RSA Thursday - Philanthrocapitalism November 27, 2008

For philanthropists in the past, charity was often a matter of giving money away. But a new breed of philanthropists — philanthrocapitalists — are doing it differently. Largely trained in the corporate world, these super-rich donors are investing not just huge sums but also large amounts of entrepreneurial and strategic expertise, and they want to see results from their charitable investments.

In their new book Philanthrocapitalism, Matthew Bishop and Michael Green examine this new movement and its implications. In a climate that is resistant to government spending on social causes, these ambitious donors may be the greatest force for change in our world, and a source of political controversy.

Join Michael Green at the RSA to discuss the challenges for philanthrocapitalism in the UK in the midst of the financial crisis. Can philanthrocapitalism work in these straitened times? Do we want the super-rich to set the agenda for our society? Should we be grateful for philanthrocapitalism or suspicious?

With Michael Green, economist and co-author of Philanthrocapitalism (A&C Black, November 2008)

Chair: Peter Wheeler, Head of Wholesale Banking, West at Standard Chartered Bank, Chairman of IPValue and a founding trustee of New Philanthropy Capital (NPC)

Places are free but advance booking is essential.

Official Website: http://www.thersa.org/events