Founder of Microsoft and the richest man of the world in years 1996, 1998-2006, William H. Gates was not always well known celebrity such as today. Skinny, shy and clumsy teenager didn't look like more successful than his parents. His father, tall and strong man, was excellent lawyer in Seattle, his mother worked in executive position for charity organization, United Way. In spite of Bill's physical disadvantages, he showed great skills and abilities in the field of mathematics and logic. Young Bill wasn't born leader, not even future billionaire, who would have most important role in American economy.

Bill attended state elementary school. In the age of twelve, he signed in private Lakeside Junior High School. Following year, he wrote his first program, while it was still a time of enormous whole-room computers. Later on he and his friend Paul Allen wrote a program for his school. Together they establisher a company called Traf-O-Data, which analyzed city traffic.

After High School, Bill decided to became a lawyer like his father and thats why he went to Harvard Univerzity, which he couldn't finish because of his work. At that time, shy and timid Bill rarely attended any party unless his friend Stave Ballmer, who was later named the chief executive officer of Microsoft, invited him.

One day in December 1974, Allen, who worked in Honeywell near Boston, showed Bill Altair 8800, computer manufactured by M.I.T.S. and told Bill that they can create "Basic", elementary programming language for Altair.

After successful presentation at M.I.T.S., Bill got a contract for programming languages. They both moved to New Mexico and established Microsoft company. Even thought their first five clients bankrupted soon, Microsoft bumbled through and in 1979 company moved to Seattle. Following year, representatives of IBM asked Bill whether he could create an operating system for their first computer. Bill and Allen bought QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System) for $50 000 from another company, renamed it to MS-DOS, reprogrammed and licensed for IBM. Personal computers were showed to the world in 1981. Some part of license fees for operating system earned Microsoft and that should ensure survival for couple of years.

Microsoft continued in focusing on software market, creating some customer programs such asi Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. In 1986, when stocks of Microsoft were publicly tradeable, Bill happend to be a 31 year old Billionaire. Following year, company placed first Windows on the market, in 1993 they sold Million copies monthly. Windows 95 was sold even better, in first six months users bought seven Million copies. Microsoft software became so ever-present that antitrust government agencies, known as competition regulators started long investigation.

In 1995, company focused on the Internet support. While some of their effort including Microsoft Network and its' Web didn't succeed. Nevertheless Microsoft beat competition in the field of internet browsers and Internet Explorer took over Netscape and became number one on the market. In the meanwhile, Bill had himself built large home and married with marketing manager of Microsoft, Melinda French. At the same time, they established charity organization which controls few Billion dollars. Those money are used for support of prevention of infectious diseases, improving healtcare and support of education.

In November 1999, court render preliminary decision of Microsoft antitrust. Shortly after decision, Bill left chief executive position and became software architect and his former position took Steave Ballmer. Court judged that Microsoft should split in two companies - one developing Operating system and second working on office programs. Bill claimed that those limitations were not viable solutions. Later court overturned its' decision and company was not to be divided.

With 54 Billion dollars was Bill Gates not only the richest American Citizen, but also richest man alive. Even thought he lost 9 Billion dollars year earlier, his position was unshakable. In 2001, Co-founder of Microsoft, Paul Allen was third richest American right after Warren Buffet.

In 2007 Bill had about 56 Billion dollars, according to the Forbes magazine.

Bill was dethroned from pole position of richest man on the world ladder by businessman Warren Buffett. Bill said that he doesn't skimp so much anymore, unlike Warren. In 2008 Bill decided to leave Microsoft and devote his work to charity.

He and his wife Melinda have three children, daughters Jennifer (1996) and Phoebe (2002), and son Rory (1999).