Talking Heads Philanthropy and Digitalisation Interview with Bill Abraham, University of London

In this interview Bill Abraham, Director of Development at University of London, discusses the impact of digitalisation on philanthropy and highlights the potential for digitalisation to expand educational opportunities and connect people globally, emphasising the value of digital storytelling in fundraising.

Bill Abraham 0:09

Hi. My name is Bill Abraham. I’m the Director of Development at the University of London.

Global Philanthropic 0:15

And what does digitalisation mean to you and University of London?

Bill Abraham 0:21

So for an old man like me, it’s something new and something that will open up opportunities for people in education so we can share many more things to our students, to our alumni, that we hadn’t been able to share before, all around the world.

Global Philanthropic 0:39

And how important do you think digitalisation is in the space of philanthropy?

Bill Abraham 0:44

Critical, and we don’t know how far it can go yet. We’re still learning. It’s very, very early days. But as with philanthropy, it’s about relationships and about making people connect, and I think will enable us to connect with many more people.

Global Philanthropic 1:01

What is your impression of Global Philanthropic and the work we’ve helped you with?

Bill Abraham 1:05

Well, I’ve known Ben and people at Global Philanthropic since their inception, 20 something years ago. They have always offered very clear, candid advice, always in the interests of the organisation I’ve worked for, not their own interests, and I value that hugely.

Global Philanthropic 1:24

Thank you. That’s really kind. And what has been your highlight of the evening, or your key takeaway, the standout moment for you?

Bill Abraham 1:31

I enjoyed the storytelling, and that’s what a lot of this was about. And you remember the stories, rather than necessarily the facts or the case for support and I do remember the lady on the screen. Was it Claire? Who from the organisation who’s got covid, talking about the importance of learning and the relationships made. And I think that learning something from every interaction you have is important, because I work in education, but learning from the people here and thinking, how can I use that in my work going forward. And I enjoyed the evening!