GLOBAL FINANCIERS WALK PURPLE CARPET AT GLITZY HEDGIE BASH
THE City’s big-name philanthropists descended on Kensington Palace gardens last night for the tenth anniversary gala hosted by Absolute Return for Kids (Ark).
Walking the purple carpet to the cavernous marquee in Perks Field were One Hyde Park developer Nick Candy; Elisabeth Murdoch, chairman and chief executive of Shine Group; Winton Capital founder David Harding; former Man Group chief executive Lord Stanley Fink; and Pierre Lagrange, co-founder of GLG Partners.
However, the gala’s guests of honour were the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who last night announced a new four-year partnership between Ark and The Foundation of Prince William, Prince Harry and The Duchess of Cambridge, engineered with Ark’s chairman Ian Wace and founding chairman Arki Busson (pictured below).
The importance of having William and Catherine on board cannot be underestimated, said Busson, because it will help the international children’s charity reach “the new generations”. “We need to reach young philanthropists,” he said. “There is a great deal [Ark and The Princes’ Trust] can do together.”
So what exactly will that involve? “I’ll let the Duke speak about that,” said Busson – and William later obliged in his after-dinner address to the 900 guests, where he outlined the partnership’s plans to “transform the lives of thousands of young people”.
“Programmes from this partnership will raise aspirations, broaden horizons and encourage young people to achieve what may have seemed to them unachievable,” said the Duke. “Together, we have tremendous potential to make a difference.”