Greetings from the Institute for Philanthropy, where The Philanthropy Workshop is about to begin its second year as a UK-based programme. During that period of transition for TPW, the nature of both national and international wealth has also changed its face. In the UK, we now have a greater number of millionaires than ever before, numbering some 376,000, of whom some 46% are women. Globally, Forbes reveals that the average age of a billionaire has dropped by two years, from 62 to 60.
Encouragingly, this growing diversity is echoed by the composition of this year’s TPW cohort, which is diverse in terms of both gender and citizenship: there’s a balanced representation of men and women of different age groups, who bring an ever increasing range of cultural perspectives. That’s just as well: in this world of entrepreneurial giving, it’s that great breadth of vision which often provides the best solutions to social problems, and in that regard our current cohort is as well-equipped as any. We look forward to working with them, in the hope that their efforts will inspire many more across the globe to give widely, and wisely.
Dr. Salvatore LaSpada
Chief Executive
May 2007