Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
3 min of reading 
Billionaire Microsoft Founder, Bill Gates, Buys Millions of Shares in Heineken. Investment Already Totals More Than R$ 4.9 Billion in Shares.
The American billionaire, Bill Gates, famous executive who founded the Microsoft company, recently purchased a minority stake in the Dutch beverage giant Heineken Holding NV. The mogul invested €848.2 million, equivalent to R$ 4.9 billion, to buy 3.76% of the company’s shares. The information was disclosed by the Reuters and Bloomberg agencies.
Negotiation with Heineken Was Completed on February 17
Heineken Holding NV is the second largest brewery in the world, behind only AB InBev, which has among its shareholders the trio of billionaires from Americanas, Jorge Paulo Lemann, Carlos Alberto Sicupira, and Marcel Telles.
According to the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM), the negotiation between Heineken and the founder of Microsoft took place on February 17. The shares were from Femsa, a Mexican company that is selling its stake in the beverage company. The Mexican company put all 18 million shares it held in Heineken up for sale.
-
India announces a plan of $3.06 billion to bring aviation to forgotten regions: 100 new airports, $1.07 billion in subsidies, and regional routes guaranteed for 10 years, from 2026 to 2036, away from the centers.
-
Brazil blocked a proposal from the United States at the WTO that would make the exemption from tariffs on digital products like streaming and ebooks permanent, favoring American tech giants at the expense of developing countries.
-
IPTU exemption for seniors in 2026: see how to secure the benefit.
-
The institute that trained the greatest aerospace engineers in Brazil has just opened its first campus outside São Paulo after 75 years: ITA Ceará will have R$ 445 million, new courses in energy and systems, and classes are expected to start in 2027.
Of these, about 10.8 million were bought by Gates, at current market prices, forcing the disclosure of the negotiation to the public. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which was launched by the Microsoft founder and his ex-wife, did not officially comment on the negotiation. Previously, the foundation had already made investments in the Dutch online grocery store Picnic BC and holds a 1.34% stake in the fertilizer producer OCI NV.
Heineken to Exit Russia This Year
In 2018, Bill Gates stated that he is not a big fan of beer, during a chat with Reddit users. According to the mogul, when it ends in something like a baseball game, he drinks a light beer to get into the “vibe” of all the other beer drinkers.
The Microsoft founder also apologizes for disappointing true beer drinkers. In addition to Heineken, the holding also has stakes in other brands such as Amstel and Sol.
This Wednesday (22), the Dutch brewery also stated that it plans to exit Russia in 2023, after being accused by a site from its home country of continuing operations there even after announcing its withdrawal due to the invasion of Ukraine.
Other Investments by Bill Gates
According to reports released by Synchron, a company working on brain implant construction to make the interface between computers and humans easier, billionaires Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates may be joining forces as major investors in this type of technology.
Currently, the sector revolves around external peripherals, such as touch screens, keyboards, and Xbox controls. Additionally, the company’s technology aims to improve accessibility for people with impaired or limited mobility. The CNBC report describes how Synchron’s Switch technology is installed seamlessly via blood vessels, allowing patients to use their devices using only their thoughts.
The report states that, so far, only 7 patients in the US and Australia have tested this technology and the results appear to be promising. According to the company, a funding round of US$ 75 million was conducted, which included the venture capital firms of Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, among those providing initial investment.
The company describes its technology as more scalable than competitors like Neuralink, a company created by billionaire Elon Musk. The “antenna” of Synchron can be installed via a stent, which is a commonly used surgical procedure installed through veins and arteries.
Seja o primeiro a reagir!