Do CEO trends make you roll your eyes? You’re in good company, if so. One of the most powerful figures in philanthropy, Melinda French Gates, recently cut through the noise in an interview with Vanity Fair . Dismissing the supposed valor of executives who fill sleepless nights with work, French Gates calls the phenomenon “so dumb.
” In shrugging off the CEO all-nighter, French Gates is also railing against the larger machismo and puritan ethos that praises at least pretending to work oneself to the bone. This past spring , French Gates left the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which she ran for more than 20 years with ex-husband and Microsoft founder Bill Gates. Departing with $12.
5 billion under her wing, French Gates tweeted that it was time for her to move into the “next chapter” of her philanthropic journey. On her own, French Gates has wasted no time in carving her distinct path. She immediately donated $1 billion to women’s rights and reproductive rights groups, backed a presidential candidate for the first time, and called out other billionaires like Elon Musk for what she described as their lack of philanthropic efforts.
That’s all to say: French Gates isn’t holding back. And when it comes to men who say they don’t sleep, she’s not shy about sharing her thoughts. Whether it be their ego or sleep deprivation, these men aren’t necessarily all that great to share a room with, French Gates tells Vanity Fair .
Herself aiming for seven or eight hours .