company focused on the promotion of multimedia supports, especially in the educational field. Gates’ talent had been revealed in multiple computer programs, whose use was spread throughout the world as basic languages ​​of personal computers; but also in the success of a flexible and competitive company, managed with heterodox criteria.

The constant innovations of Bill Gates began to contribute to the rapid diffusion of the use of personal computing, producing a transcendental technical evolution in the ways of producing, transmitting and consuming information.

In 1994, he acquired a manuscript of Leonardo Da Vinci for twenty-five million dollars and married Melinda French.

On June 16, 2006, Bill Gates made public his intention to abandon his daily duties at the head of Microsoft to dedicate himself completely to the foundation; and on June 27, 2008, he retired from his work in front of Microsoft, transferring control of the company to Steve Ballmer. Bill Gates devotes 70% of his time to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the other 30% to the company.

BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION

Besides being a computer expert, Bill Gates and his wife created the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, located in the city of Seattle, which was created in January 2000 when the Gates Foundation for Learning and the William Foundation joined H. Gates. The foundation is directed by Bill Gates’ father, William H. Gates and Patty Stonesifer.

In May 2006, the Bill Gates Foundation was awarded the Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation. For the year 2004, the foundation developed a $ 200 million campaign to promote AIDS prevention in India; the largest grant program in a single country. The effort had promotional help from Hollywood stars. Microsoft, a company led by Bill Gates, employs many Indian engineers in the United States and has 1,000 employees in India.

Bill Gates is “Vegan” since 2008, the year he stopped directing Microsoft, he has participated in some projects to spread this lifestyle. In this sense, together with Peter Thiel (co-founder of the Paypal company), he has supported the creation of artificial eggs made from easy to grow plants.

SOME AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

• Indira Gandhi a la Paz Award received on July 25, 2009, in recognition of its contribution to the fight against AIDS granted to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Lasker Award, on September 9, 2013, in Washington, United States, Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates were honored with one of the prestigious Lasker Awards, known as the Nobel Prizes of the United States, which annually reward advances in medicine.
• Bill Gates and his wife Melinda were awarded the Public Service Award for having initiated a “historical transformation in the way of perceiving the most worrisome health problems in the world and for having improved the lives of millions of people who are among the most vulnerable” This award was given to others in a ceremony on September 20 of the same year in New York, which was endowed with two hundred and fifty dollars.
• Medal of Freedom, on November 22, 2016, President Barack Obama, acknowledgment to Bill and Melinda Gates who with their foundations and initiatives have donated to charity to improve the quality of life and the future of the people.

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Luciano Benetton

Luciano Benetton Biography

Luciano Benetton (May 13, 1935) Born in Ponzano, Treviso, Italy. An Italian businessman and fashion designer, co-founder of the Benetton Group company, one of the most popular and important fashion companies in the world. After working for several years as a clerk in a clothing store, Benetton ventured as an entrepreneur selling the garments her sister made. When he won recognition, he created with his brothers the firm Fratelli Benetton (1965), with which he expanded and ventured into various commercial sectors linked to the world of fashion, such as perfumery. Under his command, the company became famous in the nineties for the publication of a series of controversial advertisements directed by Oliviero Toscani. He entered politics in the 1990s and left the company in charge of his son in 2012.

FAMILY AND BEGINNINGS

Born in an Italian province with an extensive textile tradition, Benetton had as a father a small businessman who died of malaria in 1945, having emigrated to Africa to work as a truck driver. Benetton, who at that time was only nine years old, left school to work and be able to support his mother and three sisters. He got a job as a clerk in a fabric and clothing store, where he stayed for several years. In 1955, a young twenty-year-old Benetton proposed to his sister, who at the time worked weaving clothes for a workshop, who worked together and created their own business, she would cook and sell her work in various stores.

With little money the two of them started their project and understanding that they had to sacrifice their comfort to grow, they sold some of their personal items, such as a bicycle, a guitar and other objects of little value, with which they collected the money to buy their first machine to knit. At that time, his sister Giuliana spent more than 18 hours in front of the machine, creating her first jerseys, which Luciano initially sold at the store she worked on and shortly thereafter began promoting them in other stores, gradually winning a clientele faithful. Determined to grow the business, Benetton created his own sample and presented it to various merchants in the town, in a short time getting his first large order, which consisted of 700 garments.

As the demand progressively increased, the brothers began to expand and hire more artisan employees, making themselves known in the region for their work and quality. Thanks to their hard work and the recompense they had, they founded in 1965 the commercial firm Fratelli Benetton, together with their brothers Gilberto and Carlo. The four brothers continued to work and publicize the brand, which in a short time became one of the best-known clothing companies in the country. By the end of the 1960s, the company opened its first headquarters abroad, establishing a store in Paris.

LUCIANO BENETTON’S PATH

After creating his signature Fratelli Benetton with his three brothers (Giuliana, Gilberto, and Carlo), Benetton took command of the company in 1974, at which time the company was known nationally and internationally. By the mid-1970s, the Benetton group was a multinational that had nine factories, five in its country and four abroad (Scotland, Spain, the United States, and France). Over the years the company continued to grow and to reach more than 1,300 stores abroad by the end of the 1980s. In addition to stores in the United States, Spain, France, and Scotland, they had stores in Bucharest (Romania), Prague (Czech Republic) and Budapest (Hungary). Each year the group sold more than seventy million garments and earned more than 152,000 million pesetas, trading on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt, Tokyo and New York (Wall Street). These gains made him one of the most prominent textile sector entrepreneurs of the time, along with great personalities such as Amancio Ortega and Isak Andic.

Understanding that the business needed to diversify to continue growing, Benetton launched a bathroom line, created a perfume manufactured by Hermés and designed a financial holding company called Edizione, which diversified in infrastructure, beverages, food, real estate, and agriculture. In a short time Edizione bought Nordica, a renowned sporting goods and clothing company for it, with which it was not only established as one of the most relevant companies in Italy, but also as one of the most complete fashion companies in the world (casual clothes, sports clothes and work clothes, etc).

The company’s success was affected in the 1990s, with the publication of a series of controversial commercials directed by photographer Oliviero Toscani. In the ads you could see a newborn baby covered in blood, a nun kissing a priest and a family accompanying a dying young man with AIDS. Although the campaign was designed to make the viewer reflect on the importance of the other, human rights and miscegenation, the message was lost and the viewers were scandalized, criticizing the firm for the proposal. Criticism continued when Benetton appeared naked covering her private parts in a newspaper to announce the Clothing Redistribution Project campaign , a charitable operation that sought to collect used clothing and send it to the Third World.

Although he was harshly criticized for his campaigns and eccentricity, Benetton entered politics in 1992. He obtained a seat in the Senate as a member of the Italian Republican Party, however, his passage through it was overshadowed by the emergence of the investigation against him for the bankruptcy of Fiorucci. Leaving politics and focused on business, Benetton secured a large number of properties in Argentina, becoming one of the most important landowners in the country. By the end of the 1990s, the company had expanded, earning more than 300,000 million pesetas a year. In the new millennium, he included in his business his sons Alessandro and Rocco, who were in charge of the company at his departure in 2012 . The story of this renowned designer and businessman was collected in the Benetton autobiography, the color of success (1991).

Louis Vuitton

Louis Vuitton Biography

Louis Vuitton (August 4, 1821 – February 25, 1892) businessman and fashion designer. Founder of the leather goods brand Louis Vuitton. He was born in Anchay, France. His parents were Xavier Vuitton, a farmer, and his mother Coronne Vuitton, a woman who dedicated herself to making hats. At the age of 16, Louis gets a job as a trunk manufacturer, an occupation that allowed him to move to Paris.

In 1854, he opened a shop in Paris at number 4 on the rue Neuve-des-Capucines that would become one of the reference brands at the end of the 20th century. Subsequently, he served as luggage provider for Empress Eugenie de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III. His biggest goal in his life project was to create a leather bag workshop, he was passionate about the design of these items. So, with his savings, he opened the Atelier in 1859, a workshop of handmade leather bags and suitcases. This place was very symbolic and special for him because his child grew up there: Georges Vuitton, his mother was Clemence-Emilie Parriaux.

His workshop was very successful and popular because of the exclusivity of the designs and the quality of the materials used in his work, Vuitton became a benchmark for luxury leather goods. In 1885, he opened a store in London. At the time, he developed the Tumbler lock that made travel trunks much safer. In 1867, he won the bronze medal at the Universal Exhibition in Paris. Empress Eugenia de Montijo remained her best client, her support would be crucial for her commercial development.

Louis Vuitton died on February 5, 1892, while in Asnières-Sur-Seine, France. His son followed in his footsteps but did not continue with the company, which did not end because it was commanded by other people. Its success was such that decades later the company had 225 workers. In 1896, Louis Vuitton company designed the monogram canvas with which it differs from other brands. Georges patented the Louis Vuitton lock, a revolutionary and very effective system that could not be opened even by the great American illusionist Harry Houdini.

Peter Drucker

Peter Drucker biography

Peter Drucker (November 19, 1909 – November 11, 2005) writer, consultant, entrepreneur, and journalist. He was born in Vienna, Austria. He is considered the father of the Management to which he devoted more than 60 years of his professional life. His parents of Jewish origin and then converted to Christianity moved to a small town called Kaasgrabeen. Drucker grew up in an environment in which new ideas and social positions created by intellectuals, senior government officials and scientists were emerging. He studied at the Döbling Gymnasium and in 1927, Drucker moved to the German city of Hamburg, where he worked as an apprentice in a cotton company.

Then he began to train in the world of journalism, writing for the Der Österreichische Volkswirt. Then he got a job in Frankfurt, his job was to write for the Daily Frankfurter General-Anzeiger. Meanwhile, he completed a doctorate in International Law. Drucker began to integrate his two facets and for that, he was a recognized journalist. Drucker worked in this place until the fall of the Weimar Republic. After this period he decided to move to London, where he worked in a bank and was also a student of John Maynard Keynes .

Although he was a disciple of Keynes, he assured, decades later, that Keynesianism failed as an economic thesis where it was applied. Because of the ravages of Nazism and persecution of Jews, he emigrated to the United States, where he served as a professor at Sarah Lawrence College in New York, from 1939 to 1949 and simultaneously was a writer. His first job as a consultant was in 1940. He then returned to teaching at Bennington College in Vermont. Thanks to his popularity he received a position to teach in the faculty of Business Administration of the University of New York.

He was an active contributor for a long period of time to magazines such as The Atlantic Monthly and was a columnist for The Wall Street Journal. The quality and recognition of his writings assured him important contracts both as a writer and as a consultant with large companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Quickly and surprisingly his fortune grew. Drucker served as honorary president of the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management.

In 1971, he obtained the Clarke Chair of Social Sciences and Administration at the Graduate School of Management at the University of Claremont. Now, at present Drucker is considered the most successful of the exponents in matters of administration, his ideas and terminologies have influenced the corporate world since the 40s. Drucker was the first social scientist to use the expression “post-modernity” something that caught the attention of this man is that he does not like receiving compliments. He was simple, visionary, satirical and vital.

Within his studies, he says that his greatest interest is people. His work as a consultant began in the General Motors Multinational Companies, from that moment begins to raise the theory of Management, Management trends, the knowledge society. Thanks to this theory he has published several books, these are consulted often and are fundamental for the career of business administrator. In his works, he deals with the scientific, human, economic, historical, artistic and philosophical stage.

He was founder and director of a business school that bears his name. For Drucker, it was beneficial that many of his ideas have been reformed because of the innovative way of thinking and analyzing business issues. Although approaches such as the knowledge society are the basis of the current company and the future is still maintained. He has published more than thirty books, which include studies of Management, studies of socio-economic policies and essays. Some are Best Sellers. The first book was The end of economic man (1939), The future of industrial man (1942), The concept of Corporation (1946). Later he published The Effective Executive (1985). He focused on personal effectiveness and changes in the direction of the 21st century. In 2002 the society of the future was published.

His first book caused much controversy because he talked about the reasons why fascism initiated and analyzed the failures of established institutions. He urged the need for a new social and economic order. Although he had finished the book in 1933, he had to wait because no editor wanted to accept such horrible visions. Now, Drucker has dealt with such controversial issues as individual freedom, industrial society, big business, the power of managers, automation, monopoly, and totalitarianism.

We must indicate that his analysis of the Administration, is a valuable guide for the leaders of companies that need to study their own performance, diagnose its failures and improve its productivity, as well as that of your company. Several companies have taken their approaches and put them into practice, such as Sears Roebuck & Co., General Motors, Ford, IBM, Chrysler, and American Telephone & Telegraph.

The consultant assured that there are some differences between the figure of the manager and that of the leader. For him, true leaders recognize their shortcomings as mortal beings, but they systematically concentrate on the essentials and work tirelessly to acquire the decisive competences of management. Actually, the contributions of this character in the world of administration and in the economic and social world have been significant. Drucker died on November 11, 2005, leaving a great legacy.

Paul Allen biography

Paul Gardner Allen (January 21, 1953) entrepreneur, business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He was born in Seattle, Washington, United States. Allen attended Lakeside School, a private school located in Seattle, and became friends with Bill Gates , who was three years younger and shared a common enthusiasm for computers. His parents encouraged him from childhood to be curious and very dedicated to studying. At the age of 14, he became interested in computer science, scrutinizing computers internally and externally.

When the school was over, Allen went to the Washington State University, although when he had been studying for two years he decided to leave the school with his friend Bill Gates, who was studying at the prestigious Harvard University. Both felt that it was more useful to begin to devise commercial software for the new personal computers. At first, the brand was called Micro-Soft and was installed in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The first sale was in 1975, and they started selling a BASIC language interpreter. Allen had an impressive business spirit so he was instrumental in achieving a project that aimed to acquire an operating system called MS-DOS for $ 50,000.

Gates and Allen managed to supply the operating system for the new IBM PCs. As of this moment, the company suffered constant and ascending progress. Maybe young people would not imagine the scope that Microsoft could have. But after several years of work, effort, and progress Allen had to separate from Gates and leave the company because of a serious illness, Hodgkin’s disease, which did not allow him to perform his duties. Allen had to undergo several months of radiotherapy treatment and a bone marrow SDF transplant.

Once recovered, he returned to Microsoft in 1990, but at that time the fate of Bill was already cast: he was the richest person in the world. Although Bill never turned his back on him and placed him in an important management position. He started working on an idea that a few months later became a reality, this is Vulcan Ventures Inc. in Washington: a venture capital fund specialized in cable and broadband services. With this idea Allen has participated in more than 140 companies, the most prominent are Priceline, Dreamworks, GoNet, Oxygen, and Metricom.

The money he earns he invests it in a variety of issues, and one of them is in the Portland Trail Blazers basketball team. As a fan of this sport, he decided to invest more than 70 million dollars for that team in 1988. A short time ago, he invested 200 million dollars for the Seattle Seahawks. In short, he is one of the minority owners of the Major League Soccer team, and of the Seattle Sounders FC. One of his passions is music, specifically Rock and Roll. He also spends many hours playing the guitar in his professional recording studio installed in his house.

Allen has not only invested in sports and personal passions, but he has also funded the Museum Experience Music Project and the Science Fiction Hall of Fame in Seattle. He has done this because of his interest in extraterrestrial life. Like every philanthropist, he has founded several charitable organizations. Allen’s contribution to Microsoft gave him great momentum and it was very significant, he decided to retire in the year 2000. After this Bill Gates published in the official account a moving statement, where he acknowledged the contribution of Allen to the success of the company.

This made him a great strategic advisor. That year, he sold 68 million shares, but still owns 138 million, which makes up the bulk of his wealth. This is proven in the investments he has in more than 50 technology and entertainment companies. For example, Experience Music Project, Entertainment Properties Inc., Charitable Foundations, Vulcan Ventures Inc., First & Goal Inc., and Clear Blue Sky Productions are just some of them. He made a significant investment in young and promising companies in the Internet sector such as Priceline, Click2learn, and Netperceptions.

Unfortunately, he did not manage to invest in one of the most successful and profitable companies in the Internet sector and with a promising future: eBay.com. It is not a secret that Allen puts the eye and the signature, where the best opportunities reside. The experience and success of Allen in recent years, prove him as one of the best investors worldwide. Allen’s investment strategy focuses on companies with future technology. Allen says that the next boom will be in the interactive sector. Paul Allen appears on the Forbes list of the richest people in the world, in 2009 the first was his friend and fellow, Bill Gates , while Allen has something less than 17,500 million dollars.

Nik Powell biography

Nik Powell (November 4, 1950) businessman and co-founder of the Virgin Group. He was born in Great Kingshill, Buckinghamshire, England.  Powell studied at the Longacre School and then left school because his family moved to Little Malvern. Then, he entered a small Catholic high school called St. Richard’s. He always showed a great ability for mathematical questions and for writing. Then he attended high school at Ampleforth College a high school located in North Yorkshire. Upon graduation, he entered the University of Sussex. But a year later he retired and began operating a mail order company, a small record store, and a recording studio.

The intentions to grow were increased, so the partners established Virgin Records in 1972. Little by little, the record began to bear fruit until years later it was recognized as one of the main record labels in the United Kingdom. In the year 1992, it was sold to EMI. During this time, Powell and Stephen Woolley came together to start the project that had as its object the foundation of a production company called Palace Productions. She was responsible for the production of The Company of Wolves (1984), Mona Lisa (1986) and The Crying Game (1992). But, although they achieved great things, the company collapsed in 1992 due to a series of inconclusive contracts and debts.

Without leaving his dreams behind, Powell began working in the film industry this time with Scala Productions, responsible for the production of Fever Pitch, Twenty Four Seven, Last Orders, B. Monkey and Ladies in Lavender. Since then he has been the president of this company. Simultaneously accepted the position of director of the National School of Film and Television in 2003. This decision was very controversial and caused great controversy because there were many people from academia who claimed that Powell was not prepared for the position. For a few years, he received the support of his wife Merrill Tomassi, from whom he divorced.

Later he married the singer Sandie Shaw, Powell was very important in the relaunching of her artistic career. They had two children, Amie and Jack, and they divorced in the 1990s. The distinguished career in the media industry, first in music as a co-founder of Virgin Records and later as a producer of several award-winning films allowed Nik to handle with excellence the School and be welcomed and respected by his students, the above has also gained more popularity to the institution.

Nik has not left his close ties with the leaders of the music and film industry, and also served as a trustee of BAFTA, where he chaired the Film Committee. While chairing the NFTS, Nik has been responsible for a remarkable transformation of the School that has grown in infrastructure and in importance and quality. It has been recognized as one of the best film schools in the world and now he can welcome more students because its academic offer is wider: masters, diploma, certificates and short courses in the film, television and games industries.

In recent years, the school received its accreditation from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). Being then an accredited institution of higher education. A few years ago the NFTS was equipped with two buildings and a new digital television studio 4K. The president of the School has extended and made public his thanks to the work of Powell, and to the great achievements that the students of this school have made. They have been winners of several awards, such as four Oscar nominations, seven BAFTA and 10 Cilect Global Student Film awards.

Many NFTS graduate students are working in the best film, television, and gaming industries in the United Kingdom. But, after 14 years under the direction of the school, Powell decided to retire from this position in June 2017. Although he resigned from his position, he affirmed that he will continue supporting everything he can to his beloved institution. Powell appeared on the Queen’s 2018 New Year’s Honors list. Powell received an OBE. His partner Richard Branson has also recognized his work and admires his work. He also works with novelist and screenwriter Deborah Moggach.

After his retirement he realized, against all odds, that if he could get ahead in the role of academic director of such a prestigious institution, he could also found Virgin, enter the world of cinema, among other things. During his time as director, he took great pains to expand scholarships for students who do not have the economic capacity, and also encouraged the entry of women into the institution. And finally, he was very efficient with financing from large film industries. Powell is an inspiring man and was an important figure for the NFTS.

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The Biography of Bill Gates: Secrets Behind the Success of the Microsoft Billionaire (Biographies of Famous People Series) Kindle Edition

Find Out The Best Of Bill Gates And Learn Deep Insights And Great Life Lessons!

In this bill gates book, we will explore and probe the life of microsoft founder, bill gates, and his fascinating journey to life and success:.

• Early Life of William Henry "Bill" Gates III
• Microsoft’s Beginnings
• The Rise of Microsoft
• Microsoft Windows
• From Millionaire to Billionaire
• Personal Life
• Gates’ Philanthropy
• Bill Gates’ Famous Quotes
• …and much more!
• Print length 31 pages
• Language English
• Sticky notes On Kindle Scribe
• Publication date January 15, 2014
• File size 726 KB
• Page Flip Enabled
• Word Wise Enabled
• Enhanced typesetting Enabled
• See all details

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• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00HTWCFMS
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 15, 2014
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 726 KB
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5 Things You May Not Know About Bill Gates

From his lavish purchases to how he met his ex-wife, Melinda, here are some facts about the Microsoft billionaire.

He demonstrated a staggering intellect as a kid

Gates plowed through the hefty World Book Encyclopedia set at age 8, but he left perhaps his biggest impression as an 11-year-old in his church confirmation class. Every year, Reverend Dale Turner challenged his pupils to memorize chapters 5-7 of the Book of Matthew – a.k.a. the Sermon on the Mount – and treated the successful ones to dinner atop the Space Needle. When Gates took his turn, Reverend Turner was stunned as the boy recited the approximately 2,000-word text with zero errors. While 31 of his classmates eventually got to chow down at the Space Needle Restaurant, Gates was the only one to deliver a flawless performance.

Microsoft was not the first business partnership between Gates and Allen

As computer prodigies at Lakeside High School, they wrote a payroll program for a company called Information Sciences Inc. Shortly afterward, they came up with an idea to streamline the process of measuring traffic flow. Under the existing format, a pressure-sensitive tube punched a sequence onto paper tape whenever a car passed, with the results later transcribed to computer cards. After scraping together $360 for a microprocessor chip, Gates and Allen developed their "Traf-O-Data" computer to read and analyze the paper tapes. Although the Traf-O-Data generally worked, the budding entrepreneurs realized they knew far more about building that type of machine than how to sell it. Allen has since pointed to that experience as a valuable lesson about the importance of a business model.

His career could have turned out quite differently without an assist from a competitor

Approached by IBM in 1980 to develop a 16-bit operating system for its new personal computer, Gates referred the computer giants to Gary Kildall of Digital Research Inc. However, Kildall was out flying his plane when the IBM reps showed up, and his wife and business partner, Dorothy, balked at signing a non-disclosure agreement. Realizing that an opportunity was slipping away, Gates leased a similar operating system from another company and repackaged it as DOS for IBM. The development paved the way for Microsoft to become the dominant name in PC operating systems through MS-DOS and then Windows, and helped its president become a billionaire by age 31.

He met his ex-wife, Melinda, at Microsoft

A recent Duke graduate, Melinda French sat next to the company bigwig at an Expo trade-fair dinner, recalling him as "funnier than I thought he'd be." A few months later they crossed paths in a Microsoft car park, and Gates asked her out on a date... in two weeks. French rebuffed him, noting that she had no idea what she was doing in two weeks, but she relented when Gates called an hour later and asked to meet that night. Their relationship was an open secret within the company for years, but the veil was lifted by the time they became engaged in 1993, and they were married in Hawaii on New Year's Day 1994. They announced the end of their marriage in May 2021.

He's made his share of lavish purchases

Topping that list is the $36 million he paid for the Winslow Homer painting "Lost on the Grand Banks," and $30 million for a Leonardo da Vinci journal known as the Codex Leicester. He also shelled out $21 million for a private jet, an understandable expenditure for a man with so much global business. And then there's his estate in Medina, Washington: Valued at more than $120 million and nicknamed "Xanadu 2.0," the 66,000-square-foot behemoth has a private beach, an Art Deco home theater, a 60-foot pool with an underwater sound system and a trampoline room.

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17 books Bill Gates thinks everyone should read

While Bill Gates has a schedule that's planned down to the minute , the entrepreneur-turned-billionaire-humanitarian still gobbles up about a book a week .

Aside from a handful of novels, they're mostly nonfiction books covering his and his foundation's broad range of interests. A lot of them are about transforming systems: how nations can intelligently develop, how to lead an organization, and how social change can fruitfully happen.

We went through the past five years of his book criticism to find the ones that he gave  glowing reviews and that  changed his perspective.

'Tap Dancing to Work: Warren Buffett on Practically Everything, 1966-2012' by Carol Loomis

Warren Buffett and Gates have a famously epic bromance, what with their recommending books to each other and spearheading philanthropic campaigns together .

So it's no surprise that Gates enjoyed "Tap Dancing to Work," a collection of articles and essays about and by Buffett, compiled by Fortune magazine journalist Carol Loomis.

Gates says that anyone who reads the book cover-to-cover will walk away with two main impressions:

First, how Warren's been incredibly consistent in applying his vision and investment principles over the duration of his career;

[S]econdly, that his analysis and understanding of business and markets remains unparalleled. I wrote in 1996 that I'd never met anyone who thought about business in such a clear way. That is certainly still the case.

Getting into the mind of Buffett is " an extremely worthwhile use of time," Gates concludes.

Buy it here >>

'making the modern world: materials and dematerialization' by vaclav smil.

Gates says his favorite author is Vaclav Smil, an environmental-sciences professor who writes big histories of things like energy and innovation.

His latest is "Making the Modern World." It got Gates thinking.

"It might seem mundane, but the issue of materials — how much we use and how much we need — is key to helping the world’s poorest people improve their lives," he writes. "Think of the amazing increase in quality of life that we saw in the United States and other rich countries in the past 100 years. We want most of that miracle to take place for all of humanity over the next 50 years."

To know where we're going, Gates says, we need to know where we've been — and Smil is one of his favorite sources for learning that.

'The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History' by Elizabeth Kolbert

It can be easy to forget that our present day is a part of world history. Gates says that New Yorker writer Elizabeth Kolbert's new book "The Sixth Extinction" helps correct that.

"Humans are putting down massive amounts of pavement, moving species around the planet, over-fishing and acidifying the oceans, changing the chemical composition of rivers, and more," Gates writes, echoing a concern that he voices in many of his reviews.

" Natural scientists posit that there have been five extinction events in the Earth's history (think of the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs)," he continues, "and Kolbert makes a compelling case that human activity is leading to the sixth."

To get a hint of Kolbert's reporting, check out the series of stories that preceded the book's publication.

'Stress Test: Reflections on Financial Crises' by Tim Geithner

Gates stood at the center of an enormously complex system as CEO of Microsoft. Timothy Geithner did much the same as US Treasury secretary — and saw the structure fall down around him during the financial crisis.

"Geithner paints a compelling human portrait of what it was like to be fighting a global financial meltdown while at the same time fighting critics inside and outside the Administration as well as his own severe guilt over his near-total absence from his family," Gates says . "The politics of fighting financial crises will always be ugly. But it helps if the public knows a little more about the subject."

"Stress Test" provides that knowledge.

'The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined' by Steven Pinker

In "Better Angels," Harvard cognitive scientist Steven Pinker branches out into the history of the most contentious of subjects: violence.

Gates says it's one of the most important books he's ever read.

"Pinker presents a tremendous amount of evidence that humans have gradually become much less violent and much more humane," he says, in a trend that started thousands of years ago and continued until this day.

This isn't just ivory-tower theory. Gates says the book has affected his humanitarian work.

"As I'm someone who's fairly optimistic in general," he says, "the book struck a chord with me and got me to thinking about some of our foundation's strategies."

'The Man Who Fed the World' by Leon Hesser

Even though Gates can get a meeting with almost anyone, he can't land a sit-down with Norman Borlaug, the late biologist and humanitarian who led the "Green Revolution" — a series of innovations that kept a huge chunk of humanity from starving.

"Although a lot of people have never heard of Borlaug, he probably saved more lives than anyone else in history," Gates says . "It's estimated that his new seed varieties saved a billion people from starvation," many of whom were in India and Pakistan.

Borlaug was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Congressional Gold Medal for his efforts — and is one of only seven people to receive that honor.

For Gates, Borlaug is a model in getting important work done in the world.

"Borlaug was one-of-a-kind," he says, "equally skilled in the laboratory, mentoring young scientists, and cajoling reluctant bureaucrats and government officials."

Hesser's "The Man Who Fed the World" lets you peer into the personality that saved a billion lives.

'Business Adventures: Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street' by John Brooks

Back in 1991, Gates asked Buffett what his favorite book was .

To reply, Buffett sent the Microsoft founder his personal copy of "Business Adventures," a collection of New Yorker stories by John Brooks.

Though the anecdotes are from half a century ago, the book remains Gates' favorite .

Gates says that the book serves as a reminder that the principles for building a winning business stay constant. He writes :

For one thing, there's an essential human factor in every business endeavor. It doesn't matter if you have a perfect product, production plan and marketing pitch; you'll still need the right people to lead and implement those plans.

Learning of the affections that Gates and Buffett have for this title, the business press has fallen similarly in love with the book. Slate quipped  that "Business Adventures" is "catnip for billionaires."

'The Bully Pulpit: Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and the Golden Age of Journalism' by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Like us , Gates is fascinated by the way Theodore Roosevelt was able to affect his society: busting trusts, setting up a park system, and the like.

For this reason, Gates appreciates how Goodwin's biography uses the presidency as a lens for understanding the shift of society.

"How does social change happen?" Gates asks in his review. "Can it be driven by a single inspirational leader, or do other factors have to lay the groundwork first?"

He says that TR shows how many stakeholders need to be involved.

"Although he tried to push through a number of political reforms earlier in his career," Gates says , "[Roosevelt] wasn't really successful until journalists at 'McClure's' and other publications had rallied public support for change."

'The Rosie Project: A Novel' by Graeme Simsion

Gates doesn't review a lot of fiction, but "The Rosie Project," which came on the recommendation of his wife, Melinda, is an oddly perfect fit.

"Anyone who occasionally gets overly logical will identify with the hero, a genetics professor with Asperger’s Syndrome who goes looking for a wife," he writes . "(Melinda thought I would appreciate the parts where he’s a little too obsessed with optimizing his schedule. She was right.)"

The book is funny, clever, and moving, Gates says, to the point that he read it in one sitting.

‘On Immunity’ by Eula Biss

Even though the science all says that vaccines are among the most important inventions in human history , there's still a debate about whether they're a good idea.

In "On Immunity," essayist Eula Biss pulls apart that argument.

She "uses the tools of literary analysis, philosophy, and science to examine the speedy, inaccurate rumors about childhood vaccines that have proliferated among well-meaning American parents," Gates writes. "Biss took up this topic not for academic reasons but because of her new role as a mom."

‘How Asia Works’ by Joe Studwell

Joe Studwell is a business journalist whose central mission is understanding "development."

The Financial Times said that  "How Asia Works" is "the first book to offer an Asia-wide deconstruction of success and failure in economic development."

Gates says that the book's thesis goes like this:

All the countries that become development success stories (1) create conditions for small farmers to thrive, (2) use the proceeds from agricultural surpluses to build a manufacturing base that is tooled from the start to produce exports, and (3) nurture both these sectors with financial institutions closely controlled by the government.

‘How to Lie with Statistics’ by Darrell Huff

Published in 1954, "How to Lie with Statistics"  is an introduction to statistics — and a primer on how they can be manipulated.

It's "more relevant than ever," Gates says.

"One chapter shows you how visuals can be used to exaggerate trends and give distorted comparisons," he says. "It's a timely reminder, given how often infographics show up in your Facebook and Twitter feeds these days."

‘Epic Measures’ by Jeremy Smith

Reading this biography was especially meaningful for Gates because he's known its subject, a doctor named Chris Murray, for more than a decade.

According to Gates , the book is a "highly readable account for anyone who wants to know more about Chris's work and why it matters."

That work involves creating the Global Burden of Disease , a public website that gathers data on the causes of human illness and death from researchers around the world. The idea is that we can't begin finding cures for health issues if we don't even know what those issues are.

Writes Gates: "As Epic Measures shows, the more we make sure reliable information gets out there, the better decisions we all can make, and the more impact we all can have."

‘Stuff Matters’ by Mark Miodownik

If you're like most people, you use steel razors, glass cups, and paper notepads every day without thinking much about the materials they're made of.

In "Stuff Matters," Miodownik, a materials scientist, aims to show you why the science behind those materials is so fascinating.

That premise might sound similar to "Making the Modern World," a book by Gates' favorite author Smil, which Gates has also recommended . But Gates says the two works are "completely different." While Smil is a "facts-and-numbers guy," Miodownik is "heavy on romance and very light on numbers," potentially making "Stuff Matters" an easier read.

Gates claims his favorite chapter is the one on carbon, "which offers insights into one atom's massive past, present, and future role in human life."

‘Hyperbole and a Half’ by Allie Brosh

It might be hard to imagine Gates curled up with a book of comic drawings. But "Hyperbole and a Half," based on the blog by the same name , is more moving and profound than it is silly.

The stories and drawings in the book are based on scenes from Brosh's life, as well as her imagined misadventures.

"It's funny and smart as hell,"  Gates writes , adding that "Brosh's stories feel incredibly — and sometimes brutally — real."

Gates was especially moved by the parts of the book that touch on Brosh's struggles with severe depression, including a series of images about her attempts to leave an appropriate suicide note.

It's a rare book that can simultaneously make you laugh, cry, and think existential thoughts — but this one seems to do it.

‘What If?’ by Randall Munroe

Another book based on a blog , "What If?" is a collection of cartoon-illustrated answers to hypothetical scientific questions.

Those questions range from the dystopian ("What if I took a swim in a typical spent nuclear fuel pool?") to the philosophical ("What if everyone actually had only one soul mate, a random person somewhere in the world?") Each question was posed by a different reader, and Munroe, a former roboticist for NASA, goes to the greatest lengths to answer it accurately through research and interviews.

Gates writes :

The reason Munroe's approach is a great way to learn about science is that he takes ideas that everybody understands in a general way and then explores what happens when you take those ideas to their limits. For example, we all know pretty much what gravity is. But what if Earth's gravity were twice as strong as it is? What if it were three times as strong, or a hundred? Looking at the question in that way makes you start to think about gravity a little differently.

For anyone who's ever wished there were someone to indulge and investigate their secret scientific fantasies, this book comes in handy.

‘Should We Eat Meat?’ by Vaclav Smil

Gates isn’t shy about proclaiming Smil, a professor emeritus at the University of Manitoba, his favorite author. In fact, he's recommended several of Smil's books before.

As usual, Gates writes , Smil attacks the issue of whether humans should consume meat from every possible angle. First he tries to define meat, then he looks at its role in human evolution, as well as how much meat each country consumes, the health and environmental risks, and the ethicality of raising animals for slaughter.

Gates, who was a vegetarian for a year during his 20s, is especially impressed by how Smil uses science to debunk common misconceptions, like the idea that raising meat for food involves a tremendous amount of water.

In fact, Gates writes:

Smil shows you how the picture is more complicated. It turns out that not all water is created equal. Nearly 90 percent of the water needed for livestock production is what's called green water, used to grow grass and such. In most places, all but a tiny fraction of green water comes from rain, and because most green water eventually evaporates back into the atmosphere, it's not really consumed.

Overall, the book left Gates feeling that eventually, "the world can meet its need for meat."

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Bill Gates Biography The digital demagogue earned billions by anticipating the market's needs. Now, his philanthropic foundation is helping countless others across the globe.

Bill Gates is perhaps the most well-known computer businessman in history. Not only did he start the most popular computing company of all time, Microsoft , but he also changed the way computers were made and marketed forever.

His entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen are worth studying. So let's take a closer look at Bill Gates , his history, how he started his famous company and his current philanthropic endeavors.

Who is Bill Gates?

William Henry Gates III is best known as the founder and leader of Microsoft . He created the company in 1975 with his business partner Paul Allen. Though Paul Allen left the company some years later, William H. Gates remained with Microsoft for decades, heading it as the CEO until he left the position in 2000.

Gates remained with Microsoft until 2008, then retired to take a position on the board of advisors. Since then, he has primarily acted as a business investor and charity leader, driving positive developments worldwide as the co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and his involvement in other organizations.

Related: The 5-Hour Rule Used by Bill Gates , Jack Ma and Elon Musk

How did Bill Gates start Microsoft ?

Although many don't know it, Bill Gates didn't start Microsoft alone. His pursuit began when he attended Lakeside High School in Seattle. There, he met a fellow student named Paul Allen; together, they worked in the school's computer room for hours on end.

By the time the duo was 16, Bill Gates and Paul Allen went into business together, securing investment funds to develop the "Traf-O-Data" software program to measure traffic flow throughout the Seattle Metro area. This was the first business partnership that the two collaborated on, but it wouldn't be the last.

Harvard and the Altair 8800

Though Bill Gates attended Harvard University , he didn't focus much on his studies. After reading a magazine article in December 1974 about the world's first microcomputer, the Altair 8800, Gates and Allen decided to pursue a business opportunity only they could see.

They contacted the manufacturer of the Altair 880, MITS, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

They told the president they had written a version of the computer language BASIC specifically for the microcomputer. Though this was a fabrication, the pair wanted to see if there was any interest in their "design."

To the pair's surprise, the president of MITS said that he'd like to see the language. Scrambling, Gates and Allen started working 24/7 to create the promised language.

They simulated the Altair 8800's capabilities on other computers since they had no microcomputer to work on or test.

Still, Gates knew the opportunity was too good to pass up. When the pair showed the language to MITS, it was a resounding success. Inspired, Gates took a leave of absence from Harvard in November 1975, taking a job offer to work at MITS full-time.

The formation of Microsoft

More importantly, Bill Gates and Paul Allen entered an official business partnership named "Micro-Soft." The two got the name for the company by combining the words microcomputer and software .

However, by November 26, 1976, they'd changed the name to the more commonly recognized "Microsoft" version. Microsoft's first product was the Altair BASIC language, but Gates and Paul Allen continued to work on new products. Gates never returned to Harvard University, as his business was already massively successful.

In the years to come, MITS would collapse, but Microsoft endured. July 1980 saw IBM approach Microsoft to write software for the upcoming personal computer, the IBM PC.

Although Microsoft was initially contracted to write a BASIC interpreter for the IBM PC, the company was instead eventually hired to write the operating system for the upcoming computer when negotiations with Digital Research, another company, fell through.

Pivot to operating systems and corporate dominance

This was the start of Microsoft's long-term success as a software company. Microsoft invented the MS-DOS operating system, which was eventually used for many other PCs created by different manufacturers.

The company's growth skyrocketed ; Microsoft expanded into developing applications software, eventually building a GUI-based operating system called Microsoft Windows to compete with the newly released Macintosh Apple Computer.

Windows was a huge success, and each successive operating system version was based on its original version (MS-DOS) until Windows XP.

By 1986, Microsoft went public to create more capital for expansion. It was a huge success; the company took in $61 million, and Bill Gates became one of the wealthiest people in the United States in a single night.

Related: Bill Gates ' Solution to Income Inequality

What did Bill Gates invent?

Technically, Bill Gates didn't invent anything genuinely new. Instead, he and Paul Allen created two high-quality products that computer companies could use: the BASIC programming language for the Altair 8800 and the MS-DOS operating system for the IBM PC.

Bill Gates "invented" these things because he physically wrote the code for many of them. As the years progressed and Microsoft became more popular and successful, however, Gates transitioned from more of a front-line role into an executive role.

That's where he is today, heading Microsoft from afar rather than writing code as he did in his youth. In this sense, Bill Gates is less of an inventor and more of a savvy businessman .

He was especially successful because he showed enough innovation and tenacity in the early computer market to dominate competitors as they grew alongside his company.

How old is Bill Gates ?

As of 2023, Bill Gates is 67 years old . He was born on October 28, 1955. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, he often spoke about the benefits of masks for older individuals.

What is Bill Gates ' net worth ?

At the time of this writing in spring of 2023,, Bill Gates' net worth is $107.9 billion . This combines his assets, stock options, portfolio values and estates.

He is currently the fourth richest person in the world, behind Bernard Arnault, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

Related: Bill Gates : Bitcoin is 'Better Than Currency'

What are Bill Gates ' primary investments?

Many entrepreneurs and future business owners may wish to grow their wealth by copying some of the primary stock investments Bill Gates has made over the years. Though he is no longer the CEO of Microsoft, Gates has continued to grow much of his wealth through savvy stock market movements.

Bill Gates' current primary stock market investments include:

• Microsoft Corporation (MSFT). Bill Gates maintains a sizable ownership percentage of the company he helped to found. He owns about 1.3% of the company, reflecting that he isn't nearly as hands-on as in previous decades.
• Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. (BRK.A, BRK.B). This is the holding company of Bill Gates' friend and fellow billionaire, Warren Buffett. It's the second-largest stockholding used by the Gates Foundation Trust. Microsoft and Berkshire make up about 47% of the Trust's portfolio, and there's no doubt that Gates himself also maintains a sizable holding.
• Canadian National Railway Co. (CNI). This is the stock for the fourth-largest North American railroad overall. Gates, the Gates Foundation and Cascade collectively hold over 64 million shares of CNI stock, worth approximately $7.5 billion.
• Deere & Co. (DE). As the world's largest producer of farm equipment, Deere is a surefire stock purchase for many, including Bill Gates. Over the years, he gifted over 3 million shares of Deere to the Foundation. In conjunction with Cascade and his Foundation, he still holds 23,700,000 shares of Deere stock, worth more than $10 billion, as of July 2022.
• Waste Management, Inc. (WM). Waste Management offers waste management and environmental services to various customers and locations. The Gates Foundation invested heavily in this company in the third quarter of 2002, which was wise, as the stock has generated returns of almost 1000% since that year. Currently, the Gates Foundation holds nearly 5.2 million WM stock shares worth approximately $5.52 billion.
• Republic Services, Inc. (RSG). This is another waste disposal services company and one of the most significant Gates holdings. As of February 2022, Cascade revealed that Bill Gates had added over 360,000 shares to his stake. This brings up Cascade's total holdings of RSG to approximately 109 million shares, collectively worth $14 billion.
• Ecolab, Inc. (ECL). ECL offers energy, hygiene and water technologies end-services for many markets, like the hospitality and healthcare industries. Gates has purchased millions of shares in this organization over the years. Today, the Gates Foundation holds 5.2 million shares of this stock, collectively worth nearly $760 million.
• EarthNow. EarthNow is a Seattle-based startup company. Its mission is to cover the planet with live satellite video, and Gates is a substantial financial backer.

As you can see, Bill Gates has built up his portfolio of investments by focusing on technology companies and clean energy firms. These are smart investments, as they are likely only to increase in value soon as these companies become more valuable.

Related: Why What Bill Gates Said About the Internet in 1996 is Truer Than Ever Today

Where did Bill Gates receive his education?

Although Bill Gates has been massively successful and attended Harvard, he doesn't have the most extensive or robust educational record.

Gates' real educational history begins at 13 when he was enrolled in a private Lakeside prep school. That's where he wrote the first software program and developed his interest in computer science.

By the eighth grade, he purchased blocks of computer time using a General Electric computer reserved for students. His first computer program was a version of tic-tac-toe that let students play the game against the machine.

Gates later attended Lakeside High School, where he met his longtime friend, Paul Allen. Then he enrolled in Harvard University after being inspired by his father, William Henry Gates II.

He dropped out of Harvard to focus on Microsoft full-time and never completed his bachelor's degree. Nevertheless, Harvard later awarded Gates an honorary doctorate.

Related: How Bill Gates Become a Leadership Legend

Who is in Bill Gates ' family?

Bill Gates has a large family that he is still in contact with. He has two sisters, one of which is older than him (Kristianne) and one of which is younger (Libby). Gates' father was a lawyer, and his mother was a successful American entrepreneur.

The most crucial member of Gates' family is his former wife, Melinda French Gates . The couple met in 1987 when Melinda first started working at Microsoft. The marriage lasted for 27 years, producing three children: Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe.

Although the couple managed to do a lot of good with their combined wealth and philanthropic spirit, they divorced in August 2021.

What kind of donations, charity and philanthropic efforts has Bill Gates pursued?

Bill Gates is well known for founding Microsoft and being a shrewd, relentless businessman. But he's also known for his philanthropic efforts.

The most well-known is undoubtedly the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , a charitable organization created in 2000 by combining three previously existing family foundations and donated stock. The new Foundation started with assets of over $84.6 billion.

Over the years, the Foundation has donated billions of dollars to charity, relief and human development resources and organizations. By 2007, Bill and Melinda Gates were the second most generous philanthropists in the United States, having donated over $28 billion. Both have gone on record stating that they plan to donate 95% of their wealth to charity.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is currently organized into five primary program areas:

• Global development division.
• Global health division.
• United States division.
• Global policy division.
• Advocacy division.

Many of these divisions fund or spearhead projects such as Alzheimer's research, breakthrough energy tech to avoid a climate disaster and means to reduce carbon emissions. With Microsoft co-founder and friend Paul Allen and fellow billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Gates continues to make a difference with non-profits and the next generation.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supports many programs and efforts, particularly public health projects. Over the years, it has provided financial and other aid to fight transmissible diseases like AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. It has also contributed to vaccine distribution programs to eliminate polio worldwide.

Furthermore, the Foundation's agricultural division supports the International Rice Research Institute in developing Golden Rice, a new genetically modified rice species that can help combat vitamin A deficiency. The Foundation also focuses on providing over 120 million women and girls with high-quality contraceptive services, resources and education.

Other charitable organizations and efforts

Aside from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, both titular founders have made substantial personal donations for other philanthropic effects. For example, Bill Gates provided personal donations to many educational institutions over the years, including his old Lakeside school. In 1999, he donated $20 million to MIT and $50 million to the Dementia Discovery Fund in November 2017.

In June 2018, Bill Gates offered various free e-books to new graduates of US universities and colleges and free e-books to all college and university students worldwide. Bill Gates has previously cited the philanthropic efforts of David Rockefeller as one of his significant inspirations.

In terms of wealth inheritance, Bill and Melinda Gates stated that they intend to leave each of their children only $10 million each. By the time of their deaths, they will have donated approximately 99.96% of their wealth to charity.

Related: Bill Gates Says Unhappy Customers Are Good for Your Business. Here's Why

Is Bill Gates a robber baron?

A robber baron is a businessman who becomes rich using business practices broadly perceived as ruthless, exploitative or manipulative. Because Bill Gates rose to such massive success so quickly, many have likened him to a modern-day robber baron .

However, it's essential to know that Gates never did anything illegal. Though, as Microsoft rose in the computer science industry, he engaged in ruthless business practices.

For example, he would purchase up-and-coming companies, then dissolve them thoroughly to prevent them from competing with Microsoft in any way. But this isn't illegal; it's a business practice that constantly occurs across every industry.

Whether or not Bill Gates is a robber baron is largely up to the individual. Although Microsoft may have ruined the business dreams of other entrepreneurs, it was only ever through those individuals' choices.

Furthermore, Bill Gates has contributed much of his money to charity and needful organizations throughout his career, even signing the Giving Pledge in 2010. It's easy to imagine that these positive contributions far outweigh any minor damage he may have done while accumulating his wealth.

Related: 'Will All Americans Become Vegetarians?' Bill Gates Weighs in on Method for Fighting Climate Change

What are the best Bill Gates quotes?

Bill Gates is one of the richest people in the world — not solely due to his net worth but also because of his insights and wisdom. Here are a few of Gates' most impactful quotes:

• "We all need people who will give us feedback. That's how we improve."
• "Everyone needs a coach. It doesn't matter whether you're a basketball player, a tennis player, a gymnast or a bridge player."
• "Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning."
• "It's fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure."
• "Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one."
• "Don't compare yourself with anyone in this world. If you do so, you are insulting yourself."

What can you learn from Bill Gates ' story?

Bill Gates isn't the only successful tech businessman. Still, he's one of the most successful overall. Everyone can gain something by learning about the history and investments of the Microsoft founder.

Check out Entrepreneur's other articles for more information about business leaders and other financial topics.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

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Discover the Best Books Written by Bill Gates

Bill Gates is a household name in the world of technology, business, and philanthropy. The former CEO of Microsoft revolutionized the personal computing industry and has since dedicated his time and wealth to making the world a better place. But did you know that Gates is also an author?

The Life and Achievements of Bill Gates

Before delving into Gates ‘ literary works, it’s essential to understand the man behind the books. Born and raised in Seattle, Gates’ passion for technology and entrepreneurship was evident from an early age. He co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975 and turned it into the tech giant we know today. Along the way, Gates became one of the wealthiest people on the planet, amassing a net worth of over $100 billion.

Early Life and Education

Gates’ interest in technology started in middle school when he was given access to a Teletype machine, which he used to write his first computer program. He was fascinated by the possibilities of computing and spent countless hours tinkering with machines and writing code. His parents recognized his passion and enrolled him in Lakeside School, a private school that had access to a mainframe computer. This experience gave Gates the opportunity to hone his skills and set him on a path towards a career in technology.

After graduating from Lakeside, Gates went on to study computer science at Harvard University. However, he dropped out after just two years to start Microsoft with Allen. This decision proved to be a wise one, as Gates’ talent and entrepreneurial spirit helped turn Microsoft into a global powerhouse.

Co-founding Microsoft

Microsoft’s early years were challenging, with the company facing legal battles and intense competition. However, Gates’ vision and business acumen helped the company thrive. He was instrumental in developing the iconic Windows operating system, which dominated the PC market for years. Gates’ leadership style was also critical to Microsoft’s success. He was known for his intense focus and attention to detail, as well as his ability to motivate and inspire his employees.

Under Gates’ leadership, Microsoft became one of the most valuable companies in the world. The company’s success also made Gates one of the wealthiest people on the planet. However, Gates was never content to rest on his laurels. He continued to innovate and push the boundaries of what was possible in the tech industry.

Philanthropy and Global Impact

Gates’ passion for technology and innovation is matched by his desire to make a positive impact on the world. Along with his wife Melinda, he established the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the largest private charitable organization in the world. The foundation has helped reduce global poverty, combat infectious diseases, and improve access to education, among other initiatives.

The Gates Foundation has been particularly active in fighting diseases such as malaria and polio. Through their efforts, the number of polio cases worldwide has dropped from over 350,000 in 1988 to just 33 in 2018. The foundation has also been a leading advocate for improving access to education, especially for girls and women in developing countries.

Gates’ philanthropic efforts have had a significant impact on the world, and his influence extends far beyond the tech industry. He has become a leading voice on issues such as climate change and global health, and his work has inspired countless others to use their wealth and influence to make a positive impact on the world.

Bill Gates as an Author

In addition to his impressive achievements in business and philanthropy, Gates is also a prolific author. He has written three books to date, all of which offer unique insights into his worldviews and passions.

Aside from his professional life, Gates has a passion for reading and writing. He believes that reading is essential for personal growth and development. In his free time, he enjoys reading books on a wide range of topics, from science and technology to history and biographies. Gates has said that reading helps him to stay informed and broaden his perspectives.

The Road Ahead (1995)

Gates’ first book, The Road Ahead , was co-written with Nathan Myhrvold and Peter Rinearson and explores the impact of technology on society. The book was published in 1995, just as the internet was beginning to transform the world. Gates offers a vision of how technology will continue to shape our lives in the future.

The Road Ahead was a best-seller and received critical acclaim for its insights into the future of technology. The book was also praised for its accessible writing style, making it a popular choice for readers interested in technology and its impact on society.

Business @ the Speed of Thought (1999)

Bill Gates’ second book, Business @ the Speed of Thought , was published in 1999 and explores the importance of technology in business strategy and management. The book shows how technology can help companies operate more efficiently, make better decisions, and stay ahead of the competition.

Business @ the Speed of Thought was another best-seller and was praised for its practical advice on how technology can be used to drive business success. The book was also noted for its insights into Gates’ own management philosophy and leadership style.

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster (2021)

Gates’ most recent book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster , tackles one of the most pressing issues facing the world today. In the book, Gates argues that climate change is an urgent global crisis that requires immediate action. He presents a comprehensive plan for reducing carbon emissions and achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

How to Avoid a Climate Disaster has been praised for its ambitious yet practical approach to tackling climate change. The book has been widely discussed in the media and has sparked important conversations about the role of technology in addressing climate change.

Overall, Gates’ books offer valuable insights into his worldviews and passions. They showcase his expertise in technology, business, and climate change, and demonstrate his commitment to making the world a better place.

Key Themes in Bill Gates’ Books

Despite tackling different topics, Gates’ books share some common themes. Here are some of the key ideas that run throughout his works:

Technology and Innovation

Gates’ expertise in technology and his passion for innovation are evident in all of his books. He offers insights into how technology has transformed our lives and how it will continue to do so in the future.

In his book, The Road Ahead , Gates explores how technology will shape our future and the potential impact it will have on society. He discusses the rise of the internet and how it will change the way we communicate, work, and live.

Similarly, in Business @ the Speed of Thought , Gates delves into how technology can be used to improve business operations and increase productivity. He shares his vision for the future of business and how technology will play a key role in driving innovation and growth.

Business Strategy and Management

As a successful entrepreneur and businessman, Gates has a wealth of knowledge to share on topics such as leadership and decision-making. His books provide valuable lessons for anyone looking to succeed in the business world.

In The Road Ahead , Gates discusses the importance of strategic planning and how it can help businesses stay ahead of the curve. He emphasizes the need for businesses to be agile and adaptable in an ever-changing landscape.

Similarly, in Business @ the Speed of Thought , Gates shares his insights into how technology can be used to streamline business operations and improve decision-making. He emphasizes the importance of data-driven decision-making and how it can help businesses stay competitive.

Climate Change and Sustainability

Gates’ latest book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster , underscores his commitment to addressing some of the world’s most pressing issues. He is a vocal advocate for sustainability and renewable energy and offers practical solutions for reducing our carbon footprint.

In the book, Gates discusses the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent the worst effects of climate change. He shares his vision for a sustainable future and offers practical solutions for reducing our carbon footprint, such as investing in clean energy and transitioning to electric vehicles.

Gates also emphasizes the importance of innovation in addressing climate change and how technology can play a key role in developing new, sustainable solutions.

The Influence of Bill Gates’ Books

Bill Gates is a name that is synonymous with the tech industry. As one of the co-founders of Microsoft, Gates has played a pivotal role in shaping the way we use and interact with technology. However, his influence extends far beyond the world of software and hardware. In fact, Gates’ books have had a significant impact on the tech industry and beyond. Here are some ways in which his works have influenced the world:

Impact on the Tech Industry

Gates’ insights into technology have helped shape the industry over the years. His vision for the future of computing has inspired countless innovations, and his advocacy for open standards and interoperability has contributed to the growth of the internet. In his book, The Road Ahead , Gates outlined his vision for the future of technology and how it would transform our lives. He predicted the rise of smartphones, cloud computing, and even self-driving cars, all of which have become a reality today. His foresight and understanding of the potential of technology have helped drive the industry forward and continue to shape the way we live and work.

Moreover, Gates’ contributions to the tech industry go beyond his work at Microsoft. In his book, Business @ the Speed of Thought , Gates shared his insights into how technology could be used to transform businesses and industries. He emphasized the importance of using data and analytics to make informed decisions and highlighted the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning in driving innovation. Today, these technologies are being used by businesses across the world to streamline processes, improve efficiency, and drive growth.

Inspiring Entrepreneurs and Innovators

Gates’ books offer valuable insights into the mindset and strategies of successful entrepreneurs. They provide inspiration and guidance for anyone looking to make their mark in the business world. In his book, The Road Ahead , Gates shared his personal journey and the lessons he learned along the way. He emphasized the importance of perseverance, hard work, and taking risks, all of which are essential qualities for any entrepreneur. His book, Business @ the Speed of Thought , offered practical advice on how to use technology to drive innovation and growth, making it a must-read for any business leader or entrepreneur.

Furthermore, Gates’ philanthropic work has also inspired entrepreneurs and innovators across the world. Through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Gates has invested in numerous initiatives and projects aimed at solving some of the world’s most pressing problems. His focus on using technology to address issues such as poverty, disease, and climate change has inspired a new generation of entrepreneurs and innovators who are using their skills and expertise to make a positive impact on the world.

Contributions to Climate Change Discourse

Bill Gates’ latest book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster , has received widespread acclaim for its comprehensive and practical approach to addressing climate change. The book has sparked important conversations about the role of technology in mitigating the effects of global warming. In the book, Gates emphasizes the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and highlights the potential of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. He also discusses the need for innovation in areas such as energy storage and carbon capture, which could help us achieve a carbon-free future.

Gates’ book has not only contributed to the discourse on climate change but has also inspired action. The Breakthrough Energy Ventures fund, which Gates founded, has invested in numerous startups working on innovative solutions to address climate change. His focus on using technology to address this global challenge has galvanized a new wave of innovation and entrepreneurship, offering hope for a sustainable future.

Bill Gates’ contributions to the world of technology, business, and philanthropy are well-known. However, his literary works offer unique insights into his worldviews and passions. From exploring the impact of technology on society to presenting practical solutions for addressing climate change, Gates’ books have influenced the world in many ways. Whether you are a tech enthusiast, entrepreneur, or climate activist, there’s something to learn from Gates’ impressive body of work.

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As co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates shapes and approves foundation strategies, advocates for the foundation’s issues, and sets the organization’s overall direction. He works with grantees and partners to further the foundation’s goal of improving equity in the United States and around the world.

Bill co-founded Microsoft Corporation in 1975 with Paul Allen and led the company to become the worldwide leader in business and personal software and services. In 2008, Bill transitioned to focus full-time on the foundation’s work. Through his private office, Gates Ventures, he pursues his work in climate change and clean energy innovation, Alzheimer’s research and other healthcare issues, interdisciplinary education, and technology. He is also the founder of Breakthrough Energy, which works to address climate change by supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs, big thinkers, and clean technologies.

If we are going to change people’s lives, we need another level of innovation. Not just technology innovation – system innovation.

In 2010, Bill, Melinda French Gates, and Warren Buffett founded the Giving Pledge, an effort to encourage the world’s wealthiest families and individuals to publicly commit more than half of their wealth to philanthropic causes and charitable organizations during their lifetime or in their will.

Bill grew up in Seattle with two sisters. His late father, William H. Gates Sr. , was an attorney and civic leader who served as a co-chair of the foundation from 2000 to 2020 His late mother, Mary Gates, was a schoolteacher, University of Washington regent, and chair of United Way International. Bill has three children and one grandchild.

See articles by Bill Gates

We must remember this takeaway from the great recession, this organization is working to create a world without pandemics, a three-part plan to eliminate covid-19, more about the foundation.

Learn about the origins of the foundation and the values that drive our work.

Learn about where we work around the globe and the programs we've created to address urgent issues in global health, global development, and education.

Read the latest stories, research, and news from across the foundation and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Optimist .

It’s a story about the stunning gains the poorest people in the world have made over the last 25 years.

My memoir Source Code comes out next year

You can pre-order my new book now.

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The Women gave me a new perspective on the Vietnam War

Kristin Hannah’s wildly popular novel about an army nurse is eye-opening and inspiring.

What does a virtuous life look like? David Brooks suggests an intriguing idea.

Why We’re Polarized  is a fascinating look at human psychology.

Jeff Hawkins’s book explores a new theory about human intelligence.

According to this book, some environments foster more innovation than others.

A provocative new book raises big questions about the future.

Diane Tavenner’s book offers amazing tips on preparing kids for college, a career, and life.

Educated  is even better than you’ve heard

Melinda and I loved Tara Westover’s journey from the mountains of Idaho to the halls of Cambridge.

What is humanity’s origin story? David Christian answers that question in his new book.

This book is a useful introduction to a complex problem.

How for-profit colleges and universities expand opportunities—and where they fall short.

Liberating Learning  discusses the overlap between two issues I care about a lot.

The Song of the Cell proves that Siddhartha Mukherjee is one of the best science writers working today.

A talented writer and doctor guides us through the past, present, and future of genome science.

Walter Isaacson’s latest book profiles Jennifer Doudna and her remarkable discovery.

I Contain Multitudes  helped me see microorganisms in a whole new light.

Everything you ever wanted to know about the stuff in your veins.

Four stories that explain how your body fights off disease.

A Gentleman in Moscow  has a little bit of everything

Towles’s novel is technically historical fiction, but you’d be just as accurate calling it a thriller or a love story.

I thought this thrilling story about a double agent lived up to the hype.

Hamnet  pierces the boundary between real life and play

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Can we produce enough meat for everyone without wrecking the planet?

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Elizabeth Kolbert’s insightful look at the intersection of people and nature.

Meeting the world’s energy needs requires an honest assessment.

David MacKay’s brilliant book is a primer on how we make energy and its impact on the climate.

One of my favorite authors explains how energy drives human history.

A new masterpiece from one of my favorite authors.

Numbers Don’t Lie  is Vaclav Smil’s most accessible book yet.

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The polio epidemics of the past were terrible and unsettling times.

Nancy Leys Stepan has written a useful history of efforts to eliminate diseases.

If you read just one book about malaria, The Fever may be the best choice.

In  House on Fire , Bill Foege tells the amazing story of smallpox eradication.

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I loved this book on tennis as much for the writing as its insights into my favorite sport.

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How Teddy Roosevelt and William Taft changed America.

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This is my personal blog, where I share about the people I meet, the books I'm reading, and what I'm learning. I hope that you'll join the conversation.

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Bill Gates Biography: Life, Achievements, and Legacy

Bill Gates is a name synonymous with innovation and success. Known for co-founding Microsoft , Gates transformed the software industry and became one of the wealthiest people in the world. His journey from a curious teenager programming in Seattle to leading a tech giant is remarkable.

Gates began developing his interest in computers at an early age, supported by his family. After dropping out of Harvard, he and Paul Allen started Microsoft, which soon dominated the personal computing market. This success allowed him to amass immense wealth and influence.

Beyond Microsoft, Gates has become a leading philanthropist. He and his ex-wife Melinda founded the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, donating billions to health, education, and development causes. His life story is a compelling mix of business acumen and charitable endeavors.

Image Credit: © European Union, 2024, CC BY 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

How Old Is Bill Gates?

Bill Gates was born on October 28, 1955. That means he’s currently 68 years old.

Bill Gates Net Worth

Bill Gates’ net worth is estimated to be around $133.7 billion, according to Forbes’ Real Time Billionaires list as of June 19, 2024.

While the majority of his wealth came from co-founding Microsoft, his fortune has been diversified into numerous holdings across various industries.

You can find more information and the latest updates on Bill Gates’ net worth here:

• Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/profile/bill-gates/
• Forbes Real Time Billionaires List: https://www.forbes.com/real-time-billionaires/

Please note that net worth figures can fluctuate daily based on market conditions and the valuation of assets.

The Visionary Leader and Philanthropist

Early life and education.

Born in Seattle, Washington, in 1955, Bill Gates showed an early aptitude for computers and programming. He attended the prestigious Lakeside School, where he met his future business partner, Paul Allen. Together, they explored their passion for technology and developed software for various businesses.

Gates enrolled at Harvard University but dropped out in 1975 to pursue his entrepreneurial dreams. This pivotal decision marked the beginning of a remarkable journey that would shape the future of personal computing.

Microsoft and the Personal Computing Revolution

In 1975, Gates and Allen co-founded Microsoft, a company that would revolutionize the personal computing industry. Microsoft’s operating systems, including MS-DOS and Windows, became the industry standard, propelling the company to global dominance. Under Gates’ leadership, Microsoft expanded its offerings to include software applications like Microsoft Office, solidifying its position as a tech giant.

Leadership and Innovation

Gates served as Microsoft’s CEO until 2000, driving the company’s growth and innovation. He was known for his sharp intellect, competitive spirit, and relentless pursuit of excellence. His vision and leadership helped Microsoft become a household name, transforming the way people work, communicate, and access information.

Philanthropy and Global Impact

In 2000, Gates and his wife, Melinda French Gates, established the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the world. The foundation focuses on improving global health, reducing poverty, and expanding educational opportunities. Through their philanthropic efforts, they have made significant contributions to eradicating diseases like polio, combating malaria, and improving access to vaccines in developing countries.

Legacy and Influence

Bill Gates’ impact on the world is undeniable. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of technology. His entrepreneurial spirit, innovative vision, and philanthropic endeavors have left an enduring legacy. Gates continues to inspire and motivate future generations of entrepreneurs and philanthropists, making a lasting difference in the world.

Bill Gates: A Timeline of Achievements

Key Takeaways

• Gates co-founded Microsoft and revolutionized the software industry
• He grew up in Seattle and started programming early
• Gates and his ex-wife Melinda have a major philanthropic foundation

Bill Gates was born into a supportive and influential family. His early exposure to computers sparked a lifelong passion for technology. He attended Lakeside School and Harvard University, where he further honed his skills in software and programming.

Childhood and Family Background

Born William Henry Gates III on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington, he was the son of William H. Gates Sr. and Mary Maxwell Gates. His father was a well-known lawyer, while his mother held a significant role on the board of directors for First Interstate BancSystem. Gates had two sisters, Kristi and Libby. Growing up in a family that valued education and hard work, Gates was provided with opportunities that nurtured his intellectual curiosity from a young age.

Academic Pursuits at Lakeside School and Harvard University

Gates began his formal education at Lakeside School, a private preparatory school in Seattle. It was here that his interest in computing blossomed. Lakeside purchased a Teletype Model 33 ASR terminal and a block of computer time on a General Electric (GE) computer. Gates took a keen interest in programming the GE system in BASIC. He and his friends created their first computer program, a tic-tac-toe game, which allowed users to play against the computer. His enthusiasm for software grew, leading him to develop further projects.

In 1973, Gates enrolled at Harvard University. Although he was initially a pre-law major, his passion for computers quickly redirected his focus to programming and mathematics. At Harvard, he met Paul Allen, and their shared interests laid the foundation for future collaborations. Despite his academic success, Gates left Harvard in 1975 to pursue his vision for Microsoft.

Initial Forays into Software and Computing

While still in school, Gates partnered with Paul Allen to create their first venture, Traf-O-Data. This early project analyzed local traffic patterns and was their initial step into the software industry. The experience gained from this project proved invaluable for their later success. Gates and Allen later co-founded Microsoft in 1975, aiming to develop and sell software for personal computers. Their work was instrumental in making computing accessible to a broader audience, shaping the future of personal computing.

Frequently Asked Questions

This section addresses common questions about Bill Gates, including his background, career, family, philanthropy, and education.

Who is Bill Gates?

Bill Gates is an American businessman and philanthropist. He is famous for co-founding Microsoft, one of the world’s largest software companies. He was born on October 28, 1955, in Seattle, Washington.

How did Bill Gates build his fortune?

Bill Gates built his fortune by co-founding Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975. Through his leadership roles as chairman, CEO, and chief software architect, he guided the company to dominate the personal computer software market. His strategic business decisions and product innovations were key to this success.

What is known about Bill Gates’ family?

Bill Gates was born to William and Mary Gates. He has two sisters, an older sister named Kristianne and a younger sister named Libby. Gates was married to Melinda French Gates, with whom he shares three children named Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe.

What are some noteworthy philanthropic contributions by Bill Gates?

Bill Gates is a prominent philanthropist. Through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he has donated billions to health, education, and poverty relief. His foundation has supported efforts to fight diseases like malaria and polio and improve education and sanitation worldwide.

What milestones marked Bill Gates’ early life and career?

Bill Gates showed an early interest in computers. He started programming at 13. He met Paul Allen in high school, and they later formed Microsoft. Gates attended Harvard University but left to focus on Microsoft, which would become a technology giant.

What is the educational background of Bill Gates?

Bill Gates attended Harvard University in 1973. Though he left before completing his degree, he later received several honorary degrees for his contributions to technology and philanthropy. His time at Harvard was crucial in fostering his skills and interests in computing and software development.

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Warren buffett once went to china with bill gates — and lived on burgers, fries, and cherry coke.

Warren Buffett's junk food diet threatened to ruin his trip to China in 1995, a biography explains.

Bill Gates and his family made sure the investor was served his favorites: burgers, fries, and soda.

Buffett toured a local Coca-Cola plant and rushed to McDonald's when they arrived in Hong Kong.

Warren Buffett is a fast-food fanatic who eats McDonald's for breakfast, munches on See's Candies, devours Dairy Queen ice cream, and guzzles five cans of Coke daily.

The investor's unusual diet meant his 17-day trip to China in 1995 was a terrifying leap out of his culinary comfort zone, a biography explains. Luckily his close friends, Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates and his then-wife Melinda, went to great lengths to ensure he wouldn't starve.

Author Alice Schroeder tells the story of the Berkshire Hathaway CEO's vacation in her biography of him: "The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life."

Before departing, the Gateses invited Buffett to complete a questionnaire about what he liked to eat. Wary of a repeat of the 15-course sushi dinner he suffered through in 1989, during which he didn't take a single bite, the billionaire wrote: "I don't eat any Chinese food. If necessary, serve me rice and I'll just move it around on my plate, and I'll go back to my room afterward and eat peanuts."

Burgers, fries, and soda

The first test came when Buffett sat down for a grand Sichuanese dinner in Beijing's Palace Hotel during his first night in China.

"Waiters placed course after course on the rotating platters: tea-smoked duck, twice-cooked pork with chili sauce, spicy chicken, and Sichuan hot pot," Schroeder writes.

Fortunately for the picky eater at the table, the Gateses had arranged for the tour company to dispatch people beforehand to instruct the hotel's chefs how to prepare hamburgers and fries.

"To his delight he was served course after course of his french fries —even for dessert," Schroeder reported.

The group went sightseeing the next day. When they stopped at restaurants for lunch and dinner, Buffett was again served burgers and fries while the others chowed down on Chinese food.

Moreover, on the third day of the trip, when the party summited the Great Wall , Buffett found Cherry Coke waiting for him while the others enjoyed Champagne.

In between gulps, Buffett cracked a joke about the Wonder of the World beneath his feet: "Boy, I sure would have liked to have been the company that got the brick contract for this thing."

True to form, Buffett declined a martial arts lesson the next morning, opting for a tour of the nearest Coca-Cola plant instead.

Schroeder's book also said that the touring party later rented Chairman Mao's personal train and tracked the Old Silk Road through northwest China. They rode camels in the desert, marveled at ancient architecture, observed giant pandas, and saw the Terracotta Army . During a scenic private cruise, Buffett, Gates, and Gates' dad played bridge.

The Berkshire chief may well have enjoyed some of the country's fantastic sights and experiences. But he was clearly hungry for home comforts by the time the tour concluded in Hong Kong.

"Buffett towed the Gateses straight to McDonald's to buy hamburgers in the middle of the night," Schroeder wrote.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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Warren Buffett Went To China With Bill Gates Once — And Didn't Eat Chinese Food

Zinger key points.

• Warren Buffett's Chinese expedition once turned into a fast-food saga with burgers and fries on the menu.
• Bill and Melinda Gates went the extra mile to ensure Buffett's comfort.

Warren Buffett , the fast-food enthusiast and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. , embarked on a unique culinary journey during his 17-day trip to China in 1995, courtesy of his close friends, Bill Gates and Melinda Gates .

What Happened : The Gateses ensured that Buffett’s dietary preferences were well catered to during the trip. They coordinated with the tour company to instruct hotel chefs on how to prepare Buffett’s favorite meal: burgers and fries.

Buffett, known for his unconventional diet that includes McDonald’s for breakfast, See’s Candies, Dairy Queen ice cream, and five cans of Coke daily, found his trip to China a significant deviation from his usual eating habits, according to Business Insider.

In her biography of Buffett, “The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life,” author Alice Schroeder writes, “To his delight he was served course after course of his French fries — even for dessert.”

According to Schroeder, before leaving for China, the Gateses asked Buffett to fill out a questionnaire detailing his food preferences. Remembering a challenging 15-course sushi meal in 1989 where he ate nothing, Buffett cautiously responded, “I don’t eat any Chinese food. If necessary, serve me rice and I’ll just move it around on my plate, and I’ll go back to my room afterward and eat peanuts.”

Also Read: This Is How Much Warren Buffett’s Company Missed Out On By Dumping Costco Stock In 2020

“Waiters placed course after course on the rotating platters: tea-smoked duck, twice-cooked pork with chili sauce, spicy chicken, and Sichuan hot pot,” Schroeder wrote in the book.

Buffett’s culinary adventure in China also included burgers and fries at restaurants during sightseeing. On reaching the Great Wall on the third day, Buffett was greeted with Cherry Coke, while the rest of the party enjoyed Champagne.

At the conclusion of the tour, Schroeder notes, “Buffett towed the Gateses straight to McDonald’s to buy hamburgers in the middle of the night.”

Why It Matters : This anecdote highlights the lengths to which the Gateses went to ensure Buffett’s comfort during the trip. It also underscores Buffett’s well-known love for fast food, which is an integral part of his daily routine.

This trip was a significant departure from his usual dietary habits, but it seems that with the help of his friends, Buffett was able to enjoy his favorite meals even in another country.

Now Read: Warren Buffett’s Success Mantra: ‘The Amount You Are Loved Is The Ultimate Measure Of Success In Life’

This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo: Shutterstock

© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Billionaire Investor Bill Gates Has 87% of His $45 Billion Portfolio in Just 5 Stocks

• The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust is the repository for stocks destined to fund Gates' charitable work.
• Most of the trust's largest holdings have a long history of strong and increasing dividend payouts.
• These dividend payments provide a steady stream of additional income to fund the trust's charitable aims.
• Motley Fool Issues Rare “All In” Buy Alert

NASDAQ: MSFT

While Gates holds positions in dozens of companies, just five represent the vast majority of his portfolio.

While some billionaires would rather avoid the spotlight, Bill Gates is cut from a different cloth. He is best known as the co-founder and former CEO of Microsoft ( MSFT -1.30% ) , which he ran for a quarter of a century, but has cemented his place in history for his philanthropic and charitable work.

Gates is currently worth $131 billion (as of this writing), making him the world's ninth richest person, according to Forbes . However, in a pact made with Warren Buffett, Gates signed The Giving Pledge and says he eventually plans to give away "virtually all" of his wealth to charitable causes.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (soon to be The Gates Foundation) is the vehicle created to support those charitable ventures. Its stated goal is "to create a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life."

To that end, the foundation has paid out nearly $54 billion since 2000, in its bid to take on "the toughest, most important problems," including disease and poverty around the globe.

The foundation's trust holds stakes in dozens of companies in its portfolio, but 87% is made up of just these five stocks.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Microsoft: 35%

Investors shouldn't be surprised that Microsoft stock is the trust's top holding, especially since Gates established the foundation with a large portion of his personal holdings. The Gates Foundation has roughly 36.5 million shares worth $15.47 billion.

But this isn't your grandfather's Microsoft. Beyond the company's legacy operating system and software, its Azure Cloud is the No. 2 cloud infrastructure provider and is growing faster and taking share from its cloud rivals.

Further boosting the results is Copilot, the company's artificial intelligence (AI) powered digital assistant, which is deeply integrated across Microsoft's products and services. Analysts at Evercore ISI calculate that generative AI could produce incremental revenue of $143 billion by 2027.

The trust gets reliable income thanks to the dividend Microsoft has paid consistently since 2004 while boosting its payout yearly since 2011. The seemingly paltry yield of 0.71% is a function of robust stock price gains of 226% over the past five years, far outpacing the 87% gains of the S&P 500 . Furthermore, its payout ratio of less than 25% ensures there's plenty of room for dividend growth in years to come.

2. Berkshire Hathaway: 16%

The trust's second-largest holding is Berkshire Hathaway ( BRK.A -0.45% ) ( BRK.B -0.28% ) , thanks in large part to billionaire CEO Warren Buffett's promise to donate his vast fortune to charity. In the 16 years ended in 2022 (the last time details were provided), Buffett's contributions totaled $36 billion. As a result, the trust currently owns more than 17.3 million Berkshire shares in a stake valued at nearly $7.1 billion.

Berkshire Hathaway's business interests -- which include 67 subsidiary companies and stock holdings in more than three dozen others  -- provide instant diversification, which makes it an attractive investment vehicle until the funds are needed. Last year, Berkshire generated revenue that grew 20% year over year to $364 billion and net income of $97 billion.

Furthermore, with a record $189 billion in cash and equivalents on its balance sheet, Berkshire is as rock-solid as it gets.

Last year set a record for Berkshire's portfolio of insurance companies, including National Indemnity, GEICO, General Re, Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance, and Alleghany. In Berkshire's year-end missive, Buffett said these companies "performed exceptionally well last year, setting records in sales, float, and underwriting profits." In all, its insurance subsidiaries accounted for 40% of Berkshire's operating income of $37 billion.

This underscores why Berkshire stock remains among Gates' largest holdings.

3. Waste Management: 16%

Another thing that Buffett and Gates have in common is an appreciation of boring companies with predictable, recurring businesses. It's hard to find a business that fits this description better than waste, trash, and garbage removal -- and no one is bigger than Waste Management ( WM 0.32% ) . One man's trash is another man's treasure, or so the saying goes, which is likely why the Gates Trust has more than 35.2 million shares worth $7.1 billion.

Refuse and recycling collection are the mainstays of its business, which continues regardless of the economy. This helped the company deliver robust results and higher margins despite the recent downturn.

Waste Management is also looking to expand. The company recently announced its intention to acquire medical-waste services provider Stericycle for $7.2 billion. This will help the company extend its reach in environmental solutions.

Its solid and reliable dividend is a boon to the trust. Waste Management has boosted its payout for 15 consecutive years, with a current yield of 1.5%. And with a payout ratio of less than 47%, there's plenty of room for those increases to continue.

4. Canadian National Railway: 15%

Gates and Buffett also share an appreciation for railroads. When Berkshire Hathaway acquired Burlington Northern Santa Fe in 2009, Buffett made a compelling case, saying railroads transported goods "in a very cost-effective way ... they do it in an extraordinarily environmentally friendly way ... [releasing] far fewer pollutants into the atmosphere."

Given their long association and similar views, it isn't surprising that the Gates Trust would own 54.8 million shares of Canadian National Railway ( CNI 0.12% ) worth nearly $6.97 billion.

Canadian National holds the distinction of being the only transcontinental railroad in North America, connecting the Pacific Coast, Atlantic Coast, and the Gulf of Mexico. Furthermore, railroads are four times more fuel efficient than over-the-road trucks, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 75%. Despite recent weakness, the improving economy and increasing volume in rail traffic bode well for the company's long-term success.

Canadian National also pays a dividend with a solid track record, with continuous payments since 2011. It has a current yield of 1.9%, and its payout ratio of 38% is the definition of sustainable, with a great deal of upside potential.

5. Caterpillar: 5%

The trust's fifth-largest holding is another iconic business. As the world's leading provider of construction and mining equipment, Caterpillar ( CAT 1.72% ) has been weighed down in recent months by an uncertain economy.

However, the company's strength lies in the diversity of its business lines, which also include industrial gas turbines, diesel-electric locomotives, and diesel and natural gas engines. The Gates Trust holds more than 7.3 million shares valued at more than $2.4 billion.

While Caterpillar's sales are currently flat year over year, cost controls are boosting margins, helping increase its profitability.

Let's not forget Caterpillar's strong dividend history, which helps augment the trust's returns. The company has paid a dividend every year since it was formed in 1925, a quarterly payout every year since 1933, and increases every year going back 30 years. The dividend has a current yield of 1.6%, and with a payout ratio of just 23%, there's plenty of opportunity for more increases.

Danny Vena has positions in Canadian National Railway and Microsoft. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Berkshire Hathaway and Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends Canadian National Railway and Waste Management. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .

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The real reason Bill and Melinda Gates' daughter Phoebe graduated from Stanford early

The youngest of the microsoft founder's three kids with the philanthropist finished college in three years.

Bill Gates and Melinda French's daughter Phoebe Gates ' graduation from college was extra special — and extra impressive!

On June 15, the youngest of the former couple's three kids said goodbye to Stanford University as she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology.

And as if such a major isn't already impressive enough, she completed her entire college career in just three years , for a very sweet, sentimental reason.

As Phoebe graduated, her mom Melinda wasn't there just as a proud mom, but she was also the commencement speaker for the 2024 graduating class. Phoebe, giving Nylon a glimpse into the special day, shared of her efforts to graduate early: "I knew I had to make it happen if I could, because I wanted to watch my mother deliver this year's commencement speech as a graduate."

"Graduating early to watch her deliver this was a dream come true," she added, noting: "I can't think of a better ending!"

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Phoebe also had her dad Bill by her side, in addition to her boyfriend Arthur and childhood best friend Izzy, and after graduation, they all continued celebrating with a party Phoebe herself was hosting.

"It's the end of one chapter, and beginning of another, and it was such a privilege to have this time with our family and friends to celebrate this," she shared.

MORE: Melinda French Gates hints at 'someone new' as she details 'hard' Bill Gates divorce

MORE:  Melinda Gates makes ultra rare appearance with son Rory at White House State dinner

During the graduation fête, Melinda gave another, more personal speech, and her daughter further gushed: "She's such an inspiration, and I am so thankful for all of her care and support!"

The Microsoft founder, who split from the philanthropist in 2021 after 27 years of marriage , followed suit, and Phoebe added: "Dad delivered some laughs… he saved the dance moves. So grateful to have my parents by my side on this day."

MORE:  Melinda French to resign from foundation started with ex-husband Bill Gates with $12.5 billion exit deal

In addition to Phoebe, Melinda and Bill are also parents to daughter Jennifer Gates , 28 — who recently finished medical school and welcomed her first baby with husband Nayel Nassar — and son Rory John Gates , 25, who graduated from the University of Chicago in 2022.

MORE:  Bill and Melinda Gates' youngest daughter Phoebe dazzles in rhinestone dress for star-studded night out

With college now behind her, Phoebe is now focusing on further developing her budding fashion venture Phia, which she founded with her best friend and former roommate Sophia Kianni . Last year, the two partnered with acclaimed British designer Stella McCartney to create a limited edition capsule bag collection in honor of the Women's Tennis Association and to promote Phia, however little is still known about what the venture is, other than it being a digital fashion platform described on its Instagram as the "future of fashion."

"Phia is still under wraps, but my co-founder, Sophia and I are excited to roll it out this year, and are full-steam ahead with it," Phoebe shared, and teased: "For now you can follow along on our Instagram and TikTok, where we give our [behind-the-scenes]."

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Phoebe Gates Graduates College — and Gives Parents Bill and Melinda a Shout-Out: 'So Grateful'

Phoebe Gates just graduated from Stanford University and parents Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates were there — her mom was even the commencement speaker!

Kristin Zwiers

Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates recently had a special family moment to celebrate: their youngest child graduated from college!

Phoebe Gates , 21, graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Science in human biology on June 15. Even more impressive? It only took her three years to earn her degree, according to Nylon .

Making the day that much more special was the fact that French Gates wasn't just there as a proud mom, but as the commencement speaker .

“I knew I had to make it happen if I could, because I wanted to watch my mother deliver this year’s commencement speech as a graduate,” Phoebe told the outlet. “I can’t think of a better ending!”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In her graduation diary for Nylon , Phoebe also shared several photographs of her father — who "delivered some laughs" on the big day — as well as boyfriend Arthur Donald , one of Paul McCartney's grandchildren.

"So grateful to have my parents by my side on this day," the graduate, who is already using her voice to have important conversations , including about a women's right to make decisions about their own body, captioned one sweet snap.

In her speech, French Gates opened up about the important role Stanford has played in her family's history.

"Stanford has always held a special place in my family’s heart," the philanthropist said. "My dad, Ray French, received a scholarship to study mechanical engineering here in the 1960s. While he worked on his masters degree, my mother, Elaine French, supported them with her job at a bottled water company. On nights and weekends, she was my dad’s lab assistant."

"Today, my mom and dad are back on campus for a very special occasion: To watch their granddaughter Phoebe graduate from the university that changed my Dad’s life," she added, going on to note that her oldest daughter Jennifer — who recently graduated from medical school — also earned a degree at Stanford, as did Jennifer's husband, Nayel Nassar .

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As her speech continued, French Gates addressed the graduates, sharing that this was just one of the "enormous" transitions they'll have to face in their lifetime, something she knows all about.

"For me, those included starting my career at Microsoft. Losing one of my best friends to cancer. Falling in love. Having children ," she said. "Starting my work on behalf of women and girls. Ending a marriage and partnership of almost 30 years. And, very recently, making a major career shift ."

"In each case, there was a moment when I felt like the big wave, terrified that life as I knew it was about to be over. But I always made it to the next day. So will you," she added.

The Gates family celebrated another graduation earlier this summer when Jennifer graduated from medical school on May 11. Following the ceremony, her parents wrote touching tributes in the comment section of her own Instagram post .

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"What you have achieved today — and every day leading up to it — is a tremendous accomplishment, @jenngatesnassar. I’m so proud of you for finishing medical school, and I can’t wait to watch you take this next step into residency,” Gates wrote. "Your patients will be lucky to call you doctor.”

Added her mom, "Can’t wait to see where your next chapter takes you."

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Meet Bill and Melinda Gates' Gen Z daughter Phoebe, a Stanford graduate and activist who's dating Paul McCartney's grandson

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

Phoebe Gates , 21, is the youngest daughter of Bill and Melinda Gates.

She has over 240,000 followers on TikTok, where she posts about her life and passions.

The Stanford graduate has her eye on a career in fashion and is dating Paul McCartney 's grandson.

As one of the richest people in the world, Bill Gates is a household name, and now we're getting to know his youngest daughter, 21-year-old Phoebe, too.

Through her social-media pages, Phoebe Gates has been sharing her life with her hundreds of thousands of followers, from her stances on national issues to videos of bubble-tea dates with her dad.

With parents like Bill and Melinda Gates , it's no surprise that she appears to be an overachiever: This month, she graduated from Stanford University after wrapping up her degree in three years. She's already teased the release of her sustainable fashion tech platform, has attended fashion weeks around the globe, and has become an outspoken social activist. Oh, and she's dating Paul McCartney's grandson.

Here's what we know about her life and interests based on what she's shared on TikTok.

Phoebe Gates is the youngest daughter of Bill and Melinda Gates.

Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates, who married in 1994 and divorced in 2021, have three children: Jennifer, 28, Rory, 25, and Phoebe, 21. The children all went to Seattle's Lakeside School , a private high school their father also attended, and are now on different trajectories.

Jennifer is a decorated equestrian who just graduated from medical school, while Rory is a congressional analyst, according to a 2023 Puck report. While her brother stays out of the spotlight, Phoebe is sharing her life online, and has ambitions in the fashion industry.

The three Gates children will inherit at least some of their parents' wealth: Bill Gates has said he plans to leave them "only" $10 million each.

"I definitely think leaving kids massive amounts of money is not a favor to them," Gates said in a 2013 Reddit "Ask Me Anything." "Warren Buffett was part of an article in Fortune talking about this in 1986 before I met him, and it made me think about it and decide he was right."

Today, nearly five decades after cofounding Microsoft, Bill Gates has a fortune of about $134 billion, according to Forbes . He left Microsoft's board in 2020 — although is still reportedly "intimately involved" at the company — and has remained focused on the Gates Foundation, which he once ran with French Gates . She also  became a billionaire following their divorce.

She shares glimpses of her parents on her social media pages, which have accumulated hundreds of thousands of followers.

As of June 2024, Phoebe Gates has 424,000 followers on Instagram and 244,000 followers on TikTok.

A day after posting a video of her sharing bubble tea with her dad in October 2023, she gained over 59,000 TikTok followers, according to analytics website Social Blade .

"Father-daughter bubble tea time," read a caption under the TikTok post.

In the clip, which has received 16.7 million views on TikTok and uses "As It Was" by Harry Styles as a backing track, Phoebe sits opposite her billionaire father as they both poke straws into cups of bubble tea and smile at one another overlooking a Manhattan skyline.

Bill Gates has made appearances on other creators' TikTok accounts in the past, often participating in math or art challenges, although he does not have an account himself.

Gates just graduated from Stanford University, and she has previously vlogged about her college life.

In an interview with the sustainable fashion brand Reformation, which Gates promoted on her Instagram page in March 2023, the billionaire's daughter said she was majoring in human biology at Stanford University.

She has previously showcased her dorm room and filmed vlog-style updates about her life at college. In one clip posted in December 2022, she filmed herself riding a bike to a stats class, later showing herself making a very student-esque pasta dish for dinner.

In June 2024, she graduated after just three years, Nylon reported. At the ceremony, her mom, Melinda Gates, gave the commencement speech.

Phoebe Gates blogged her day for Nylon, sharing that she celebrated the milestone with a party attended by her mom and dad.

"So grateful to have my parents by my side on this day," she wrote.

She is passionate about sustainable fashion and is pursuing entrepreneurial opportunities in the industry.

On TikTok, Gates has previously posted about attending fashion week in Copenhagen and New York. She has also shared informational clips about sustainable fashion and promoted buying secondhand clothes.

According to Vogue , Gates is co-launching her own fashion platform, called Phia, with her fellow Stanford student and roommate Sophia Kianni (pictured above left). The outlet reported that it has already landed a partnership with fashion house Stella McCartney for a bag collection that will celebrate women in tennis.

Gates has become an outspoken social activist.

One of the topics Gates has frequently addressed on her TikTok page is reproductive health and advocating for abortion rights.

She has previously posted clips of herself speaking about access to contraception at events , including Goalkeepers , hosted by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

In a video she shared in December, her mother asked her why she was an advocate for reproductive health.

"I think for me, coming for age in this country, our generation has been put in a spot where a lot of times we feel quite a bit powerless," Phoebe Gates said. "You know, not having the freedom to make choices about your own reproductive health, your own ... your very own body."

She also spoke out on TikTok against the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022.

In the summer of 2022, she also posted clips that she said were from a trip to Rwanda with the healthcare nonprofit Partners in Health, saying she learned about the country's healthcare system.

She appears to be following in her mom's footsteps, calling her an "inspiration."

The 21-year-old activist appears to be taking after her parents, especially her mother, who has advocated for access to birth control around the world for many years.

While Bill Gates appears in only a few of her TikToks, her mom has been featured much more prominently on her account.

Phoebe Gates has posted several snippets on TikTok that show her discussing access to contraception with Melinda.

"So you're a huge advocate for contraceptives. I mean, you've always hammered this into me since I was a child, about deciding for my body and having body autonomy," Phoebe Gates said in a clip posted in January 2023, where Melinda talked about the importance of access to family planning.

In an on-screen caption on a TikTok post from September 2022, Gates referred to her mother as her "inspiration."

She is dating Paul McCartney's grandson, Arthur.

In her June 2024 graduation diary for Nylon, Gates shared photos of herself with her boyfriend, Arthur Donald. Alongside one of the images, she joked that he "cleans up nicely," while in another, he carried her on his back.

Donald, 25, is the oldest of Paul McCartney's eight grandchildren, People reported. He is the son of the Beatles' star's daughter Mary and her ex-husband, Alistair Donald.

He grew up in London and attended Yale University, according to People. He is an investor at the Collaborative Fund, a venture capital firm "for entrepreneurs pushing the world forward," according to its website .

Gates and Donald were also pictured together at the premiere of "Feud: Capote vs. The Swans" held in New York City in January.

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