#Global20 Interviews

Global Philanthropic was founded in Hong Kong in 2002. This year marks our 20th birthday and to celebrate we will be sharing 20 interviews with key leaders in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector over the next year.

Join the discussion at #Global20.

Cindy Forde talks to our Group CEO, Ben Morton-Wright, about operating in line with the planetary boundaries.

Explaining how intervention and digital innovations can be supported by philanthropy and radical collaborations, Cindy’s interview is extremely powerful and instills hope for a more optimistic and positive future.

Ben Morton-Wright, Founder, Group CEO and Director, Global Philanthropic Holdings and Robin Millington, the CEO of Planet Tracker, discusses the significant implications this will have on global food production.

In this Global 20 interview, Robin emphasises the role philanthropic funding can play in addressing the challenges related to food supply, and highlights the increasing responsibility of large food companies in the face of climate change-driven pressures on our food production.

Ben Morton-Wright, Founder, Group CEO and Director, Global Philanthropic Holdings, interviews Philanthropy Advisor, Emma Beeston.

The realm of philanthropy presents abundant opportunities to support inspiring people and organisations dedicated to driving social change. It can also be full of a daunting number of choices regarding how and where money can make a positive impact.

Iain Rawlinson, Chair, Global Philanthropic Holdings, interviews Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum in London.

In this deeply compelling interview, Doug talks to our Chair, Iain Rawlinson, about his journey from the corporate to non-profit world, the ground-breaking work being carried out measuring the pristine natural biodiversity on the Earth’s surface, and the pressing challenges posed by the threat of a sixth mass extinction.

Lincoln Size, Vice President of Australia, Global Philanthropic Holdings, interviews Douglas Gautier, CEO and Artistic Director of Adelaide Festival Centre.

Many of the best cultural organisations and art centres worldwide are very cognisant of their responsibility to diversity and accessibility. With Australia being one of the most multicultural communities on the planet, Douglas Gautier, CEO and Artistic Director of Adelaide Festival Centre knows only too well where arts and culture flourish generally, so does harmony and tolerance and a better understanding of walking in somebody else’s shoes.

Ben Morton-Wright, Founder, Group CEO and Director, Global Philanthropic Holdings, interviews Landesa’s Chief Development Officer, Mark Ruffo.

Did you know, around the world nearly 2.5 billion people rely on land for their livelihoods? Yet many do not have the tenure to their land necessary to thrive. Securing land rights for the world’s poorest people is the work of Landesa, who in 2022, received a $20 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.

Ben Morton-Wright, Founder, Group CEO and Director, Global Philanthropic Holdings, Interviews John Pepin, Chief Executive, Philanthropy Impact

Recent times have seen a massive jump in the amount of data and insights available. Quality research data is providing powerful and indisputable evidence, none more so in the philanthropic sector than that from Philanthropy Impact. In this interview John delves in to the sometimes-confusing terminology used in philanthropy, HMRC’s research on giving trends and what philanthropists really expect from their advisors.

Ben Morton-Wright, Founder, Group CEO and Director, Global Philanthropic Holdings, interviews Dame Stephanie Shirley CH, Businesswoman and Philanthropist.

Over the course of the last 30 years, Dame Stephanie has given away almost £70 million to good causes. In this interview, Dame Shirley talks about important role of women in philanthropy, Venture Philanthropy, and how she approaches and focuses her giving, investing strategically in projects that will benefit from her time or insight, as well as her money, to maximise positive outcomes.

Nick Jaffer, President and CEO of Global Philanthropic (Asia Pacific), interviews Professor Frances Corner OBE, Warden of Goldsmiths, University of London

In this interview, Professor Corner talks about the role of education in transforming peoples lives, Goldsmiths’ commitment to diversity and community, and its initiative around art for social good.

Ben Morton-Wright, CEO, Global Philanthropic Holdings, interviews Geoff Holt MBE, DL, Yachtsman and Disability Sports Ambassador.

In this interview, Geoff talks about the challenges facing charities in the disability sector, the importance of brand and how The Wetwheels Foundation has structured its model as well as its strategic long term thinking and development plan.

Ben Morton-Wright, CEO, Global Philanthropic Holdings, interviews Professor David Lalloo, Director of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM).

In this interview, Professor Lalloo talks about how LSTM responded to the challenges of COVID and how interconnected the world is, particularly with diseases, and how these diseases expose the challenges and the frailties in society.

Pam Davis, President, Global Philanthropic (Europe), interviews Lord Simon Woolley, Principal of Homerton College, University of Cambridge.

In this interview, Lord Woolley explains how philanthropists can empower beneficiaries and allow them to be the experts in making impact – and why ‘sewing a golden thread’ to link all stakeholders will help philanthropy to turbocharge change..

Ben Morton-Wright, CEO, Global Philanthropic Holdings, interviews Griff Green, Co-Founder of Giveth.

Cryptocurrency, or crypto as it’s more widely known, is any form of currency that exists digitally or virtually and uses cryptography to secure transactions. This alternative form of payment is clearly more than a passing fad, having now been in existence for more than a decade. Nevertheless, it remains widely misunderstood and shrouded in mystery, with doubts over its ethics and a reluctance to use it. Discover more as Ben interviews digital currency expert Griff, and prepare to be enlightened as he explains how crypto is a game-changer in the philanthropic landscape whilst it helps to build the future of giving.

Pam Davis, President, Global Philanthropic (Europe), interviews James Thornton, CEO, Client Earth.

James Thornton launched ClientEarth in 2007, sparking fundamental change in the way environmental protections are made and enforced across Europe. Now operating globally, Client Earth uses advocacy, litigation and research to address the greatest challenges of our time – including nature loss and climate change.

Matthew Moss, Associate, Global Philanthropic, interviews Hans Pung, President, RAND Europe.

RAND Europe is a not-for-profit public policy research organisation that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. Hans and Matthew discuss the long term impact the pandemic could have on education for this generation of youth and the impact of mental health on society during the pandemic. Research shows the inequality for both education and mental health for disadvantaged communities around the globe. But it’s not all bad news, there’s some research highlighting steps we could take to mitigate some of the long term impacts.

Our first #Global20 interview is with Lady Edwina Grosvenor.

Lady Edwina Grosvenor is an English philanthropist and prison reformer. Also known as the Prison Philanthropist. She is the founder and trustee of the charity The Clink, and founder of the charity One Small Thing. She shares with Ben Morton Wright what drives her as a philanthropist and what lessons we can learn, from her experience and journey with philanthropy.