Who is Paula Hurd? Bill Gates 'reportedly' dating Oracle chief Mark Hurd's widow, friend says 'they're inseparable'
MEDINA, WASHINGTON: Bill Gates has reportedly been dating Oracle CEO Mark Hurd's widow Paula Hurd for over a year. According to a friend of the rumored duo, "they’re inseparable," and “they’ve been together for 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.”
The 67-year-old Microsoft co-founder and 60-year-old co-CEO come under the same circle of connections and have also met during tennis matches before the death of Mark. The now-rumored couple were photographed together in 2015 while they sat in the same box at a tennis tournament.
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Who is Paula Hurd?
Paula Kalupa, who was born in 1962 in Michigan, belongs to mixed ethnicity. In 1984, she graduated in Marketing from the University of Texas. She is an American businesswoman who started her professional career at the technology company NCR from the year 1984 to 2001. According to Hurd's LinkedIn profile, she was an event planner and consultant at Club 127 and is also a philanthropist.
Her husband Mark Hurd died in October 2019 at the age of 62 reportedly after a long battle with cancer. At the time of his death, the businessman had an estimated net worth of $500 million, Page Six reported.
Mark had to leave the computer and printmaker Hewlett-Packard which he ran from 2005 to 2010 following the sexual harassment scandal. A month after his exit, he joined Oracle. Paula and her late husband shared two daughters, Kathryn and Kelly.
Paula Hurd and Bill Gates' rumored romance
In January 2023, Gates, who has a net worth of $106 billion, was seen with Paula at the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia, while the duo watched the Men’s Singles Final together. Rumors of their romance strengthened after they were spotted in the Aussie city as they were walking together. However, she was not identified at the time.
Why did Melinda and Bill Gates divorce?
Gates, one of the richest men in the world, who was married to Melinda, 58, for nearly 27 years, finalized their separation in August 2021, according to Page Six. The business magnate and his now-ex-wife share three children, Phoebe, 20, Rory 23, and Jennifer, 26.
In May 2022, Bill revealed on the Today show that in his marriage to Melinda, he has caused pain. However, he refused to reveal further details relating to their divorce. Bill later confessed that more than 20 years ago, he had an affair with a Microsoft employee. He made the confession amid his divorce.