Bill Gates and His Girlfriend Share a Very Similar Background

A match made in heaven — literally. Who better to pair Bill Gates up with than a former tech executive and tennis aficionado?

Following his split with Melinda French Gates after 37 years of marriage in 2021, Bill wasn't shy about looking for love. When asked if he was open to romance again in a February 2023 interview with BBC, the Microsoft magnate replied, “Sure, I’m not a robot.” And it appears he found it! Read on to learn more about the woman Bill Gates has been dating.

Bill Gates is currently in a relationship with Paula Hurd, the widow of Oracle co-CEO Mark Hurd (her late husband died of cancer at age 62 in 2019). The couple was spotted together at the Laver Cup in London in September 2022 and again at the Men's Singles Final at the Australian Open in January 2023.

However, according to Daily Mail, Bill and Paula have been romantically linked for a while and are now “inseparable.” “They've been together over a year and she's always described as a 'mystery woman,' but it's no mystery to their inner circle that they're in a romantic relationship," one of their close friends revealed in February 2023.

This would indicate they began dating in early 2022.

Paula Hurd, who was reportedly born around 1962 or 1963, is the widow of Oracle co-CEO Mark Hurd. The couple shared two daughters, Kathryn and Kelly, during their marriage.

Before his death in 2019, Mark had also served as the chairman, CEO, and president of Hewlett-Packard and spent 25 years at a software company called NCR Corporation. His net worth was an estimated $500 million.

In 1984, Paula received her bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Texas at Austin. She followed in her late husband’s footsteps by working in sales and alliance management at NCR for 17 years. Per her LinkedIn profile, she worked as a consultant for a decade following her stint at NCR.

However, the former tech executive prioritizes philanthropy above all else. Paula and her late husband frequently donated hefty sums to Mark’s alma mater, Baylor University.

The couple’s shared interests stem beyond tech. Paula’s late husband, Mark, was a tennis scholar in college, and his love for the sport played a significant role in their marriage. Funnily enough, in 2015, Paula and Mark sat behind Bill at a California tennis match.

Now that Paula and Bill are dating, they’ve been spotted at several tennis matches together. From Melbourne to London, their tennis-fueled bond is well documented. In October 2021, they also attended the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif. However, they appeared to be sitting in separate rows.

Paula loves combining her philanthropic background with their favorite pastime. In 2022, she launched an initiative awarding $100,000 grants to aspiring tennis players at the BNP Paribas Open.

After pictures of Bill and Paula out to lunch in New York City with his and Melinda's children made the rounds in July 2023, some folks noticed Paula was wearing a gold ring on her ring finger. However, a spokesperson for Bill appeared to debunk the rumors by telling the Daily Mail that the ring "has belonged to her for decades."