Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates are considering making changes to their foundation. Mark Suzman (Mark Suzman), CEO of the foundation, said on Thursday: "as I told the foundation staff last week, I am actively discussing with Bill and Melinda what they and Warren (Buffett) may take to enhance the foundation's long-term sustainability and stability."
No decision has been made, Suzman said, adding that Bill and Melinda "reaffirmed their commitment to the foundation and will continue to work together for our mission."
It was earlier reported that Bill and Melinda Gates were discussing the introduction of outside directors for the foundation. At present, the foundation has only three trustees: bill Gates, Melinda Gates and Buffett. Buffett has donated more than $27 billion to the Gates Foundation over the past 15 years.
For a foundation with a size of more than $50 billion, a three-member board is very small. The Ford Foundation is about 1/5 of the size of the Gates Foundation, and its board of directors has 15 members. The Rockefeller Foundation is only 1/10 the size of the Gates Foundation, and its board of directors has never been less than 12 members.
When the Gates announced their breakup earlier this month, a spokesman for the foundation said in a statement, "neither their role nor the foundation's plans have changed."
In the weeks after they announced their divorce, Gates' investment office, Cascade investment, made several share transfers totaling billions of dollars to Melinda Gates.