It appears love is in the air for another of the world's richest men. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates was spotted celebrating the engagement of fellow billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez on August 2, and was joined on the luxury yacht by his reported girlfriend Paula Hurd.
The 67-year-old businessman got divorced from his former wife Melinda Gates in August 2021, and is believed to have been seeing Paula, 60, since sometime in 2022.
But just who is the glamorous woman who was seen partying in his company on Wednesday? HELLO! explores all there is to know about Paula Hurd below…
Who is Bill Gates' reported girlfriend Paula Hurd?
Paula Hurd is a 60-year-old former tech industry sales and alliance management worker at the NCR Corporation. She worked there for 17 years, after studying marketing at the University of Texas at Austin.
© Getty ImagesWhile working at NCR, Paula met Silicon Valley executive Mark Hurd, and the two married in 1990. She and the Oracle co-CEO remained together until Mark's death aged 62 following a short period of ill health, believed to have been cancer.
What does Bill Gates' reported girlfriend Paula Hurd do?
According to Paula's LinkedIn page, she now works as a "developer and organizer of memorable mid- and large-scale event experiences for personal, corporate and charitable occasions." Her philanthropic pursuits have been clear to see ever since she married Mark, as the two worked together much like Bill and his ex-wife Melinda used to do on several charitable causes, fundraising, and training campaigns.
© Getty ImagesMORE: Inside Bill Gates' $127m mansion amid divorce from wife Melinda
Mark was an alumna of Baylor University, Texas, and the former pair had a welcome center at the college named after them due to their generous donations of millions of dollars to the school over the years. On her LinkedIn, Paula is currently listed as a 'philanthropist and community volunteer' with MPH Investments.
When did Paula Hurd and Bill Gates meet?
© Getty ImagesIt is unclear when Paula and Bill first met, although it seems the proud grandfather and fellow philanthropist were first seen together in late 2022. Sporting events are responsible for having brought the pair to public attention, such as when they were seen earlier in 2023 at the Australian Open in January, and when they were spotted in London attending the Laver Cup at the O2 Arena.
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Does Paula Hurd have children?
Yes, Paula has two grown-up daughters from her marriage to former HP CEO Mark: Kathryn and Kelly. Bill shares three grown-up children of his own with Melinda: Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe. It's unknown if any of the new pair's children have met their potential new step-parents just yet.
