LSIPR 50 2016: Bill and Melinda Gates

Names: Bill and Melinda Gates

Organisation: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Positions: Co-chairs and trustees

Bill Gates is undeniably best known for being the co-founder of Microsoft, one of the world’s largest computer technology companies. But aside from his technical endeavours Gates, who is regularly named among the planet’s wealthiest people, is also one of the biggest philanthropic donors.

In 2000, he and his wife Melinda set up the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and it is the organisation’s work in the life sciences and healthcare industry that has cemented its nomination in LSIPR Top 50. The primary aims of the foundation are to reduce global poverty and, as a by-product of this, it has also undertaken plenty of initiatives in the healthcare industry.

The foundation has a global health programme team that oversees work to improve health conditions in developing countries. Among its initiatives are efforts in research and development of health solutions, including vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics; attempts to deepen engagement and partnership initiatives with industry sectors; and providing technical expertise in drug and diagnostic development.

On protecting intellectual property the foundation has stressed the need for a “pragmatic approach”. It says IP should be managed in a way that ensures global access while also providing incentives for future potential private sector participation.

The foundation says: “We challenge partners to formulate sustainable strategies for ensuring that the product reaches our target beneficiary markets … we encourage partners to consider IP assets arising from the foundation-funded project in terms of how they might create incentives for all the parties along the value chain.

“Effective management of IP to achieve global access still allows for commercial opportunities and formation of unique and powerful collaborations,” it adds.

(Image: ©Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation / Prashant Panjiar)