UK businessmen Richard Branson, John Caudwell, David Sainsbury, Christopher Hohn and Dr Mo Ibrahim are among the latest to join the Giving Pledge to donate half of their wealth to philanthropic causes of their choice.
The latest names were announced yesterday by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which with Warren Buffett initiated the legacy scheme in 2010. Richard Branson is joined by his wife in their pledge. He said:
"Delighted to join the Giving Pledge with my wife Joan...Stuff really is not what brings happiness. Family, friends, good health and the satisfaction that comes from making a positive difference are what really matters. Happily our children, who will be our principal heirs, agree with me on this."
Branson is one of 12 new pledgers (couples counting as one pledge), of which five are British, bringing the total number signed up to the Giving Pledge to 105.
In addition to the Brits, two of the new pledgers play significant roles in the UK: Jewish Ukranian Victor Pinchuk is the founder of EastOne Group, which is based in London, and Malaysian Vincent Tan Chee Yioun is the owner of Cardiff City FC.
The other pledgers are German Hasso Plattner; Russian Vladimir Potanin; Australians Andrew and Nicola Forrest; South Africans Patrice and Precious Motsepe and Indian Azim Premji.
Bill Gates said: "The Giving Pledge brings people together to exchange ideas about how to be as effective as possible and smarter in our giving.
"There are amazing examples of giving happening around the world - and not just among the wealthy - that we can learnt from, and I am excited about the conversations and ideas that will happen thanks to this impressive group of international philanthropists."
About the British pledgers
| | Richard and Joan BransonRichard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group is possibly Britain's best-known billionaire, with an estimated fortune of $4.2bn in 2011. One of the Branson's most famous assets is Necker Island, a 74-acre island in the British Virgin Islands. An outspoken campaigner on many issues, Branson said: "We started by trying to give a voice to the young people of the 1960s and hope our Giving Pledge will help many generations to come." |
| John CaudwellCaudwell is the founder of Phones4U which he sold in 2006. Since then he has concentrated on the charity he founded in 2000, Caudwell Children, which supports children with disabilities and their families. Caudwell's estimated fortune is $2.6bn. Caudwell said: "At the moment my main charitable cause in terms of passion is Caudwell Children. Caudwell Children helps about 3,000 children each year, and in some cases completely transforms their lives."
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| Christopher HohnSurrey-born Christopher Hohn (aka Chris Cooper-Hohn) is a hedge fund manager and philanthropist. In 2008 he made headlines for donating £460m to the Children's Investment Fund, a hedge fund he set up which is run by his wife Jamie Cooper-Hohn. It was stated in that year that the Hohns had donated £800m in the four years previous. The foundation benefits projects across Africa and the developing world.
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| Dr Mo IbrahimDr Mohamed 'Mo' Ibrahim is a mobile communications entrepreneur. As early as 1989 he founded Mobile Systems International, an 800-strong consultancy and software company which was later bought by Marconi before becoming an independent company again when Ericsson acquired Marconi. He founded Celtel in 1998 which he later sold for $3.4bn. Ibrahim is no stranger to philanthropy, he set up the Mo Ibrahim Foundation after the sale of Celtel. Hailing from North Sudan, Ibrahim set up the foundation to encourage better governance in Africa. | |
| David SainsburyDavid Sainsbury, of the Sainsbury family that set up the supermarket chain, is both businessman and politician. He was director and financial controller of J. Sainsbury Ltd and as of 2009 retained a 5.85 per cent stake in the company. In his political life Sainsbury is a life peer, sitting in the House of Lords for the Labour Party and is former minister for science and innovation. He said: "The approach of my wife, Suzie, and I to philanthropy is simple. We do not believe that spending any more on ourselves or our family would add anything to our happiness. However using it to support social progress we have found deeply fulfilling."
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