The Co-founder of the Turner Kirk Trust, Dr Patricia Turner, has been appointed as a Trustee of the UBS Optimus Foundation, one of the world’s leading philanthropic organisations dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable children and the health of the planet.
Dr Turner brings to the Foundation a decades-long commitment to evidence-based, impact-driven philanthropy within and beyond her work with the TKT, as well as an academic background in behavioural sciences and child development.
Alongside other Trustees, she will play a vital role in guiding the strategic direction, governance, and financial oversight of the Foundation. She will contribute practical insight and experience to the Foundation’s long-term strategy, evaluate outcomes, and support the executive leadership, while also serving as an ambassador, advocating for the organisation and fostering key partnerships.
Dr Turner has overseen over £7 million in philanthropic giving across early childhood development, STEM education, and biodiversity conservation. Her leadership has helped drive innovative and scalable solutions in some of the world’s most complex development contexts, from supporting women entrepreneurs in sub-Saharan Africa to advancing research fellowships at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
She has been pivotal in developing the TKT’s unique philosophy and methodology, which prioritises giving based on statistical evidence and solution scalability and seeks to effect transformative change through experimentation, scientific breakthroughs, and the development of innovative models for delivering change. She will now apply this experience and expertise in her role at the Foundation.
The UBS Optimus Foundation shares with the Turner Kirk Trust a deep commitment to data-driven, systemic change, and has indeed been a partner of the TKT in a number of its flagship philanthropic initiatives across the world.
The Foundation is a grant-giving philanthropic organisation working globally to scale high-impact programmes in areas such as child health, education, climate and environment, and disaster response. It has raised over USD 328 million in philanthropic donations to date to improve the lives of over 6.7 million people in over 80 countries. Its programmes are conducted in collaboration with leading NGOs, academic institutions, and governments.
Dr Turner’s appointment as a Trustee marks a significant milestone both for her personally and for the Turner Kirk Trust. It is a testament to the Trust’s growing influence in global development and giving, and to the power of strategic philanthropy to drive lasting, meaningful change.
“The UBS Optimus Foundation is a world leader in impactful philanthropy and it is a privilege to be joining its Board of Trustees. I am deeply aligned with the Foundation’s missions and methodologies, and I look forward to contributing to its global impact.”
