Microsoft founder Bill Gates said he intends to give away 99% of his vast fortune over the next 20 years. Mr Gates quoted Mr Carnegie, who wrote: "The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced." Initially, he and his ex-wife Melinda had planned for the Gates Foundation to continue working for several decades after their deaths. Giving away 99% of his fortune could still leave Mr Gates a billionaire – according to Bloomberg, the Microsoft founder is the fifth-richest person in the world. The Gates Foundation is a donor to BBC Media Action, the BBC's charitable arm which is separate from the Corporation's news operations.