18. Bill Gates was at one point the richest man in the world but is working hard to be the most generous philanthropist on the planet
For almost two decades, Bill Gates was the undisputed richest man on the planet. While he might have now lost that title, he is arguably the world’s biggest philanthropist. Indeed, while Gates made his fortune in computer software, he is now equally as famous for his philanthropy work and his commitment to give away 99% of his personal wealth before he dies.
Gates, who was born in Seattle in 1955, stepped down as the chairman of Microsoft in 2014. He founded the company while barely out of his teens. He built it up into one of the world’s biggest companies, with its software used in home computers right around the world. Gates amassed a huge personal fortune. But in 2008, he set up the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with his wife. Its sole purpose is to use the money Gates made through Microsoft and other ventures to make the world a better place. Gates has also succeeded in encouraging other billionaires, most notably the investor Warren Buffet, to donate large portions of their fortunes to the Foundation.
Over the years, Gates has cited famous American philanthropists such as Carnegie and Rockefeller as influences. In particular, he has adopted their philosophy of ‘targeted philanthropy’. With his money, Gates focuses on health issues in particular. Gates has devoted huge amounts of money to research into infectious disease control, combating TB and preventing deaths from malaria and other diseases.
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