Book: Bill Gates' Leadership Instills Fear, Created 'King's Court-Like' Atmosphere At Foundation

A recent book alleges that the leadership style of Bill Gates at his philanthropic foundation has created a climate of fear among its employees.

What Happened: Anupreeta Das, a finance editor at The New York Times, writes that Gates’ intense work ethic, which was a hallmark of his tenure at Microsoft Corporation, has continued at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The foundation, established in 2000, had an endowment of $75.2 billion as of December 2023.

Billionaire, Nerd, Savior, King: Bill Gates and His Quest to Shape Our World paints a picture of a fearful environment within the foundation, largely due to Gates’ intimidating intellect, his celebrity status, and the lack of shareholders or stakeholders.

Meetings with Gates are likened to a king holding court, with employees nervously preparing for possible questioning, Fortune reports.

"What comes through about Gates for many is the fear he inspires for a number of things," Das wrote.

“A combination of factors terrifies those who work for him. rom the fact that his foundation operates without shareholders or stakeholders, to his intimidating brilliance and fame, to the arrogant behavior he exhibited at Microsoft,” she said. 

Das wrote in that meetings were usually held in a large room. "Strict etiquette was followed. One former senior executive who participated in many of the meetings said they had the feel of a king holding court, as though Gates were Louis XIV and the employees were courtiers bowing and scraping before him in Versailles, hoping to earn their ruler's favor," she wrote.

Also Read: New Book Claims Bill Gates Was Banned From Being Alone With Interns At Microsoft

One former foundation employee told Das, "He's the scariest person in the world to provide a recommendation or briefing to."

"He scans a page and comes back at you saying something like, ‘What you say in the footnote on page 9 does not match with the footnote on page 28,’" the employee added.

"The low hum of fear was a constant presence inside the foundation. Fear could be instilled from just one email from Gates asking about a grant application or for a task to be done,” she wrote in the book.

"There might be as many as 100 emails among employees — after taking [Gates] off the chain — trying to decipher what he meant, why he meant it, and how they should follow through," Das wrote.

However, Gates Ventures, Gates’ personal office, has dismissed these allegations, arguing that the book relies heavily on hearsay and anonymous sources, and includes sensationalized claims and outright lies.

The Gates Foundation responded to the allegations by highlighting its 25-year history of partnering with others to save and improve millions of lives globally. A spokesperson stated that the foundation remains committed to addressing the most daunting challenges in global health and development.

Despite the high-pressure work environment, many Gates Foundation employees continue to hold Gates in high regard for his significant contributions to the tech and philanthropy sectors.

Why It Matters: The allegations in Das’ book could potentially impact the reputation of the Gates Foundation, which has been a major player in global health and development for over two decades.

The foundation’s work and Gates’ leadership have been widely respected and admired, and these allegations could potentially cast a shadow over its achievements.

However, the foundation’s response and the respect Gates continues to command among many employees suggest that it will continue its mission undeterred.

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This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.