Oh no, I agree! He was definitely ruthless during his reign as the head of Microsoft. Generally, when one can show such disregard than one has an overall character allowing for that, so it's rare that people would behave differently when it comes to their wealth. But, of course, people can change - even if it is out of a feeling of guilt.
I'd argue that Bill Gates is regretting his previous actions and trying to fix his "karma" in his retirement. He was just as bad as the rest of them.