With Bill Gates and Melinda Gates divorce news another name appears.
Beach Residence a Love Nest?
A Time magazine profile from 1997 has resurfaced wherein an arrangement between Bill and Melinda Gates caught attention.
It said Melinda Gates allowed Bill Gates to spend long weekends annually with Ann Winblad after their marriage.
Gates and Winblad spent their long weekends at Gates' beach cottage on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
According to the New York Post, the property has been a "retreat" site for the "beach lovers" over the past years. Property records revealed that Winblad is a trustee of the residence.
Photos obtained by the Post show the property has three levels - an upper level deck for sunbathing, a private walkway leading to the beach, outdoor showers, a deck on the lower level and a comfy-looking living room.
Winblad is Bill Gates' former flame. Gates dated her from 1984 to 1987. Despite their breakup, they remained close and the business mogul said he even consulted Winblad when it was time to pop the question to Melinda.
Winblad: My Net Worth Was Higher At One Point
In a 2005 interview, Winblad said there was a point when "my net worth was higher than his" and during that period, the technology business owner said she paid "for everything."
Winblad later explained in a 2013 interview that she loved Bill's confidence and admired the now 65-year-old's commitment to doing his best in achieving his goals.
Winblad's revelation that she once had a higher salary than was unsurprising for many observers as the former director at several Silicon Valley companies has had quite a good run in the business tech world.
In her LinkedIn profile, Winblad's listed experiences included Marketwire, Star Analytics, Liquid Audio, MuleSoft, Net Perceptions, Hyperion and several others. She is currently a founding partner at Hummer Winblad Venture Partners.
What An Expert Thinks Of The 'Arrangement'
Psychology professor at Michigan State University, William Chopik, said that from what the public knows about the "arrangement," the relationship "resembled a strong friendship."
Chopik, who is director of MSU's Close Relationships Labs, said if the relationship between Gates and Winblad was "platonic," it could set the stage for a peaceful and amicable relationship with Melinda Gates after divorce proceedings.
