(GNB Desk)- Microsoft Corp. board members decided that Bill Gates needed to step down from its board in 2020 as they pursued an investigation into the billionaire’s prior romantic relationship with a female Microsoft employee that was deemed inappropriate, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Bill Gates’s 2020 resignation from Microsoft’s board of directors came after the board hired a law firm to investigate a romantic relationship he had with a Microsoft employee, according to new reporting from the Wall Street Journal.
A private law firm was hired by Microsoft’s board of directors to investigate a decades-old “intimate relationship” Bill Gates had with a company employee. The investigation took place in the months before the billionaire resigned from the board last year, a company spokesman confirmed on Sunday.
In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, a spokesperson for Gates said, “There was an affair almost 20 years ago which ended amicably. Bill’s decision to transition off the board was in no way related to this matter. In fact, he had expressed an interest in spending more time on his philanthropy starting several years earlier.”
The spokesperson also pointed to a March 2020 statement regarding his decision to resign from the board.
Earlier this month, Melinda Gates — Bill Gates’ wife and co-founder of their foundation — filed for divorce. In a statement announcing their split, the couple said, “after a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage.”
Bill Gates is one of the richest people in the world. His net worth was $144 billion as of today, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index ranking.
A global media for the latest news, entertainment, music fashion, and more.
[stock_ticker symbols="" show="" number_format="" decimals="" static="" speed="" class=""]
[tdn_block_newsletter_subscribe title_text="Subscribe to our newsletter" description="U2lnbi11cCUyMGZvciUyMEZSRUUlMjBkYWlseSUyMEdsb2JhbCUyME5ld3MlMjBicmVhayUyMGFsZXJ0cyUyQyUyMGFuZCUyMG5ld3NsZXR0ZXJzLg==" input_placeholder="Your email address" btn_text="Subscribe" tds_newsletter2-image="1818" tds_newsletter2-image_bg_color="#c3ecff" tds_newsletter3-input_bar_display="row" tds_newsletter4-image="1819" tds_newsletter4-image_bg_color="#fffbcf" tds_newsletter4-btn_bg_color="#f3b700" tds_newsletter4-check_accent="#f3b700" tds_newsletter5-tdicon="tdc-font-fa tdc-font-fa-envelope-o" tds_newsletter5-btn_bg_color="#000000" tds_newsletter5-btn_bg_color_hover="#4db2ec" tds_newsletter5-check_accent="#000000" tds_newsletter6-input_bar_display="row" tds_newsletter6-btn_bg_color="#da1414" tds_newsletter6-check_accent="#da1414" tds_newsletter7-image="1820" tds_newsletter7-btn_bg_color="#1c69ad" tds_newsletter7-check_accent="#1c69ad" tds_newsletter7-f_title_font_size="20" tds_newsletter7-f_title_font_line_height="28px" tds_newsletter8-input_bar_display="row" tds_newsletter8-btn_bg_color="#00649e" tds_newsletter8-btn_bg_color_hover="#21709e" tds_newsletter8-check_accent="#00649e" embedded_form_code="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" tds_newsletter="tds_newsletter1" tds_newsletter1-input_bar_display="" tds_newsletter1-title_color="#595959" tds_newsletter1-input_bar_border_radius="5" tds_newsletter1-check_size="15" tds_newsletter3-all_border_width="100" tds_newsletter3-all_border_style="" tds_newsletter3-check_size="15" tds_newsletter3-title_color="#1763d6" tds_newsletter3-border_radius="5" tds_newsletter3-btn_bg_color_hover="#ed4802" tds_newsletter1-input_border_color="#999999" tds_newsletter1-btn_bg_color="#fe9900"]
