Giving together, growing together with Fondation Philantropia

From the depths of the ocean to in-depth cancer research, Lombard Odier’s philanthropic partners shared experiences and vision at the tenth anniversary celebration of Fondation Philanthropia.

The organisation, which helps our clients achieve their philanthropic aims, has donated more than CHF 60 million to 120 projects since its creation.

Giving Together, Growing Together was the theme of the event, held at Geneva’s Palais de l’Athénée on Wednesday, 26 September, attended by 120 guests. Sharing Together would have made an equally valid title, as Lombard Odier Managing Partner and the foundation’s President, Denis Pittet, pointed out.

Speakers reflected on their first steps in philanthropy, their motives and milestones and offered examples of best practice.  

Changing lives

Hugo Mahieu, Managing Director, Mangrove Foundation, Luxembourg, explained how he brings the rigours of a career in venture capitalism to philanthropic projects.

He stressed the importance of impact over impulse which means focusing on effectiveness for the beneficiary and observing thorough due diligence to ensure you are supporting the right projects and the right people.

“Measuring impact is essential to evaluate success and increase efficiency,” he added.

The Mangrove Foundation has set itself the goal of changing the lives of 500,000 people. It estimates that its work has already affected 80,000 individuals.

Concern for the environment and, in particular, protecting oceans unites Adelin Coigny, Founder, Smile Wave; Kristian Parker, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, Oak Foundation and Julien Pyffer, Founder and President, Octopus Foundation.

“Our work is not just about writing cheques to environmental NGOs but providing skills and time and expertise,” said Adelin Coigny during a panel chaired by Luc Giraud-Guigues, Secretary General, Fondation Philanthropia.

“We want to invest in the problem and invest in finding a solution,” added Kristian Parker, who, like his fellow speakers emphasized the value of collaboration. 
 

Scalable solutions

Searching for solutions that are scalable and sustainable, motivates Catherine Zennström, who sits on the board of Human Rights Watch and whose husband, Swedish billionaire entrepreneur, Niklas Zennström, is known for founding high-profile online ventures including Skype.

“You are not giving money away or giving something back,” said the co-founder of Zennström Philanthropies, UK. “You are investing money, accompanying projects, trying to move the needle on certain issues.”

Describing her own initial reluctance to be in the spotlight, she said: “It’s not about how public or how visible you are but how authentic, how true you are to what you believe.”

During a fireside chat with Senior Managing Partner, Patrick Odier, she urged would-be philanthropists to “stand up for what you believe, get involved, be proud of what you achieve”.
 

Health check

Over the past ten years, Fondation Philanthropia has spent more than CHF 15 million on the fight against cancer in Switzerland and abroad.

Philanthropic support is driving ground-breaking cancer research at Gustave Roussy, the largest cancer centre in Europe; boosting capacity-building projects at the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC); and supporting the Swiss-French Oncology Network (Réseau romand d’oncologie) which allows patients suffering from advanced cancer to access cutting-edge technology and follow newly developed therapies.

A panel moderated by Dr Maximilian Martin, Global Head of Philanthropy, Lombard Odier, and member of the board at Philanthropia, considered the revolution in health care and oncology.

Professors Pierre-Yves Dietrich, Head of Oncology at Geneva University Hospital and Laurence Zitvogel, Scientific Director of the Immuno-Oncology programme at Gustave Roussy discussed prevention, research and care, and the best way to take advantage of advances in medical research. 

Bridging the gap between the haves and have-nots particularly concerns Dr Kirstie Graham, Head of Capacity Building, UICC, who highlighted the countries where treatment and pathology services are lagging.

Concluding the evening, Emmanuel Dermitzakis, Professor of Genetics, University of Geneva Medical School and Head of the Health 2030 Genome Centre in Geneva, outlined his vision of the kind of world philanthropists can expect in ten years’ time from the perspective of genomics.

Philanthropy is becoming faster, more effective, and more flexible – and with Fondation Philanthropia, we can help our clients translate their philanthropic passions into action.