[imagesource:instagram]

In May 2021, Bill Gates and his wife of 27 years, Melinda French Gates, shocked the world with news of their divorce.

It later emerged that Bill had had an affair with a staffer 20 years ago, with Melinda widely reported as saying, “I just realised I couldn’t trust what we had”. Melinda reportedly walked away with $76 billion in the settlement after their divorce was finalised in August 2021.

When asked in a post-split BBC interview whether he would find love again, Bill answered simply, “Sure, I’m not a robot”. And so it goes, with Paula Hurd catching the eye of one of the richest men on the planet.

The first time a connection between Paula and Bill can be traced, per Luxury Launches, is when they both attended the BNP Paribas Open in California in October 2021, although they were not seated together then.

Bill Gates, 67, and Paula Hurd, 60, were photographed together at the Australian Open in January. Are they getting engaged soon ? pic.twitter.com/YXZ4ZusiJ0

— Hashim (@abdulhashim96) July 20, 2023

Then, the two lovers of tennis were photographed seated next to each other at the Laver Cup at the O2 Arena in London in September 2022. A few months later, in January 2023, they reunited at the Australian Open.

In February, it was widely reported that the couple were dating and that their relationship was “known” to those close to them and business associates.

The, the internet was abuzz when images went viral of Paula wearing a ring on her engagement finger while out with Bill in New York City in July. While the bling immediately sparked speculation, a representative of Paula confirmed to People magazine that she has had the ring for “decades” and it does not “symbolise an engagement”.

A spokesperson for the Microsoft co-founder, confirmed that the ring on Paula Hurd’s finger is hers and not an engagement ring from Bill Gates as rumors surfaced after Hurd was photographed wearing a piece of jewelry on her ring finger while out with Gates in New York City. pic.twitter.com/nZufeTyHqj

— Funny News Hub (@Funnynewshub) July 18, 2023

However, this has not thwarted rumours that Gates and Hurd’s relationship is rather serious:

Bill Gates and girlfriend Paula Hurd have lunch date with the billionaire’s kids https://t.co/b1ghORdgV6 pic.twitter.com/8FgzGFN7D3

— Page Six (@PageSix) July 18, 2023

Paula is no stranger to being in a relationship with high-profile men, having been formerly married to the CEO of the software company Oracle, Mark Hurd, for nearly 30 years. Sadly, Mark died in 2019, having taken a leave of absence a month before he passed away because of cancer, reportedly.

Mark, a respected businessman who has been credited with turning embattled companies around, was also the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard. His estimated net worth was US$70 million at the time of his death, according to Ncesc.

Paula’s background is also in tech and business. She held various positions in sales and management at the software company NCR, before becoming the vice president of services, leading a global team to manage strategic partnerships.

While Bill has three children – Jennifer, Phoebe and Rory – Paula had two daughters together with Mark – Kathryn and Kelly.

Just like Bill, she is also really into tennis:

Hurd and her late husband were also avid tennis fans, and she eventually became the chairperson for the Universal Tennis Foundation. She also sponsors the annual Hurd Tennis Awards, which aim to support university players as they transition into the world of pro-tennis.

And philanthropy:

Together, the couple built the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Centre in 2018 and also donated US$7 million to a basketball pavilion. These acts extended her philanthropic role at the university and extended her reach to support many other organisations.

Bill must be pleased to find another match made in heaven.

[source:luxurylaunches]