Seattle, WA – Tech billionaire Bill Gates has officially confirmed his relationship with Paula Hurd, calling her his “serious girlfriend.” In a rare and candid interview, the 69-year-old Microsoft co-founder shared that the couple is enjoying their time together, attending major events like the Olympics, and embracing new experiences.
Since his high-profile divorce from Melinda French Gates in 2021, Gates has largely kept his personal life out of the public eye. Reflecting on his 27-year marriage, he acknowledged its ups and downs but emphasized the joy of raising three children and their shared philanthropic work.
Who is Paula Hurd?
Hurd was married to Mark Hurd, the CEO of software company Oracle and the onetime boss of Hewlett-Packard, for nearly 30 years, until his death in October 2019.
She studied business in college
She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1984, per her bio on Baylor University’s website.
She used to work in the tech industry
After college, Hurd embarked on a decades-long career in sales and alliance management at the software company NCR (National Cash Register). The corporation is a top enterprise provider of software, hardware and services for banks and retailers.
Now, Paula works as a developer and organizer of a wide range of “memorable” event experiences for personal, corporate and charitable occasions, according to her LinkedIn bio.
She’s a philanthropist
Hurd and her late husband contributed to various causes and led numerous fundraising campaigns over the years. As a longtime donor to her late husband’s alma mater, Baylor University, she helped the school’s Give Light Campaign reach its $1 billion mark with a generous $7 million donation in 2021. The school opened a welcome center named for the couple in September 2023.
“Our family is absolutely thrilled with the Hurd Welcome Center,” Hurd said in a Baylor University press release. “When we made this gift, Mark had a vision for how a welcome experience could transform this corner of campus, and the outcome has by far exceeded our expectations and dreams. I know he would be proud.”
The fundraising campaign was described on Baylor’s website as one seeking “to further activities that provide an ‘unambiguously Christian education environment;’ create transformational undergraduate education experiences; boost the impact and visibility of Baylor’s research and scholarship; and foster nationally recognized arts and athletics programs, according to Baylor’s foundational pillars.”
She has two daughters
Hurd is a mom to two children, daughters Kathryn and Kelly, whom she shares with her late husband.
As Gates approaches his 70th birthday, he credits his parents for shaping his outlook on life and success. Their encouragement, he says, played a crucial role in his journey from a tech visionary to a global philanthropist.
