Throughout their marriage, Melinda and Bill Gates worked together on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has given away $77.6 billion in global aid.

Melinda French Gates recently opened up about how her career has changed since her 2021 divorce from Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft. In an interview with Vanity Fair, she shared her thoughts on how her work is now getting recognized on her own merits, rather than being seen as just an extension of her former husband’s success.

“I have noticed a big change in how people see me since the divorce,” Melinda French Gates said. “When I get a meeting now, I know it’s because of my own work and achievements, not because of who I was married to. It’s different from before, and honestly, it feels really good.”

Melinda Talks About Professional Bias and Challenges

Throughout their marriage, Melinda and Bill Gates worked together on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which has given away $77.6 billion in global aid. Despite their joint efforts, Melinda often felt that people assumed she had less to contribute just because Bill Gates was a well-known figure in technology. “People used to assume that I didn’t know as much about philanthropy because of Bill’s fame,” she explained. “It was frustrating because we had been working together in this field for nearly 25 years.”

She recalled having to actively make her voice heard in meetings to overcome these assumptions. “I would speak first to make sure that people would listen to me,” she said, describing herself as someone who had to push for recognition in discussions.

Melinda also reflected on how their professional relationship evolved over time. According to a recent biography of Bill Gates by Anupreeta Das, Gates was known for interrupting Melinda in conversations during their early years. “He would often cut me off, and it would leave me feeling quite frustrated,” Melinda said. However, she noted that by the later years of their partnership, the dynamic had shifted. “In the last few years at the foundation, I started stopping him if he talked too much, and he learned to accept that,” she added.

Melinda Continues Philanthropy Work Even After Divorce

Even after stepping down from the Gates Foundation in May 2024, Melinda French Gates continues her commitment to philanthropy. She now leads Pivotal Ventures, a company she founded in 2015, which focuses on social progress, especially for women and families. Her new approach in this role emphasizes trusting her partners and letting them define what success looks like for their projects.

Warren Buffett, a long-time friend of the Gates family, has praised Melinda for her vision and insight. “Melinda is smarter than Bill when it comes to seeing the bigger picture,” he said. Buffett himself stepped down as a trustee of the Gates Foundation shortly after Melinda and Bill’s divorce.