BGL BNP Paribas Banque Privée launched the Meet the Experts lecture series in 2012 to give clients opportunities to meet with specialists from the BNP Paribas Group and get answers to queries about asset management issues.

After lectures on art, real estate, sovereign debt and interest rates, the fifth event will focus on philanthropy. Nathalie Sauvanet, who heads both BNP Paribas Wealth Management’s Individual Philanthropy programme and the Orangerie Foundation, will share her client-based experiences from the past six years. She will also discuss typical philanthropic practices, qualitative research on large donors in Europe, and the results of the second annual BNP Paribas Individual Philanthropy Index.

In 2008 BNP Paribas Wealth Management became one of the first private banks to create a complete approach to philanthropy for customers who wanted to make a difference in society. They can choose a ready-made solution, the Orangerie Foundation, or turn to a department for bespoke assistance. They may also attend an annual Philanthropy Day, when the BNP Paribas Prize for Individual Philanthropy recognises notable achievements in the field.

To gain a greater understanding of the act of giving and major donors’ motivations and profiles, BNP Paribas also supports the ESSEC Group’s Chair for Research in Philanthropy and researches individual philanthropic practices. Approaches to philanthropy are increasingly varied as more and more clients take initiatives in this area. In modern philanthropy, donors take a more active role. They want to see concrete results during their lifetimes and often seek personal involvement in selecting and carrying out projects.

In 2013 BNP Paribas Wealth Management joined forces with Forbes to create the first index measuring philanthropic commitment. The second annual survey, the exclusive BNP Paribas 2014 Individual Philanthropy index, looks at more than 400 large fortunes (over $5 million under management) in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and, for the first time, the USA. The index uses three criteria: actual and planned donations, innovation, and efforts to promote the donors’ causes. This year the survey will examine how the passage of time affects philanthropy programmes.