BY AGENCIES
WHILE the rest of the world's business elite concentrates on the economic turmoil in Davos, Bill Gates is focusing on something quite different.
Once the richest man in the world, the founder of Microsoft has taken on a second career in philanthropy and is trying to remind his compatriots of the importance of charity.
He has told Sky News he understands the importance of keeping the poor "foremost in our minds" amid fears over world economies. And he noted how easy it could be to "lose sight that there are people who are in even greater need."
The entrepreneur started the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with his wife in 1994, and has pledged to give away 95% of his wealth - currently estimated at $59bn (£37.9bn) according to Forbes.com - to charity.
"The first is we decided that it wouldn't be good for our children to have them born expecting large wealth. We want them to make their own career, make their own way just like we had a chance to do."
The Gates' then looked for a way to give it back to society.
"We were stunned to find out that in areas such as the malaria vaccine or AIDS vaccine, very little money was being spent.
"And so the kind of skills that I had developed in backing scientists at Microsoft and leading a new technology could be applied here where those most in need would benefit," he said.
"So it's really quite similar to what I did before except the beneficiary is quite different - it's not technology advances, it's the living conditions of those in most need."
Gates said the hours and travel in his second career were "every bit as intense" as his Microsoft days.
"I'm going to Africa and India, I'll go down to this World Economic Forum to meet with people about keeping the success stories foremost in people's minds so that these aid budgets will not be cut."
The businessman believes that if people understand what their aid has already accomplished they will insist on doing more.
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