“What should we do at this time? That is a question every citizen must ask. Those of us who have wealth beyond all our wants must ask that very sharply. Wealth comes with huge responsibility and is best deployed for the larger public interest. So what must the super-wealthy do?” asked Rohini and Nandan Nilekani in their pledge letter. Since joining the Giving Pledge, the philanthropists have been catalysts of sustainable change. In the past year, Nandan donated US$39 million to his alma mater, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, to support infrastructure and innovation, marking one of the largest alumni donations to an Indian educational institution. Meanwhile, Rohini contributed US$12.5 million to NIMHANS and NCBS to advance mental health research and treatment in India.

Sam Altman, the co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, the tech company behind ChatGPT and Sora, and husband Oliver Mulherin, a technology investor focused on energy, are among the newest signatories of the Giving Pledge. The pair, who joined the Giving Pledge in May 2024, shared their intentions in their pledge letter: “We would not be making this pledge if it weren’t for the hard work, brilliance, generosity and dedication to improve the world of many people that built the scaffolding of society that let us get here… We intend to focus our giving on supporting technology that helps create abundance for people, so that they can then build the scaffolding even higher.”

Marco Dunand is the CEO and co-founder of Mercuria, one of the world’s largest privately owned energy and commodities trading firms, with revenues of more than US$150 billion, while Suzan Craig Dunand is a New Zealand-based entrepreneur focused on ecosystem restoration and sustainable practices. In 2022, the Dunands co-founded the Villars Institute in Switzerland, aiming to advance a net-zero, nature-positive economy through interdisciplinary research and youth engagement. In March 2024, the organisation gathered over 280 experts, entrepreneurs, investors and philanthropists to address the climate and biodiversity crises. “We are excited to... make a meaningful difference for the planet, and to learn from the collective wisdom and experiences of partners from around the world,” they wrote in their pledge letter.

“More than 90 per cent of my capital will be given philanthropically. I expect that the Pledge will enable me to become a better philanthropist. My hope is that the Giving Pledge will enhance my sense of urgency to give during my lifetime, for which I have a decided preference,” declared Robert D Goldfarb. The equity investor was the chairman of asset management firm Ruane, Cunniff & Goldfarb from 2005 to 2016, and the co-manager of Sequoia Fund, the mutual fund that bucked industry expectations by outperforming all others in 1975. Goldfarb, who is now retired, credits his mentor Bill Ruane and his father as the biggest influences on his giving.

“Supporting the underserved is critical when too many suffer diminished access to success paths. We’ve frequently and anonymously supported education and the arts, recently adding social justice and equity. We’re now publicly aligning ourselves with these causes so that others may be similarly inspired to give.” said Jahm Najafi. The international investor is the founder of The Najafi Companies, vice chairman of the Phoenix Suns, a member of the NBA’s Board of Governors and vice chairman of McLaren F1 Racing Team. His wife Cheryl, meanwhile, is an author, speaker, activist, and entrepreneur, who founded EverydayDishes.com, The Cause Collection and Kara Aware. Cheryl also established The Broken Butterfly Project, which prevents gun violence and advances sensible gun legislation.

Hemant Taneja is CEO of the global technology investment capital firm General Catalyst, as well as the co-founder of Responsible Innovation Labs, a non-profit consortium of leaders aiming to re-centre technology as a force for good. Jessica Schantz Taneja operates the 90-acre agricultural farm and winery Dhyana Grove Farm and heads a development company for speciality real estate in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Together, they run the Taneja Family Foundation, which most recently gave a substantial donation to the Tampa General Hospital. In April 2024, the Taneja family broke ground on the Taneja Surgical, Neuroscience & Transplant Tower, which will house the hospital’s surgery, neuroscience and transplant service lines upon its completion. “Our aspiration is to innovate in how we do this work so that technology can be a multiplier for our giving,” they shared in their pledge letter.

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