Who is Philip Vaughn? All we know about Melinda French Gates' rumored new boyfriend

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Philanthropist Melinda French Gates was seen in New York City with Philip Vaughn, a tech entrepreneur and founder of Tavour, a craft beer delivery company, on April 16, 2025. This marks a continuation of their public appearances together, which commenced in October 2024.

Melinda was formerly married to Bill Gates, and the couple shares three kids. They made their divorce public in 2021 after quietly splitting up in 2020, claiming they could no longer grow together.


Philip Vaughn’s career background contributes to his low-key profile

Philip Vaughn has been in his profession for two decades. Vaughn began his professional path at Microsoft in 1999 by accepting multiple positions, including senior consultant, program manager, and group program manager.

He worked at Microsoft during that period to support Microsoft Sync Framework development, plus SQL Server Replication projects. The year after leaving Microsoft, Vaughn launched Raveable.com and worked as a counselor at Techstars before founding Tavour.

Philip launched Tavour from Seattle in 2013 as a delivery service connecting consumers to independent breweries operating in the United States. Tavour utilizes more than 600 brewery partnerships to reach funding of approximately $2.05 million.

Philip has spent his career dedicated to both innovative work and fostering independent business development. The experience he gained at Microsoft seemed to have established the basic groundwork for all his future entrepreneurial pursuits, through which he transferred his technical skills to new business sectors.


Melinda's public statements on her personal life

In recent interviews, Melinda French Gates has candidly discussed her journey following her divorce from Bill Gates in 2021. During an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, she stated,

"I am very, very happy."

She described her current relationship as "pretty great," though she has chosen to keep her partner's identity private. In her memoir, The Next Day, Melinda talks about the challenges of her 27-year marriage and the decision to end it, focusing on the position of living realistically and aligning with one's values.

She said that the absence of trust and honesty led to the dissolution of the marriage. Through therapy and self-reflection, Melinda French Gates steered through the emotional intricacies of the divorce, eventually finding a sense of peace and happiness in her new chapter.


Public appearances that have drawn attention

Gates and Vaughn have been seen together in New York City, pulling media attention. They were photographed arriving via helicopter and later dining at Le Bernardin, a well-known French restaurant.

During these visits, they were seen holding hands and sharing smiles. These public appearances have led to increased interest in their relationship; particularly as Melinda has stated happiness in her personal life.


Melinda French Gates and Vaughn have continued to make public appearances together, generating widespread interest. Though they’ve kept their relationship private, their visible connection has not gone unnoticed.

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Edited by Sangeeta Mathew