May 13 (Reuters) - Melinda French Gates is stepping down

as co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the

world's biggest private charitable foundations that she

co-founded with her former spouse more than 20 years ago, she

said on Monday.

Bill and Melinda Gates filed for divorce in 2021 after 27

years of marriage but had pledged to continue their

philanthropic work together.

"Under the terms of my agreement with Bill, in leaving

the foundation, I will have an additional $12.5 billion to

commit to my work on behalf of women and families," Melinda

Gates said in a post on X.

The Gateses said in 2021 that they had reached an

agreement on how to divide their marital assets, but no details

of that agreement were disclosed in the

final divorce order

filed in court.

"I am sorry to see Melinda leave, but I am sure she will

have a huge impact in her future philanthropic work," Microsoft ( MSFT )

co-founder Bill Gates said in a post on X.

The foundation is one of the most powerful and influential

forces in global public health, having spent more than $50

billion over the past two decades to bring a business approach

to combating poverty and disease.

"This is not a decision I came to lightly," Melinda Gates

said on X. Her last day at the foundation will be June 7.

(Reporting by Yuvraj Malik in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika

Syamnath)