Who Is Paula Hurd, Bill Gates's “Serious” Girlfriend?

Paula Hurd has recently become the public partner of Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft. In a recent interview, Gates referred to Hurd as his "serious girlfriend," expressing how grateful he is for their relationship. At 62, Hurd has become a central figure in Gates's life since his divorce from Melinda French Gates in 2021.

Background and Career

Paula Hurd holds a degree in business administration from the University of Texas at Austin, where she graduated in 1984. Following her education, she launched a career in sales and alliance management with National Cash Register (NCR), a leader in enterprise technology. Today, she is known for planning and organizing large-scale corporate and charitable events.

Personal Life: Marriage to Mark Hurd and Charitable Contributions

Paula was married to Mark Hurd, the former CEO of Oracle and Hewlett-Packard, for nearly 30 years. They shared a family with two daughters, Kathryn and Kelly, until Mark’s death in October 2019. Together, they were known for their significant philanthropic efforts, particularly in the fields of education and healthcare. One of their major contributions was to Baylor University, Mark's alma mater. The couple’s generosity led to the creation of the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center and the Hurd Tennis Center. More recently, Paula made a generous $7 million donation to Baylor’s Basketball Pavilion, which features the Mark and Paula Hurd Floor.

Relationship with Bill Gates

Paula’s relationship with Bill Gates first became public in February 2023, although they had been seen together at several high-profile events beginning in September 2022. The couple made their first official red carpet appearance together at the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony in April 2024. Later, in mid-2023, speculation about their engagement surfaced when Paula was seen wearing a ring, but a representative for Gates confirmed the ring had been in her possession for years.

Paula and Bill Gates have attended several elite events together, including the engagement party of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez in August 2023. In July 2024, Paula joined Gates and his family at the Paris Olympics. Gates also wrote about Paula in his memoir Source Code, further emphasizing the importance of their relationship.