William Henry “Bill” Gates III

Bill Gates is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, programmer and billionaire. He co-founded Microsoft in 1975 with Paul Allan. Microsoft became the biggest computer software company in the world while Bill Gates became one of the richest people in the world, and the number one richest person in the world for most years between 1995 and 2014. He was first listed as one of the world’s richest people by Forbes in 1987. His wealth doubled between 2009 and 2014 to being around US$82 billion from US$40 billion. In the year between 2013 and 2014 alone his wealth increased by US$15 billion. Gates is known for using his considerable wealth charitably through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which was established in 2000.

Bill Gates is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, programmer and billionaire. He co-founded Microsoft in 1975 with Paul Allan. Microsoft became the biggest computer software company in the world while Bill Gates became one of the richest people in the world, and the number one richest person in the world for most years between 1995 and 2014. He was first listed as one of the world’s richest people by Forbes in 1987. His wealth doubled between 2009 and 2014 to being around US$82 billion from US$40 billion. In the year between 2013 and 2014 alone his wealth increased by US$15 billion. Gates is known for using his considerable wealth charitably through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which was established in 2000.
After studying the work of John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie, Bill Gates used the proceeds of selling some of his Microsoft stock to start the William H. Gates Foundation in 1994. In 2000 he joined forces with his wife and combined the foundation with another family foundation to form the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Gates has credited his generosity and exceptional philanthropy to being greatly influenced by David Rockefeller, who he met several times and he partially modelled the charity work that he does on how the Rockefeller family carry out charitable projects. Both families have an interest in tackling problems that are not addressed by governments on a global scale.
Another influence on Gates’ philanthropic efforts is the Salwen family. As described in The Power of Half, the family sold their home and gave away half of what it was worth.
In December 2010 Gates, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and eminent investor Warren Buffett signed a pledge in which the three committed to donate a minimum of 50% of their wealth to charity over time. According to Bill and Melinda Gates, they plan to eventually donate 95% of their wealth to charitable causes.