BNP Paribas Wealth Management: the 9th BNP Paribas prize for individual philanthropy honours two outstanding philanthropists

Edward W. Scott, JR, for his effective policy-led and campaigning work in areas such as poverty relief, third-world debt reduction, the fight against AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis as well as autism research and treatment

YANN BORGSTEDt, founder of the Womanity Foundation, which promotes women’s and girls’ empowerment all over the world

The winners were selected by an independent jury composed of leading figures from various fields.

This year the jury was chaired by Amina Slaoui, BNP Paribas’ first-ever Special Prize winner in 2008.   Amina is President of AMH, a charity she founded which champions the social integration of vulnerable people and people with disabilities in Morocco. A committed promoter of social entrepreneurship, Amina is also on the board of Groupe SOS.

In assessing the various candidates shortlisted for the two awards, the jury based its decisions on a number of criteria, including the social impact of the philanthropic initiatives in question, the personal and financial commitment shown by the philanthropists, as well as the professionalism, viability and transparency of their projects.

Grand Prize 2016: Edward W. Scott, Jr, USA

The Grand Prize is awarded to an individual (or a family) for their philanthropic initiatives. This individual will have invested considerable funds in his/her projects and demonstrated true personal commitment.

Ed Scott been called Silicon Valley's most effective giver and his catalytic approach to philanthropy has had a transformative impact on poverty and disease on a global scale. After a successful career in the United States government civil service culminating with a position as Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Administration, Ed left Washington, DC to work in the emerging field of computer technology. In 1995, he co-founded a software company called BEA Systems. BEA soon became one of the fastest companies ever to reach $1 billion in sales and Oracle purchased the company in 2008.  Ed later became a primary funder behind StubHub, the online ticketing service later purchased by eBay.

Having started his philanthropic work on a small scale, Ed soon turned his attention to how governments could help make an impact on development. Ed created the Center for Global Development to help carry out research towards formulating solutions for how government policies can help fight poverty and disease. He created Friends of the Global Fight against AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria in order to help support and lobby for the funding of the Global Fund. Together with Bill Gates and George Soros he created DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa) to provide a platform for Bono and other celebrities to advocate that the U.S. Government and public support development efforts. Meanwhile Ed has extended his philanthropy beyond global development to other realms, including founding the innovative Scott Center for Autism Treatment at the Florida Institute of Technology.

Jury’s Special Prize 2016: Yann Borgstedt, Switzerland

The Jury’s Special Prize recognises a committed philanthropist who has initiated an innovative project and has been working on the ground to implement it. The project must have been running for at least three years and will either be in the early stages of its development or at a critical stage in its growth. The winner of the Jury’s Special Prize receives the sum of €50,000 to help further the project.

Entrepreneur Yann Borgstedt is the founder and president of the Womanity Foundation, which aims to create lasting and positive change for women and girls. Operating all over the world, the foundation seeks to improve education, for example by providing quality teaching to more than 33,000 girls in Afghanistan, and to give women a voice through various media projects throughout the Middle East and North Africa, including the first commercial radio station run solely by women – Palestine-based Radio Nisaa. The foundation also supports social entrepreneurs working for women’s empowerment in Brazil and in India, notably Rede Asta – a Brazilian organisation that links dozens of fair trade and artisanal cooperatives, giving them access to a global market. Womanity also works with organisations working to prevent violence against women, through the Womanity Award whose purpose is to encourage replication of efficient solutions in new contexts.

Members of the 2016 jury chaired by Amina Slaoui:

• Lorenz von Habsburg, a banker who sits on the boards of a number of listed companies

• Arnaud de Prêt de Calesberg, Vice-Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Chairman of the Audit Committee and a member of the Nominations Committee at Euronext; and a member of the Board of Directors of Inbev-Baillet Latour Foundation

• Michael Golden, Vice-Chairman of the New York Times Company

• Catherine Monnier, Executive director of the ADIE Endowment Fund, which supports micro-entrepreneurs

• Michael de Giorgio, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Greenhouse Sports, which provides sports coaching to young people in disadvantaged neighbourhoods of London (winner of the Jury’s Special Prize in 2012)

In addition, the 2015 winners of the BNP Paribas Prize for Individual Philanthropy were invited to sit on the jury:

• Fayeeza and Arif Naqvi, founders of Aman Foundation

• Molly Melching, founder of Tostan

BNP Paribas Wealth Management would also like to thank Boncerto for their support with the prize.

BNP Paribas Wealth Management supports its clients’ philanthropic journeys through the provision of a comprehensive individual philanthropy offering, comprised of personalised advisory services, donor-advised fund services (The Philanthropy Fund) and ready-made giving solutions (Fondations de l’Orangerie). This service is available to BNP Paribas Wealth Management clients worldwide, with dedicated local staff in Europe, Asia and the United States.

In order to shine the spotlight on innovative and effective philanthropy, in 2008, the same year as the establishment of its advisory service, the Bank launched the BNP Paribas Prize for Individual Philanthropy. The Bank is strongly committed to supporting initiatives that raise awareness and increase dialogue around philanthropy.

• The BNP Paribas Individual Philanthropy Index

  In partnership with Forbes since 2013, this first-of-its kind index measures the commitment of individual philanthropists in Europe, Asia, the United States, and the Middle East. The index is illustrated by in-depth interviews with philanthropists.

• Philanthropy Chair, ESSEC Business School

  A strategic partnership since 2011 that promotes best practice through academic research on the role of philanthropy and challenges in developing and managing philanthropic initiatives.

• Research on philanthropists’ motivations

         Qualitative studies to enable better comprehension of the act of giving as well insight into the profiles and motivations of European philanthropists. 

BNP Paribas Wealth Management is a leading global private bank and #1 Private Bank in the Eurozone. Present in three hubs in Europe, Asia and the US, over 6,600 professionals provide a private investor clientele with solutions for optimising and managing their assets. The bank has €327 billion worth of assets under management (as at 31 December 2015).