Following an open recruitment process, The Shackleton Foundation, a national charity which supports social entrepreneurs in Sir Ernest Shackleton’s mould, has today announced the appointment of Paul Gunstensen, to its Board of Trustees.
Paul has over 20 years of leadership experience in the social enterprise, philanthropy, impact investment and international development sectors where he has worked on both the implementation and funding side of the table. A builder at heart, he supports organisations to define their vision and mission, translating this into clear strategies and actional plans. He started his career at Water Aid, the UK’s leading water and sanitation charity, supporting programming and financing in Southern and Eastern Africa, South Asia and the Pacific. He then spent seven years at Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor, a multi-sector partnership focused on supporting cities across Africa and Asia to deliver better services to citizens.
As the Managing Director of the Stone Family Foundation, he served as the de facto CEO for seven years, overseeing the allocation of $75 million and the growth of the size of the portfolio, impact investment, and team. He’s passionate about the role seed funding and risk capital can play in getting great ideas off the ground and now works as a consultant, supporting start-ups, enterprises, philanthropists and investors to build impactful portfolios and scale their operations.
Commenting on the appointment, Charlotte Hatfield, the Shackleton Foundation’s Chair said “We are delighted to welcome Paul and are thrilled he has agreed to join us with his wealth of experience in the sector. Paul’s passion for seed funding will ensure we continue to support the work of start-up social entrepreneurs across the UK.”
Founded in 2007 by the descendants of the original Nimrod expedition the charity celebrates the legacy of the great man in a 21st century context. The Shackleton Foundation, provides seed funding and support to early-stage social ventures with a primary focus on benefiting young people in the UK. Since our inception in 2007, we have empowered over 60 leaders to make a substantial impact in their communities, with innovative projects that make a positive impact to the lives of disadvantaged young people.