MacKenzie Bezos pledges to donate half her $37bn fortune

MacKenzie Bezos, the ex-wife of Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, has promised to give half her fortune to charity.

She joins billionaires such as investor Warren Buffett and Microsoft founder Bill Gates in the Giving Pledge.

The pledge was started by Mr Buffett and Mr Gates and calls for the richest to give away half or more of their wealth.

Ms Bezos is estimated to be worth almost $37bn (£29bn). She and Mr Bezos divorced earlier this year.

“In addition to whatever assets life has nurtured in me, I have a disproportionate amount of money to share,” she said in a statement. “My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care.”

The Giving Pledge has been signed by 204 individuals, couples and families from 23 countries.

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, CNN founder Ted Turner and entertainment executive Barry Diller were among the initial signatories in 2010.

Mr Bezos is not one of the signatories to the Giving Pledge. Last year, he put $2bn into a charitable fund he established to help the homeless and set up a new network of schools.

He is estimated by Bloomberg to be worth $114bn.