Bill Gates Opens Up About His ‘Serious Girlfriend’; Who Is Paula Hurd?

New Delhi: Four years after his separation from Melinda French in 2021, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has found love again and is in a relationship with Paula Hurd.

Gates had shared with The Times, London last month that at 69, he’s feeling “more cheerful” than ever before.

In a recent interview, Gates spoke about his relationship with Paula for the first time.

“I’m lucky to have a serious girlfriend named Paula. We’re having fun, going to the Olympics, and enjoying many great things,” he told Today Show.

Although this is the first time Gates has publicly mentioned Paula, the couple has frequently been seen together at high-profile events, from 2022. They were spotted at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s grand pre-wedding celebration in Jamnagar. The couple has since then made several joint appearances, including at the 2024 Olympics. Gates and Hurd share a love for tennis and have been seen attending these events together.

The widow of former Oracle CEO Mark Hurd, Paula has been dedicated to philanthropy for over 20 years, focusing on education and healthcare initiatives. Paula and Mark, who passed away in 2019, have two daughters.

Throughout her career, Paula significantly contributed to fundraising efforts for various non-profit organisations.

Paula has been mentioned in Bill Gates’ memoir ‘Source Code’, which was released on February 4. In the book’s acknowledgements, Gates thanked her for being one of the early readers of his manuscript.

The memoir explores Gates’ early years, detailing his childhood and the early stages of his career, including the years after co-founding Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975.

As per Moneycontrol, during an appearance on Today Show, Gates discussed the experience of reflecting on his past in Source Code.

“This year, I turn 70, Microsoft turns 50, and so I thought, OK, I should share what luck I had to have amazing parents, you know, the way they let me go out and hike and try new things. I was just unbelievably lucky, and, you know, that’s why Microsoft ended up being so successful,” he said.