Global Wealth and Society Programme

The Global Wealth and Society programme seeks to identify the important role that the privileged have towards their respective society. In building this programme, we measure wealth, not by the amount of financial assets individuals amass but by the positive impact they create on society through sustainable projects. Projects that are close to their hearts and which they believe to affect their immediate society in a deep and profound manner.

Based on this philosophy of contribution and giving back to the society, we identify these individuals as “Champions of Philanthropy” as part of our Global Wealth and Society Awards Programme.

Over the next few weeks until early October, our research team will be adding new names to the list and will be reaching out to them as part of the awards evaluation process.

The list below profiles selected Champions and their shortlisted projects across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East . In doing so, the list also tracks the way they are investing and deploying their wealth to bring about positive impacts on the society that they operate in.

Jim Ovia

Chairman, Zenith Bank - Nigeria

The Jim Ovia Scholars programme, founded in 1998, provides aid to outstanding students during undergraduate and graduate study. The Jim Ovia ICT Entrepreneurs programme provides funding to the most promising five to 10 ideas a year, through a competitive bid process. The Jim Ovia Foundation has funded 1,500 scholarships totalling N100m ($200,000) since 2010, and supports IT skills programmes for marginalised young people, working with partners such as IBM and Google.

Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma

Founder and Chairman, South Atlantic Petroleum Limited - Nigeria

The TY Danjuma Foundation is committed to enhancing the quality of life of Nigerians by supporting initiatives that improve access to health and educational opportunities. TY Danjuma Foundation works mainly through Non Governmental Organizations and Community Based groups in Nigeria. Its strategy of working through partnerships is intended to build institutional capacity of groups, supporting innovation and ensuring that the funding provided meets the needs of the target beneficiaries and is culturally relevant. Core focus areas include community health and education initiatives, income acceleration to empower women and youth and policy advocacy.

David Zuellig & Daniel Zuellig

Co-founders, Zuellig pharma group - Philippines

The Zuellig Family Foundation is focused in imporving health conditions of the Filipino communities of rural areas by providing training programs for local govt. health poilcy makers to help drive improvements in health outcome related governence. The Foundation’s purpose is rooted in the Zuellig family’s long-standing business in healthcare and the core focus remains on directing phianthropic efforts to nationan-building via community healthcare.

Vladimir Olegovich Potanin

Chairman, Interros

Since the establishment of the Foundation in 1999 education has been one of its major spheres of activity and priority issue as the organisation aims in improving social involvement in philanthropy and the need to nurture and encourage future leaders and those who will be able later not only to improve their own skills and knowledge but also to change life and environment around them for the better. A positive example of this approach is the Vladimir Potanin Fellowship Program which focuses on master degree students and professors. This Program logically builds on and follows the Federal Scholarship Program which was launched back in 2000 and encouraged student-led projects aimed to improve student life and address community needs and which was logically followed by The Vladimir Potanin Fellowship Program combines three components: fellowship contest for master degree students, grant competition for university professors who teach courses for master degree students, and Foundation School based on the principle of learning by doing, self government and networking.

Amr Al-Dabbagh

Chairman and CEO, Al-Dabbagh Group - Saudi Arabia

London-based Stars Foundation supports locally-led solutions for children and young people in the 100 countries with the highest “under five” mortality rate. 2016 marked 10 years of the Foundation’s flagship Impact Awards, an awards programme recognising outstanding locally-led organisations working to improve the lives of children. Stars Foundation is also the convenor of the With and For Girls Collective, a group of organisations united by a common belief that girls are agents of change. Philanthropy University Berkeley-based Philanthropy University is a free, first-of-its-kind educational initiative for change makers in the social sector. Its 100X20 vision aims to impact the lives of 100 million people by 2020 by training hundreds of thousands of learners working for social good, elevating their cause and furthering their reach.

Ho Swee Huat

Co-founder, Autism Association Singapore - Singapore

Ho Swee Huat co-founded the organisation with a group of parents to autistic children in 1992, to identify and encourage the treamtment , education, welfare and acceptance of persons with autism in the society. It stimulates public awareness and understanding of autism, community involvement and support for persons with autism and their families. Through Eden Childcare centre, Eden school, Eden centre for adults and Eden activity club, the organisation serves to initiate, organise and support provision of a broad spectrum at services for people with autism in Singapore. Such services to encompass education, vocational and life skills training and residential care.

Danny Yong

Chief Investment Officer and Founding Partner - Singapore

The Ray of Hope Initiative Limited (ROHI) is a non-profit organisation founded in November 2012. ROHI is dedicated to helping individuals and families living within our community in Singapore, who are going through hardships, who may otherwise have no access to assistance.

John Lim

Group CEO and Executive Director, ARA Asset Management Limited - Singapore

The Lim Hoon Foundation is a private charitable trust created in August 2008 with the primary objective of promoting academic achievement for all students, at all levels, kindergarten through university with a focus on those from low income families. Our ultimate objective is to encourage the advancement of education through a wide range of philanthropic activities.

Phillip Ng

Chairman and CEO, Far East Organisation - Singapore

The Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation was set up in 2010 in memory of Ng's late father, who founded the Sino Group.The Foundation which actively supports various philanthropic causes. Recently in 2018, the Foudnation pleged RMB 10 million to support the restoration of the Great Wall of China. Supporting philanthropy in education, the Foundation made a donation of RMB 200 million to sipport Peking University in recruiting world-class teaching talents and encourage educational and cultural exchanges between the Mainland China, Hong Kong and Singapore. Back in Sept 2011, the organisation pledged a sum of $1125 million over five years to JurongHealth Fund for the purpose of promoting development of health related services to benefit of Singapore community.

Allan W.B. Gray

Founder, Allan Gray Investment Management and Orbis Investment Management - South Africa

The Allan Gray Orbis Foundation invests in the education and development of individuals with entrepreneurial potential within Southern Africa. The project sponsors thousands of scholarship, mentors and job positions to develop entrepreneurship environments. Through the foundation, he donated $150 million to South African high school