Vincent Tan Quotes

Over the years, we have gone beyond our businesses to take up philanthropic projects in diverse areas - from education to health care to skilling.

As a philanthropist, I fund a lot of NGOs.

It's hard to be a good philanthropist in China.

In the rest of the world, rich people will give a donation, and businessmen give to charities. But in Mexico, the execution capacity of what we call the social sector is missing. I find it much more effective to set up the actual social organisation and then fund it with my money.

I am currently doing about 30 charity auctions a year.

I put the 'fun' in fund-raising and the 'rah' in Israel.

How I see my career is very much as an entrepreneur in the field of philanthropy.

I support many organizations that I feel are doing the right thing, like Alonzo Mourning's foundation, Alicia Keys' foundation, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and other well-established foundations. I kick out a lot of time and money wherever I can.

When we started our foundation, I was less than 30 years old. We pledged that 10 per cent of our profits, whatever the amount, would be used for a social cause, and that we would be actively involved in that cause.

The money that we make from the company goes into The Body Shop Foundation, which isn't one of those awful tax shelters like some in America. It just functions to take the money and give it away.

Today, we don't blink an eye when the world's wealthiest individuals donate enormous sums of money to charitable causes. In fact, we expect them to do so.

I truly believe that philanthropy and commerce can work together.

I have always examined closely the motives of any group for which I am asked to raise money.

I run a charity. If my name pops up in your call ID, chances are I'm about to ask you for something - money, free ad space, your first born. So it is probably no surprise that people often don't take my calls.

The system of volunteerism is divisive. It pits one charity against the others for the charity dollar.

When people make donations to non profits, they want to know that their money goes to good use.

I think the tradition of philanthropy is far better developed in the U.S. than in India, as is the whole notion of giving away 50% of your wealth while you are still living and not waiting till you're gone.

There are no benefactors in Canada because there is no incentive.

But there are many, and I'm a supporter of a great deal of charities.

Meeting people who want to start a charity, help out their families, or raise money for a good cause has been really fun.

My main commitment is to Caudwell Children. I put more than £1m a year into the charity, besides a lot of time and effort.

In my view, a philanthropist is anyone who gives anything - time, money, experience, skills or networks - in any amount, to create a better world. This is not how we once thought about philanthropy. The word used to conjure up something rather passive - sitting down and writing checks.

I give lectures for money, but all the money goes to charity. So, I make no money from it.

Philanthropy is the thing that I am really excited about, and having success means I can do more.

In the charitable world, I find myself giving to large projects that I think can make a large-scale impact.