Bill Gates makes $4.6 billion pledge - five% of his overall fortune

Enlarge Image Bill Gates recently made his largest donation to charity since 2000.                  James Martin  CNET
Enlarge Image Bill Gates recently made his largest donation to charity since 2000. James Martin CNET
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15 August, 2017

The American billionaire, founder of Microsoft, bill gates made the largest donation to charity in 2000.

Bill Gates has made what has been tagged his largest donation since the turn of the century with the giving away of 5 per cent of Microsoft Corporation shares worth $4.6 billion as reported in Securities & Exchange Commission filing released on Monday.

Since 1994 Mr Gates, 61, and his wife Melinda have given away a total of $35bn in cash and stocks to a range of charitable causes.

The recipient of this very big gift is unspecified in the regulatory filing, but if past practice holds, it's likely the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, helping to fuel the philanthropy's work in US education and global health.

In 1996, Gates had a 24% stake in Microsoft, but following his donation in June, that has fallen to just 1.3%.

In 2000, the businessman who co-founded Microsoft in 1975, gave away more than $20 billion worth of shares, according to Bloomberg calculations. Bloomberg notes that the most prolific philanthropist has put the money in his own Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, whose work is focused on reducing inequalities around the world, improving health care and alleviating extreme poverty.

If Gates continues to gift shares like he has in the past, then he could reduce his stake in Microsoft to zero in 2019.


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