Billionaire Buddies: The Friendship of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett

They are two of the world’s richest people, and they have promised to give away their fortunes

By Emily Glazer and Dave Cole
Updated June 21, 2022
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Warren Buffett and Bill Gates built two businesses, Berkshire Hathaway and Microsoft, that made them among the world’s richest people. Though 25 years apart in age, the two have become close friends. Mr. Gates sat on Berkshire’s board for about 15 years. Mr. Buffett promised to give much of his fortune to the Gates Foundation. Here is a look at their relationship over the years.

Their friendship dates back to the 1990s when Mr. Gates was the world’s richest person and Mr. Buffett wasn’t far behind. The two self-made billionaires would play bridge and shared a love for American cuisine.

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Mr. Buffett influenced the software prodigy’s business philosophy, and Mr. Gates influenced the veteran investor’s philanthropy. Mr. Buffett has said he disdains inherited wealth and described it as winning the “ovarian lottery.”

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Both men have pledged to give away most of their fortunes. Mr. Gates has said his friendship with Mr. Buffett spurred him and Melinda French Gates to create their own philanthropy in 2000.

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The two men have often traveled to visit each other in Omaha and Seattle, and have appeared together at public events, such as a basketball game in Las Vegas in 2008.

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Mr. Buffett attended Microsoft events, such as its 2003 CEO Summit, but never served on its board. He said in 2018: “It just would be a mistake for Berkshire to buy Microsoft” given any perceived conflict of interest from his friendship with Mr. Gates.

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Mr. Gates joined the board of Berkshire Hathaway in 2004 following the death of Mr. Buffett’s first wife, Susan. He would often attend the company’s annual meeting in Omaha, such as in 2012 when he played ping pong.

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In 2006, Mr. Buffett pledged 85% of his Berkshire holdings to the Gates Foundation. His gift – then worth $30 billion – doubled its endowment. He said Mr. Gates and Ms. French Gates had built a charity that could put his money to work quickly.

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In 2010, the Gateses and Mr. Buffett launched the Giving Pledge to get the world’s richest people to donate most of their wealth. More than 200 people, including Elon Musk and MacKenzie Scott, have since pledged more than $600 billion.

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Around the same time, Mr. Buffett and Mr. Gates traveled together to China to visit some of Berkshire’s investments in the country, such as Dairy Queen. They also met with some of China’s billionaires to discuss philanthropy.

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In 2020, Mr. Gates resigned from the boards of Berkshire and Microsoft, saying he wanted to spend more time on his philanthropy. The following year, he and Ms. French Gates divorced, and Mr. Buffett resigned from the Gates Foundation board.

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Produced by Dave Cole

Cover image: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images