William Henry Gates III, known as Bill Gates, is an eminent American businessman, software developer, investor, author, and philanthropist. He co-founded Microsoft, the software behemoth, with his childhood friend Paul Allen. Throughout his tenure at Microsoft, Gates served as chairman, CEO, president, and chief software architect. He was also the company's largest individual shareholder until May 2014. A key figure in the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s, Gates has been an influential force in technology.

Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Gates established Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1975. He held his position as chairman and CEO until January 2000, when he was succeeded by Steve Ballmer, yet he continued to play a vital role as chairman and chief software architect. His business strategies, particularly during the late 1990s, provoked controversy and were deemed anti-competitive by some, leading to various court rulings.

After transitioning to a part-time role at Microsoft in 2008, Gates devoted himself full-time to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, founded alongside his then-wife Melinda. The foundation is known as the world's largest private charity and has made significant contributions to global health and education. Gates's philanthropic efforts include an extensive vaccination campaign in the early 21st century, which helped eradicate the wild poliovirus in Africa.

In addition to his work with the foundation, Gates founded and chairs several companies, including BEN, Cascade Investment, TerraPower, bgC3, and Breakthrough Energy. He has committed to giving away at least half of his wealth to philanthropy through The Giving Pledge, an initiative he started with Warren Buffett. Despite some criticism of his foundation's involvement in certain initiatives like Common Core, Gates's influence on philanthropy and technology remains substantial.

Gates has consistently been listed among the world's billionaires by Forbes and is considered one of the wealthiest individuals on the planet. His estimated net worth as of January 2024 is US$140 billion. Gates's contributions to the personal computing industry and his ongoing philanthropic endeavors make him a prominent and respected figure in both the business and nonprofit sectors.