Reuters
Published May 17, 2021 07:16AM ET
Updated May 17, 2021 12:07PM ET
(Reuters) - Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) conducted a probe into co-founder Bill Gates' involvement with an employee almost 20 years ago after it was told in 2019 that he had tried to start a romantic relationship with the person, the company said on Monday.
Microsoft said it had received a concern in the latter half of 2019 that Gates "had sought to initiate an intimate relationship with a company employee in the year 2000," a Microsoft spokesman said in a statement.
"A committee of the Board reviewed the concern, aided by an outside law firm to conduct a thorough investigation. Throughout the investigation, Microsoft provided extensive support to the employee who raised the concern," the statement said.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Microsoft's board had decided that Gates' involvement with the female employee was inappropriate and he needed to step down in 2020, citing people familiar with the matter.
The Microsoft spokesman declined to comment on whether the board had decided Gates should go.
In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, a spokesman for Gates said his decision to leave the board of Microsoft had nothing to do with his involvement with an employee.
"There was an affair almost 20 years ago which ended amicably. Bill's decision to transition off the board was in no way related to this matter," the statement said.
"In fact, he had expressed an interest in spending more time on his philanthropy starting several years earlier."
A spokesman for the Gates Foundation told Reuters it stood by the statement to the paper.
The billionaire, who co-founded Microsoft in 1975 and served as its CEO until 2000, said in March 2020 that he was stepping down from the board to focus more on philanthropy.
Gates and his wife Melinda filed for divorce earlier this month after 27 years of marriage.
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.