Warren Buffett critiques Bill Gates’ oversight of the Gates Foundation: Their friendship from early scepticism to collaborative philanthropy

Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ friendship began in 1991, thanks to Mary Gates, Bill’s mother. She encouraged Buffett to spend the July 4th holiday at Hood Canal, where the two first met. Initially, Gates was reluctant, referring to Buffett dismissively as a “stockbroker.” However, once they met, the two quickly formed a strong bond. Gates has since referred to their relationship as an “unbelievable friendship,” while Buffett humorously noted, “The moral of that is, listen to your mother.” Their friendship has been built on a shared love for bridge, business, problem-solving, and philanthropy, as reported by the New York Times.