Achieving a better future through philanthropy

What I learnt on how to become an impactful philanthropist

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My name is Marie Cohen-Malet. I have worked for 15 years as a compliance officer in various international banks in Geneva. I am a mother of three children. I love cooking, reading South American literature (Ernesto Sábato or Isabel Allende, amongst others), walking in nature, and discovering the Mediterranean coast. I am genuinely convinced that exchange and sharing are prerequisites to a fulfilling life. A few months ago, I decided to enrol in the Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS) in Strategic and Operational Philanthropy at the University of Geneva. Here is the story of my life-changing journey.

My enrolment was not a godsend but rather resulted from a personal evolution that started several years ago. My desire for a professional reorientation was motivated by two objectives: to discover a new field and have a fulfilling activity that makes sense to me. I also wanted to make this change gradually while working. The DAS in Strategic and Operational Philanthropy offered by the University of Geneva immediately interested me. I submitted my application, and the journey began four months later.

Day one: I entered Uni Mail, which is the main building of an urban campus that is spread over the city of Geneva. The first module was the opportunity to meet my fellow students. The diversity of their backgrounds and the wealth of their experience was remarkable: I immediately felt that we would share our thoughts and experiences in a very vivid way – and so it was! Our group was cohesive and dynamic, and the excellent level of the speakers – always enthusiastic and happy to share their experiences with us – enabled me to discover various activities linked to the field of philanthropy.


«The excellent level of the speakers – always enthusiastic and happy to share their experiences with us – enabled me to discover various activities linked to the field of philanthropy.»


The courses allowed me to learn how to run a philanthropic project in a professional and impactful way, in partnership with all the stakeholders, which are manifold: foundation directors, philanthropic project advisors, NGO managers, lawyers, fundraisers, etc. We were encouraged to think critically and not in silos throughout the year. The availability of the programme directors, who were always concerned about the class’s feedback, helped create a natural synergy within the class. Moreover, all the speakers invited us to analyse situations and think outside the box critically.

In particular, I remember the module related to regional philanthropic realities, which tackled the thorny question of the North/South imbalance and the need to decolonize philanthropy. I was particularly astonished to realize how, despite all the best will in the world, people tend to forget or ignore essential cultural gaps and differences, leading to absurd project failures. Communication, cooperation, and partnership are prerequisites to ensuring a project’s success, especially involving people with different cultural backgrounds. This last point is particularly important in the philanthropic sector.


«We were encouraged to think critically and not in silos throughout the year.»


The whole setting widened my horizon. Throughout the year, I have been able to build on my knowledge and experiences as a compliance officer while discovering new disciplines. One of the programme’s strengths is highlighting the links between subjects to understand the philanthropic mission in a global and interdisciplinary way.

I started this learning journey with the desire to discover a new field. I’m leaving the University of Geneva with the practical knowledge I gained and with the conviction that we do not have time to waste and that we must act together for the common good. My next step? Having an impact in the field: I will soon have an interview to join a charity organisation which promotes and supports cooperation between international universities, notably by supporting students and funding cross-academic research projects. Wish me luck!