Paula Hurd is the technology executive, philanthropist and event organizer publicly identified as Bill Gates’ girlfriend. Their relationship became widely known in 2023, after public appearances at tennis events in 2022. Gates later described Hurd as his “serious girlfriend” in a February 2025 interview.
Hurd has a professional history separate from Gates’ fame. She spent almost two decades at NCR Corporation, has supported Baylor University and tennis-related initiatives, and was previously married to Oracle and Hewlett-Packard executive Mark Hurd.
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What is Paula Hurd’s relationship with Bill Gates?
Paula Hurd and Bill Gates are publicly a couple. The most defensible timeline is that they were first publicly linked in 2022 and were reported as dating in February 2023. Their appearances together have included tennis tournaments, the 2024 Breakthrough Prize ceremony in Los Angeles and wedding-related events for Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez in Venice in June 2025.
Gates gave the relationship a clear public description in February 2025, calling Hurd his “serious girlfriend” and saying that they were “having fun.” On February 1, 2026, the pair were photographed together watching the Australian Open, with Getty identifying Hurd as Gates’ girlfriend.
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There has been no verified announcement that Gates and Hurd are engaged or married. Engagement rumors circulated in 2023 after Hurd was seen wearing a ring. A representative said the ring had belonged to her for decades and was not a sign of an upcoming marriage.
Paula Hurd’s career and education
Hurd built her own career in the technology industry. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1984 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
She then spent nearly 20 years at NCR Corporation, a technology company known for its work in retail, financial services and hospitality systems. Hurd held sales and services leadership positions and eventually became vice president of services. In that role, she led a team responsible for global strategic partnerships.
Public descriptions of Hurd’s later work have also connected her with event development and organization for corporate, personal and charitable occasions. Because descriptions of her current professional role vary, it is more accurate to describe her as a former technology executive, philanthropist and event organizer than to assign her an unverified current job title.
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Was Paula Hurd the CEO of Oracle?
No. That is one of the most persistent errors in profiles about her.
Paula Hurd was not Oracle’s chief executive. Her late husband, Mark Hurd, served as Oracle’s CEO. Paula’s own technology career was primarily at NCR Corporation.
| Person | Relevant career |
|---|---|
| Paula Hurd | NCR Corporation executive, philanthropist and event organizer |
| Mark Hurd | Former CEO of Hewlett-Packard and Oracle |
Her marriage to Mark Hurd
Before her relationship with Gates, Paula Hurd was married to technology executive Mark Hurd. Baylor University records state that they married in 1990 and had two daughters, Kelly and Kathryn.
Mark Hurd became a prominent corporate leader. He served as chief executive of Hewlett-Packard and later as chief executive of Oracle. He died in October 2019.
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Paula and Mark Hurd were significant supporters of Baylor University. Their philanthropy helped fund the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center, the Hurd Tennis Center and other university projects. Baylor also records a $7 million gift from Hurd toward the university’s basketball pavilion.
Paula Hurd’s philanthropy and Baylor work
Hurd’s public philanthropic work has focused particularly on education, health care, community initiatives and tennis.
She served as a Baylor University regent from 2020 through May 31, 2026. Baylor’s 2026 announcement listed her among the regents completing their service when new terms began on June 1, 2026. That means descriptions calling her a current Baylor regent after that date require newer confirmation.
Hurd has also been associated with the Universal Tennis Foundation. Baylor identifies her as a chairperson of the organization, which supports the Hurd Tennis Awards. The awards are intended to help college tennis players making the transition toward professional competition.
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Bill Gates and Paula Hurd: relationship timeline
- 1990: Paula Hurd and Mark Hurd marry.
- October 2019: Mark Hurd dies.
- 2022: Bill Gates and Paula Hurd are publicly linked through appearances at tennis events.
- February 2023: Reports identify Gates and Hurd as a couple.
- April 13, 2024: They attend the Breakthrough Prize ceremony in Los Angeles.
- February 2025: Gates describes Hurd as his “serious girlfriend.”
- June 2025: They attend wedding-related events for Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez in Venice.
- February 1, 2026: They are photographed together at the Australian Open.
What is known—and not known—about Hurd
Hurd has maintained a lower public profile than Gates, and many personal details repeated online are not supported consistently by authoritative sources. Her exact age and birth date should not be stated without a reliable primary or highly authoritative biographical source.
It is also important not to turn public appearances into claims about private plans. Gates and Hurd have not publicly announced an engagement or marriage, and the 2023 ring speculation was specifically rejected by a representative.
The available record presents Hurd as an established technology professional and philanthropist whose public identity does not depend solely on her relationship with Gates. Her career at NCR, her family’s support for Baylor and her work connected with tennis all predate—and remain distinct from—the relationship that brought her wider media attention.
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Sources and fact-checking notes
- Baylor University biography of Paula R. Hurd
- Baylor alumni profile of Mark and Paula Hurd
- Town & Country reporting on Gates and Hurd
- Breakthrough Prize ceremony records
- Getty Images record of the 2026 Australian Open appearance
FAQ
Who is Bill Gates’ girlfriend?
Bill Gates’ publicly identified girlfriend is Paula Hurd, a former NCR Corporation technology executive, philanthropist and event organizer.
When did Bill Gates and Paula Hurd start dating?
They were first publicly linked in 2022 and were publicly reported as a couple in February 2023. The exact private start of their relationship has not been established.
Was Paula Hurd the CEO of Oracle?
No. Paula Hurd worked at NCR Corporation. Her late husband, Mark Hurd, was the executive who served as CEO of Oracle.
Are Bill Gates and Paula Hurd engaged or married?
There is no verified public announcement that they are engaged or married. Engagement speculation in 2023 was denied by a representative, who said Hurd’s ring was decades old and did not signal an upcoming wedding.
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Paula Hurd is Bill Gates’ publicly identified “serious girlfriend,” but she is also a former NCR executive and an established philanthropist in her own right. The pair were first publicly linked in 2022, confirmed as a couple in 2023 and continued appearing together through the 2026 Australian Open. There is no verified evidence that they are engaged or married.
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