Bill Gates has spent years transforming his public image from Microsoft’s combative co-founder to one of the world’s most prominent philanthropists. At one point, the billionaire was ranked as the world’s most admired man in a YouGov survey, ahead of figures such as the Dalai Lama and Pope Francis.
However, a report by The Wall Street Journal reveals that Gates’ carefully crafted public image has begun to shatter following the release of documents related to his ties with late convicted sex offender.
Gates asked not to attend Microsoft CEO summit
Such is the hit to his image that Gates was reportedly even snubbed from Microsoft’s annual CEO Summit. While Bill Gates hasn’t been a majority shareholder in the company for a while, Microsoft is still the company he started with high school buddy Paul Allen and perhaps the most telling example of how his fortunes have taken a hit following the news of his involvement with Epstein.
Notably, the annual CEO Summit is an event with which Gates has traditionally been associated, and he usually hosts a dinner for attendees at his Washington home. However, weeks ahead of the event in May, Gates’ team received information from that it would be better not to do so this year.
“While it didn’t work out this year, we’ve already extended an invitation for Bill to attend the CEO Summit next year,” a Microsoft spokesperson told the publication.
Meanwhile, was also reportedly sidelined from Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting this year, marking the first time in decades that the billionaire did not attend the fixture in Omaha.
The report notes that Gates wasn’t “barred” from attending the meeting but was instead advised by some people not to attend.
There has also been a cooling of ties between Gates and Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett. The Oracle of Omaha had been one of the biggest supporters of the Gates Foundation, where he pledged to make annual gifts throughout his lifetime and served as a trustee until stepping down in 2021 following Bill and Melinda Gates’ divorce.
He later told the Journal in 2024 that the would not receive any money after he dies.
During a March interview with CNBC, Buffett also revealed that he had not spoken with Gates since the release of the latest batch of Epstein-related files and that he wanted to see what additional information emerged before making his annual decision on giving to the foundation in late June.
Notably, this is not the first such snub for Gates this year. The Microsoft co-founder was set to deliver a keynote address at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi in February.
He had already arrived in India for the summit, first going to Vijayawada and then to Mumbai before finally coming to Delhi for the keynote. However, days before the event, Gates’ name vanished from the key attendee list on the summit website, and Indian government officials confirmed that his invitation was being reviewed following his name appearing in the latest Epstein files.
Gates was reportedly at the Oberoi hotel in Delhi while waiting to receive word on whether he should attend a dinner with PM Narendra Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron, and other business leaders and government officials.
However, Gates’ team was later informed that it would be better if he didn’t attend the summit since the heightened news cycle surrounding his Epstein ties would distract from the event’s focus on AI.
“After careful consideration, and to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities, Mr. Gates will not be delivering his keynote address,” the Gates Foundation had then said.