Gates Ventures

History

2008: At an interview with Bill Gates, they asked about preferences in porn, storing nude photos on the phone and sexually transmitted diseases

At the end of June 2023, it became known that women interviewed in employment at the personal office of Bill Gates Gates Ventures (the company was founded in 2008) were asked sexual questions.

The Wall Street Journal spoke about the peculiarities of hiring the founder of Microsoft, referring to information received from the candidates themselves and persons familiar with the hiring process. It is said that women were asked frank questions that were not directly related to their professional qualities. In particular, candidates were asked if they had extramarital affairs, if they had nude photos on smartphones and what porn they preferred. Some applicants said that they were also asked about "money dancing" and sexually transmitted diseases.

Bill Gates

It is known that the consulting firm Concentric Advisors was engaged in the selection of staff for Gates Ventures. It was her employees who asked inappropriate questions to women candidates. At the same time, a spokesman for Gates says that the hiring process "is carried out with the utmost respect for each candidate." Gates Ventures also notes that they are not aware of such interviews.

According to sources in The Wall Street Journal, interviewers tried to collect information about candidates that could later be used to blackmail people who interact closely with Gates. Representatives of Concentric Advisors deny claims that sexual questions were asked for interviews for female candidates. The consulting firm says security checks carried out by the company assess the candidate's "veracity and vulnerability to blackmail." At the same time, Concentric Advisors emphasizes that the interview protocols are drawn up in full compliance with American laws.^[1]

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