4,600,000,000 is the sum in US dollars that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has recently given, without any fanfare, to charity.
The news was first announced by Bloomberg on Tuesday, with documents filed at the US Securities and Exchange Commission later confirming that the transfer of funds had taken place two months previously. Representing around 5% of Gates’ overall fortune, this donation reduces his remaining stake in Microsoft to 1.3%.
The recipient has not been named, but is expected to be the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Established in 2000, the foundation seeks to fight extreme poverty and promote health, education and development. It awards grants to UN organisations, NGOs and academic institutions. The Gates Foundation was already the world’s wealthiest private charity by quite some distance, even before this latest boost to its finances.
Gates, 61, was briefly overtaken last month as World’s Richest Person by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos thanks to a surge in the online retailer’s share price. He has now regained his place ahead of Bezos, Amancio Ortega, the owner of clothing brand Zara, investment guru Warren Buffet, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim.
Photo: Steve Jurvetson 
