William H Gates
American business executive and philanthropist; cofounder of Microsoft and chair of the Gates Foundation
| Bill Gates
| |
|---|---|
| Born | 28 10 1955 (age 71 years old (as of 2026)
) United States |
| Occupation | business executive and philanthropist |
| Known for | Cofounder of Microsoft; chair of the Gates Foundation |
| Education | Harvard University |
William H Gates (recorded in Federal Election Commission filings as William H. Gates III[1]), known as Bill Gates (born 28 October 1955) is an American business executive and philanthropist, cofounder of Microsoft and chair of the Gates Foundation.[2] On 20 October 2026 the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires list ranked Gates 17th in the world, with an estimated net worth of US$117.3 billion; Forbes gives the source of wealth as Microsoft.[3]
Background
Born 28 October 1955 in the United States.[2]
Education
Attended Harvard University; left to cofound Microsoft.[2]
Career and companies
Cofounded Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975; now chairman of the Gates Foundation. Has backed nuclear company TerraPower for nearly two decades.[2]
Forbes states in its current profile of Gates: "Gates, who's donated more than $63.9 billion to the Gates Foundation, announced in 2025 that the foundation will shut down in 20 years."[4]
How the wealth was made
Microsoft (stake now below 1%, Forbes estimates) and diversified investments.[2]
Wealth history
Forbes has included this person in its annual World's Billionaires list in 26 of the editions from 2001 to 2026 checked for this profile, starting with 2001. The table gives the rank and estimated net worth in each annual list, and, where applicable, the rank and estimate in the Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans.[5][2]
| Year | World's Billionaires rank | Net worth (US$ bn) | Forbes 400 rank | Forbes 400 net worth (US$ bn) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | – | – | 1 | 18.5 |
| 1997 | – | – | 1 | 39.8 |
| 1998 | – | – | 1 | 58.4 |
| 1999 | – | – | 1 | 85.0 |
| 2000 | – | – | 1 | 63.0 |
| 2001 | 1 | 58.7 | 1 | 54.0 |
| 2002 | 1 | 52.8 | 1 | 43.0 |
| 2003 | 1 | 40.7 | 1 | 46.0 |
| 2004 | 1 | 46.6 | 1 | 48.0 |
| 2005 | 1 | 46.5 | 1 | 51.0 |
| 2006 | 1 | 50.0 | 1 | 53.0 |
| 2007 | 1 | 56.0 | 1 | 59.0 |
| 2008 | 3 | 58.0 | 1 | 57.0 |
| 2009 | 1 | 40.0 | 1 | 50.0 |
| 2010 | 2 | 53.0 | 1 | 54.0 |
| 2011 | 2 | 56.0 | 1 | 59.0 |
| 2012 | 2 | 61.0 | 1 | 66.0 |
| 2013 | 2 | 67.0 | 1 | 72.0 |
| 2014 | 1 | 76.0 | 1 | 81.0 |
| 2015 | 1 | 79.2 | 1 | 76.0 |
| 2016 | 1 | 75.0 | 1 | 81.0 |
| 2017 | 1 | 86.0 | 1 | 89.0 |
| 2018 | 2 | 90.0 | 2 | 97.0 |
| 2019 | 2 | 96.5 | 2 | 106.0 |
| 2020 | 2 | 98.0 | 2 | 111.0 |
| 2021 | 4 | 124.0 | 4 | 134.0 |
| 2022 | 4 | 129.0 | 3 | 106.0 |
| 2023 | 6 | 104.0 | 6 | 111.0 |
| 2024 | 7 | 128.0 | 9 | 107.0 |
| 2025 | 13 | 108.0 | 14 | 107.0 |
| 2026 | 19 | 108.0 | 14 | 116.0 |
Philanthropy
On 8 May 2025 the Gates Foundation said it would spend more than $200 billion over 20 years and close in 2045.[6]
Foundation-level: the following private foundation figures are taken from the IRS Form 990-PF data published by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Total assets are as reported at the end of each tax year; "grants paid" is the 990-PF line for contributions, gifts and grants paid.[7][8]
| Foundation | Tax year | Total assets, end of year | Contributions, gifts and grants paid | Contributions received |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gates Foundation | 2023 | 76,951.5 | 7,200.6 | 7,797.5 |
| Gates Foundation | 2022 | 68,908.0 | 5,907.3 | 6,840.1 |
| Gates Foundation | 2021 | 54,953.1 | 4,116.9 | 6,239.5 |
| Gates Foundation | 2020 | 51,780.5 | 3,847.6 | 6,761.8 |
| Gates Foundation Trust | 2023 | 75,530.7 | 7,751.2 | 3,969.0 |
| Gates Foundation Trust | 2022 | 67,973.0 | 6,806.9 | 23,221.1 |
| Gates Foundation Trust | 2021 | 53,927.2 | 6,131.7 | 5,415.2 |
| Gates Foundation Trust | 2020 | 50,996.2 | 6,755.2 | 2,369.9 |
Listed as a Giving Pledge signatory.[9] Foundation-level: on 14 January 2026 the Gates Foundation said its board had endorsed a $9 billion annual payout, and that operating expenditure would be capped at $1.25 billion (about 14% of the budget). The release recalls that in May 2025 Gates, as chair, announced that the foundation would spend an additional $200 billion before closing at the end of 2045. The cap is to reduce the foundation’s headcount target of 2,375 positions by up to 500 by 2030.[10]
Political donations and public roles
Itemised contributions recorded by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Totals are lower bounds: only the top 100 records per name and cycle were retrieved, and memo entries are excluded. To avoid other people with the same name, only records whose employer field names the Gates Foundation, Gates Ventures, Breakthrough Energy or Microsoft are counted.[1]
| Cycle | Total (US$, lower bound) | Records | Largest recipient committees (as filed with the FEC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $475,300 | 115 | Lucas for Congress ($5,800); Diana DeGette for Congress ($5,800); Jeffries for Congress ($5,800); Garret Graves for Congress ($5,800) |
| 2024 | $379,800 | 92 | Friends of Chris Murphy ($6,600); Alaskans for Dan Sullivan ($6,600); Angus King for U.S. Senate Campaign ($6,600); Kaine for Virginia ($6,600) |
Lobbying by companies
Company-level: according to Issue One’s analysis of federal lobbying disclosures, Microsoft spent $10.1 million in 2025, 2% less than in 2024.[11]
| Company | 2025 spending | Change from 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Meta | $26.29 million | about 8% higher (record) |
| Alphabet | $16.62 million | nearly 12% higher |
| Microsoft | $10.1 million | 2% lower |
| Nvidia | $4.95 million | up from $640,000 |
| X | $720,000 | unchanged |
Controversies and legal cases
A WilmerHale review commissioned by the foundation (concluded July 2026) found its main engagement with Jeffrey Epstein in 2011–2014 involved two matters. It found no evidence that the foundation paid Epstein, or of knowledge of his criminal activities.[12] Company-level: on 3 April 2000, after the US District Court’s conclusions of law in the government’s antitrust case against Microsoft, the Attorney General said: “We are pleased that the Court agreed with the Department that Microsoft abused its monopoly power.”[13]
International and political links
This section uses the same ten headings for every profile in this series. Only specific, sourced actions are included; company-level and foundation-level actions are labelled as such. Where nothing was found, the entry reads "No documented involvement found in sources checked."
Israel (investments, operations, donations, contracts, statements)
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Zionist or pro-Israel organisations and lobbying groups
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Jewish communal charities
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Gulf states
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
China
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Russia
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
India
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Palestinian or Arab causes
Foundation-level: Gates Foundation grants of $2,000,000 to the United States Fund for UNICEF (May 2024) “to provide essential health support to civilian populations in Gaza” and $4,250,000 to International Medical Corps (November 2024) for maternal and newborn health, immunisation and disease surveillance in Gaza.[14][15]
Home government
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Other international links
No documented involvement found in sources checked.
Earlier Powerbase text (retained)
This section keeps text from the earlier version of this page, with its original citations. Where it conflicts with the sourced sections above (for example on current job titles), the sections above reflect sources accessed on 20 October 2026.
Bill H. Gates is chairman of Microsoft Corporation, the worldwide leader in software. Microsoft had revenues of US$44.28 billion for the fiscal year ending June 2006, and employs more than 71,000 people in 103 countries and regions.
On June 15, 2006, Microsoft announced that effective July 2008 Gates will transition out of a day-to-day role in the company to spend more time on his global health and education work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. After July 2008 Gates will continue to serve as Microsoft’s chairman and an advisor on key development projects. In his junior year, Gates left Harvard University to devote his energies to Microsoft, a company he had begun in 1975 with his childhood friend Paul Allen.
Microsoft has invested $6.2 billion on research and development in the 2005 fiscal year. [16]
See also
External links
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 U.S. Federal Election Commission, OpenFEC Schedule A (itemised individual contributions) query, contributor name "GATES, BILL / GATES, WILLIAM"; 2022 cycle shown in link, the 2022, 2024 and 2026 cycles were queried with the same parameters; top 100 records per name and cycle; compiler filtered by employer/occupation and excluded memo entries from totals U.S. Federal Election Commission, data as filed; queried 20 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Forbes, Forbes profile record for Bill Gates (Forbes data feed behind forbes.com/profile/bill-gates/) Forbes, live record, real-time timestamp 20 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Forbes, Forbes Real-Time Billionaires data feed Forbes, live; downloaded 20 October 2026 11:51 UTC, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Forbes, Bill Gates Forbes, profile last updated 15 September 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Forbes, Forbes World's Billionaires list data feed, annual editions 2001–2026 (one file per year at this path with the year substituted; all 26 files downloaded and read) Forbes, annual lists; downloaded 20 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Gates Foundation, On foundation's 25th anniversary, Bill Gates outlines … new timeline to spend-down by 2045 Gates Foundation, 8 May 2025, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Gates Foundation (EIN 56-2618866) – Nonprofit Explorer record with IRS Form 990-PF financial data ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, IRS filings as processed by ProPublica; accessed 20 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Gates Foundation Trust (EIN 91-1663695) – Nonprofit Explorer record with IRS Form 990-PF financial data ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, IRS filings as processed by ProPublica; accessed 20 October 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ The Giving Pledge, Pledger list The Giving Pledge, live page, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Gates Foundation, Gates Foundation Commits to Historic $9 Billion Annual Payout, Strengthens Stewardship to Maximize Mission Impact Through Closure in 2045 Gates Foundation, 14 January 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Issue One, Armies of Lobbyists Helped Big Tech Rack up Victories During First Year of Trump's Second Term Issue One, 21 January 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Gates Foundation, Gates Foundation Concludes External Review Gates Foundation, 21 July 2026, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ U.S. Department of Justice, Attorney General's Statement on Microsoft Conclusions of Law U.S. Department of Justice, 3 April 2000, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Gates Foundation, Committed grant INV-075297: United States Fund for UNICEF Gates Foundation, May 2024, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Gates Foundation, Committed grant INV-082341: International Medical Corps Gates Foundation, November 2024, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ Microsoft (2007) Board of DirectorsMicrosoft Website (accessed 30/01/07)