Melinda French Gates has released a book titled “The Next Day,” which explores significant transitions in her life, including her divorce from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, her departure from the $75 billion foundation they established together in 2000, and her journey into her sixties. French Gates shares these experiences and more, providing insight into navigating life’s unexpected changes.
In the book’s introduction, French Gates reflects on her experiences, noting the inevitability of encountering various transitions, some anticipated and others unforeseen. Her latest publication was inspired by a commencement speech she delivered at Stanford University, which focused on handling life’s unpredictable paths. During an interview with Fortune, French Gates acknowledged the abundance of thoughts she had regarding transitions, which motivated her to author the book.
In “The Next Day,” French Gates openly discusses personal topics, revealing her mixed emotions about the end of her nearly three-decade marriage to Bill Gates in a chapter entitled “Distill Your Inner Voice.” She describes her deep love for Bill, her commitment to their family life, and her sense of duty to the foundation they commenced together. She candidly addresses her concerns about altering their long-envisioned future and the potential repercussions of their split, both personally and professionally. Before publicly announcing their separation in May 2021, the couple informed Warren Buffett, a friend and significant benefactor of their foundation, underscoring his substantial financial contributions that exceeded $39 billion over the years.
“The Next Day” is French Gates’s second book, marking a shift as her first work predominantly autobiographical. It includes narratives on her experiences as a mother and the loss of a close friend. She expressed a necessity to discuss her divorce, feeling that not doing so would seem disingenuous given the book’s focus on transitions.
French Gates has also shifted her philanthropic focus, leaving the Gates Foundation in June 2024 to concentrate on Pivotal, an organization she founded in 2015. Pivotal is dedicated to advancing women and families through investment and advocacy. She emphasized her adaptive approach in achieving the organization’s goals, acknowledging the need for flexibility in response to changing geopolitical and economic landscapes. French Gates highlights that her full-time commitment to Pivotal represents her first opportunity to direct an organization independently, influencing her leadership style.
Her leadership has evolved to be more introspective and open to vulnerability, a shift she attributes to her increased control over the organization’s resources. French Gates is now more open about her personal experiences, including her struggles with panic attacks. She described these as signals of a misalignment between her mind and emotions, recognizing their prevalence among peers.
“The Next Day” concludes with French Gates expressing optimism about emerging from her challenging journey, asserting that even amid darkness, the potential for new beginnings quietly emerges. This narrative was originally published on Fortune.com.
