Jap2Scrap

Anyone see this? Am torn between 'it's a good gesture for a man who donates millions to worthwhile causes every year' and 'it's a disgrace to honour someone responsible for some very underhanded tactics regarding putting small competitors out of business.'*

*allegedly

IWatkins

Tough call.

Of course, the only reason he donates so much cash to good causes or just buys up stuff (art work etc.) is so he doesn't need to pay tax on it all.

</cynic mode off>

midget1500

doesn't need to pay tax on it, ok, but then he doesn't get it at all if he gives it away!

no matter what you feel, his achievements are incredible and it's good to see that he gives something back.

ScoobyDriverWannabe

I watched a program on him a wile ago. Apparently when he dies his children will only receive like 1% of his money the rest will go to charity.
Fair enough the 1% is about 20 million but even to him that’s nothing.

I have also heard that he has one major problem that even he with all his money can’t cure. I forgot the name of it but he has some kind of illness that causes him to have really bad breath.

imi

Survival of the fittest...thats business.

I wonder who it was that actually said "divide and conquer"

dba

he is brilliant imo and fully deserves the award,he changed the world and has donated lots of lolly to charity

Vipa

I thought Knighthoods could only be given to Brits. I think it would be an honarary gesture but wouldn't be able to use the 'sir' bit!

Patt@firstime

Fair play to him for being so sucessful in what he does

How much is his estimated wealth then? Is that 2bn accurate?

Harry_Boy

It varies along with MS's share price...... Anything between $25bn and $60bn has been quoted in the past.

marky1

He can't be called Sir, only for brits, think he gets to put a few letters after his name i.e. Bill Gates KBE?

Patt@firstime

****

ScoobyDriverWannabe

i thought he was the 1st person to be worth more than $100 billion

Patt@firstime

****

Harry_Boy

His wealth plummeted a few years ago, along with the US markets. But he's bouncing back now... Relatively speaking of course...

Yup - can't call himself "Sir" (except maybe at home....). Can put KBE after his name. Knight of the British Empire.

Jap2Scrap

Yeah, he can't be called Sir, well only in the way Sir Bob (Geldoff) does. More as a term of endearment than anything else (and I'm not sure that's likely )

Markus

At least he's not been dubbed and therefore cannot offically be called "Sir" That would be just too galling.

GaryK

Nah I think his worth is normally between $45-50billion a few quid you could say, he's a shrewd guy with a few lucky breaks along the way!

boxst

Hello

Supposedly around $28b at the moment. Microsoft is at $25, he owns 1.1b shares.

(http://evan.quuxuum.org/bgnw.html)

Steve.

Leslie

I really don't see why he should get a British honour for services to industry as well as his charitable works. I applaud those but it is surely up to his own country rather than ours. Looked like a load of "sucking up" to an unimaginably rich man by our political leaders who recommend these honours and are so impressed with the importance of really big business.

Les

stevencotton

He gets more from the UK out of licensing than he has done for our country. Fair enough, for charity. For business? Get lost.

Jerome

I'd gladly have halitosis if it meant I had $28billion.