French Gates says she is "immensely proud" of the work of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the decision to step down as co-chair was not easy. Her last day is June 7.
Melinda French Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is funding efforts to elect more women to public office through her company, Pivotal Ventures.
"After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage," the couple wrote in a joint statement.