The billionaires behind Prince William’s £50m Earthshot Prize revealed

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Prince William’s £50million Earthshot Prize scheme aims to solve the world’s environmental problems by offering a series of high-value awards over the next decade.

But missing from the TV interviews today was where the huge competition money was coming from.

Those details can be found on the prize’s website, below links to 17 Global Alliance Partners including the WWF and National Geographic.

This list of six ‘founding partners’ are the ones who are going to deliver on the money for the promised awards. 

And they are some of the world’s biggest philanthropists and companies – worth an estimated £119.7billion – with some are better-known than others.

MailOnline took a look behind the firms who have put their names down to save the planet.

Aga Khan Development Network

Founder: The Aga Khan

Personal wealth: £800million 

The Aga Khan Development Network was founded by the Aga Khan, the name given to the hereditary Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, and operates mostly in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Its mission is to help the poorest parts of those areas and usually concentrates on the fields of health, education and rural development.

It has a huge annual not-for-profit budget for these of £735million a year and has 80,000 staff on its books.

The AKDN says it gets most of its funding from partnerships with national governments and private sector partners.

These team-ups include some 19 UK based names, including Boris Johnson’s government.

The Aga Khan himself (pictured above with his ex-wife) also contributes a vast amount from an estimated £800million wealth, which comes from tithes from Ismaili community members.

He gets income from a multi-million-pound horse-racing and breeding operation in France and Ireland and has been referred to as a ‘playboy’ in the past.

In 2014 he divorced his second wife after a ten year legal battle – paying her £50million.

His personal wealth also allowed him to run a £100m yacht, named Alamshar after one of his racehorses and at one point he owned famous missing horse Shergar.

In a rare interview in 2017 he said: “Climate change is a major threat to much of the developing world, and it needs to be looked at with great care’.

Bloomberg Philanthropies

Founder: Michael Bloomberg

Personal wealth: £46.6billion 

Bloomberg Philanthropies is the charitable organisation that hands out the wealth of founder and one-time US presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg (pictured above with Judge Judy and Cyndi Lauper).

The organisation says it zeroes in on five main areas, which are the environment, public health, the arts, government innovation and education.

Mr Bloomberg has a fortune of over £46.6billion which he has said he will donate to the foundation, which is the 12th largest of its type in the US.

He founded media and data company Bloomberg LP and held the office of New York City mayor over a decade ago.

The good cause’s website describes him as its ‘guiding force’ and it says he ‘works every day to change people’s lives in meaningful ways’.

In 2017 it was reported that the group had given away £3.9billion to charitable organisations and projects.

But in February this year Mr Bloomberg was moved to insist he was a ‘champion for women in the workplace’ after a 30-year-old booklet purported to be his ‘Wit and Wisdom’ emerged again.

The pamphlet – which his campaign team said contained things he did not say – also featured a quote about the British Royal Family, which could raise a few eyebrows.

It said: The Royal family – what a bunch of misfits – a gay, an architect, that horsey faced lesbian, and a kid who gave up Koo Stark for some fat broad.’

The Jack Ma Foundation

Founder: Jack Ma

Personal wealth: £30.2billion

The foundation is the charitable and philanthropic group of Jack Ma, (pictured above with Nicole Kidman) the £30.2billion Chinese businessman.

He made his fortune through internet merchandiser Alibaba, which he announced he would retire from in September 2018.

The foundation concentrates on entrepreneurship, education, women’s leadership and environmental protection.

It has an approach to charity it describes as ‘combining philanthropic mindset with business approach to achieve maximum results’.

In March this year it said it would donate 500,000 testing kits and one million masks to the United States.

Mr Ma is also on the Earthshot prize’s judging council but has also prompted some controversy over past remarks.

Last year he sparked criticism after advising his newlywed employees to have sex six times in six days, with one furious watcher calling it ‘revolting’.

He told crowds at the Alibaba’s annual mass wedding: At work, we emphasize the spirit of 996. In life, we should follow 669.

‘What is 669? Six days, six times, with duration being the key.’

Alibaba insisted Jack offered lighthearted life and marital advice to 102 newlywed couples.

DP World in partnership with Dubai EXPO 2020 

CEO: Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem

Total assets: £20.5billion

Dubai Ports World is a logistics company which is based in Dubai and specialises in cargo logistics and free trade zones.

It has total assets of £20.5million and the Emirati multinational says that it handles 70 million containers.

The legacy section on its website says it wants to create positive change in education, women’s empowerment and oceans.

It started in 1972 at Port Rashid in Dubai before expanding around the world.

DP World’s group chairman and CEO is Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem (seen above), who is also a Non-Executive Chairman of high-speed rail company Virgin Hyperloop One.

In 2014 he defended the environmental impact of port operations, which make up much of the company’s work.

He said: ‘We operate in a range of different environments around the world, and we strive to reduce the environmental impact of our operations through rigorous planning and management.

‘Our focus is on reducing our resource consumption, preventing pollution, conserving biodiversity, and managing emissions to preserve the world we live and operate in.

‘DP World has launched an energy reduction project and campaign as a complementary approach to our CO2 emission reductions, and to promote all-round energy efficiency in our terminals.’

Marc and Lynne Benioff

Founders: Mark and Lynne Benioff 

Personal wealth: £6.2billion

The American married couple (above) have a fortune of £6.2billion made mostly from his cloud computing software company, Salesforce.com.

They have charitable cause called the Salesforce Foundation, but are listed by name on the Earthshot website.

In the past they have concentrated on education and anti-poverty programmes.

Mr Benioff once suggested those who had become rich should give their money away as they make it.

His ‘pay as you go’ model informed his foundation which took one per cent of profit and out it in the charity.

In recent years they have moved further towards environmental change, with Salesforce committing to reduce greenhouse gas and the development of the Benioff Ocean Initiative.

In 2018 Salesforce said it aimed to be entirely dependent on renewable energy by 2022.

In September that year Mr Benioff came in for criticism over Salesforce’s contract with US Customs and Border Protection.

The executive director of the Refugee and Immigrant Centre for Education and Legal Services claimed he backed out of a call with them, then emailed ‘I am sorry I’m actually scuba diving right now’.

The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation

Founders: Paul and Jody Allen

Personal wealth: £15.5billion

This charity is named after its late creator (above), who was the co-founder of software giant Microsoft.

It started focusing on the Pacific Northwest and on regional arts and the environment but has since spread its reach.

Now it looks to preserve ocean health, protect wildlife and fight climate change.

It is currently run by Mr Allen’s sister Jody after his death in October 2018.

She said she was determined that his £15.5billion fortune would be used to help other people.

Ms Allen said: ‘I have been given the great responsibility to steward Paul’s wealth in service of his vision for the future.

‘While the loss of Paul is overwhelming, I am dedicated to preserving and implementing Paul’s vision.’

When he was still alive he said that he thought the rich should help others.

He said in 2010: ‘I believe that those fortunate to achieve great wealth should put it to work for the good of humanity.’

Prince William jokes he’s ‘a very boring coach looking for skillful players to help beat climate change’ as he unveils glamorous Earthshot Prize judging panel including popstar Shakira and Queen Rania of Jordan 

 By HARRIET JOHNSTON FOR MAILONLINE

Prince William has unveiled his team of high-profile environmental activists, philanthropic leaders and A-listers who will decide the winners of his prestigious Earthshot Prize. 

The Duke of Cambridge, 38, launched the award, which has been likened to a green Nobel Prize, today, which will see see a total of 50 environmental pioneers each awarded a £1million prize for their work tackling major problems across climate and energy, nature and biodiversity, oceans, air pollution and fresh water. 

In a clip released today, the Duke spoke with different members of his panel by video chat, including Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan and popstar Shakira. 

Speaking with athlete Dani Alves, who is also on the panel, the royal joked: ‘I’m a very boring coach on the corner at the moment, looking for some very skillful players to help me beat the opposition and we’ve got a really wonderful team put together on the council.’

The Earthshot Prize Council is a list of influential individuals from a wide range of different sectors, all of whom are committed to championing positive action in the environmental space.

The Duke will be joined on the team by celebrities and royalty including actor Cate Blanchett on the council.

In the video of the council chatting with Prince William, which was released today, Hips Don’t Lie singer Shakira spoke of her own passion for the environment.

She said: ‘I personally feel it is my duty as a citizen, as a human being and as a mother of two young children to bring attention to this issue before it’s too late.’ 

She added: ‘Your children, my children – they have to find ways to reduce carbon emissions, to repair our oceans, to clean the air. 

‘So we need young minds to be informed and invested, which is why education is so important. But we can’t just stand still. 

‘We have to lead the way and we have to do it now. I know it’s ambitious and I know there will be so many challenges along the way but I also know there will be so many who will rise to the occasion.’

Others on the council include athletes, professional footballer Dani Alves and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer and environmentalist Yao Ming, as well as environmental activists including Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim and Christiana Figueres.

In an Instagram post shared on the Kensington Royal page, the royal posted: ‘The @Earthshotprize council is a diverse, broad range of people from all around the world who I’ve been talking to over the last few weeks and months. 

‘We’ve got a really fantastic council together.’

In the coming months, further members of The Earthshot Prize Council will be announced as the global coalition supporting the Prize expands.

Every year from 2021 until 2030, The Earthshot Prize Council will award The Earthshot Prize to five winners, one per Earthshot.

They will be supported by a distinguished panel of experts will support the judging process, making recommendations to the Prize Council who will select the final winners. 

Speaking after her announcement on the council, Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah said: ‘Seen from outer space, our planet is borderless; the same can be said for the greatest challenges we face today.

‘For too long, we have neglected our shared world, and today we are reaping the shared consequences. None of us can opt out of the damaging ramifications of climate change, pollution, or resource depletion. 

‘And while the situation is urgent, it is not hopeless. When our backs are against the wall, humanity has a knack for coming together to find innovative solutions. 

‘We push back and power through. I am hopeful that platforms such as the Earthshot Prize will help us do just that.’ 

The Earthshot Prize, which has been likened to a green Nobel Prize, will drive change and help to repair the planet over the next 10 years.

The ambitious decade-long project will see a total of 50 environmental pioneers each awarded a £1million prize for their work tackling major problems.

The £50million project is funded by a network of philanthropic organisations and private companies and individuals including Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Jack Ma Foundation and US billionaire Marc Benioff and his wife, Lynne.