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“To embark on the journey towards your goals and dreams requires bravery. To remain on that path requires courage.”

Steve Maraboli, United States

“To embark on the journey towards your goals and dreams requires bravery. To remain on that path requires courage.”

Steve Maraboli, United States

Services

We work with companies, grant-making foundations, and families in Switzerland and in Africa.

  • We provide clarity and leadership, and we develop customized and ambitious philanthropy strategies.
  • We have worked for many years for Non-Profit-Organizations and have successfully built up various grant-making foundations.
  • We take philanthropy further: More courage – more impact – new topics – more professionalism.

Strategic consulting
The PAGUME approach: This is how we carry out our strategic consulting.

Philanthropy Advisory

  • Support for CSR strategies


    We support the development of a CSR strategy and surprise clients with unconventional ideas.
  • Development of co-financing


    We advise engaged philanthropists and foundations on how to partner with like-minded people – to achieve more impact together.
  • Optimization and foundation administration


    We develop tools that help grant-making foundations work efficiently and effectively.
  • More quality in grant-making


    We evaluate applicants and projects.
  • We assess applications for funding.
  • PAGUME does not do fundraising.

Vision

Philanthropy that is based on your values, driven by your ambition, and achieves the most sustainable impact thanks to a clear focus… and philanthropy should be fun!

Values

PAGUME does philanthropy differently.
More courageous. More colourful. More inclusive.

We look at your foundation from a variety of perspectives, including those that go beyond the «normal». We ask questions, make suggestions, and even try to provoke from time to time. Our goal is always to work jointly to help you define impactful, value-based philanthropy.

PAGUME seeks new paths.
With ambition and finesse.

We push you to go beyond what you can do already, striving to move your foundation or project forward in a thoughtful, courageous, and strategic manner. Together, we identify new, relevant topics, develop efficient processes, and shape philanthropy bravely, but always realistically, too.

PAGUME leads and mentors.
With knowledge and experience.

We are skilled at building and managing both corporate and family foundations. Our network stretches from Switzerland to the globe. We ask the crucial questions, collaboratively identify the right answers, and foster philanthropy that strives to integrate the beneficiaries.

About

Christoph Schmocker

Samy Darwish

MEANING OF PAGUME

Topics: Education, children, wealth inequality
Strengths: Strategic, courageous, leadership

  • Born 1963, from Biel-Bienne, married, two daughters
  • Teacher, foundation manager, philanthropy specialist
  • Interested in Africa, opals, a big fan of “The BOSS”

since 2023 DG Murray Trust (South Africa) – Strategic Partnerships
2017–22: Julius Baer Foundation – CEO
2011–16: University of Cape Town – Fundraiser
2007–19: Roger Federer Foundation – Member of the Foundation Board
2001–10: UBS Optimus Foundation – CEO

Topics: Environment, sports, health
Strengths: Analytical, empathetic, creative

  • Born 1971, from Neuchâtel, married, two sons
  • Lawyer, communicator, project manager
  • Interested in family, nature, and sports

Since 2016 Swiss Cancer League – Association Coordinator
2013-15: Swiss Sports Aid Foundation – Director of Marketing
2005-13: WWF – Responsible for major donor programme

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE WORD PAGUME?

  • The Ethiopian calendar is anything but ordinary.
  • It has 13 months, with the first 12 months lasting thirty days each.
  • The 13th month is called PAGUME, falling in September, and it lasts five or six days.
  • The Ethiopian calendar surprised us and inspired us to think out-of-the-box.
    This suits us.

Principles of our consulting

Philanthropy should be an exciting journey

We develop strategies as a team

Every client has a contact person

We work with transparent and fair fees

  • CHF 300 | ZAR 2800 / hour or CHF 2500 | ZAR 20000 / day for companies and grant-making foundations
  • CHF 200 | ZAR 2000 / hour or
    CHF 1700 | ZAR 13000 / day
    for non-profit organizations
  • We offer pro bono consulting to one client; we change pro bono clients every year

We advise – you decide

«Don`t miss the opportunity to fly with eagles tomorrow
because chickens invited you to run with them today.»

Matshona Dhliwayo

Photographer: Markus Varesvuo

Surprise

Photographer: Stefan Forster

A family for the – FOUNDATION – for a family

The impetus for a project like a family foundation is typically an inheritance, the sale of a business, or income from a hugely successful sports career. In my conversations, however, somewhat more hidden motivations often emerge: the inheritor might want to prove something to his family with the foundation, the businessperson may want to anchor her values through the foundation, or the family foundation may be intended to bring together different generations in a joint undertaking.

The diverse worldviews and life situations of different generations can enrich a family foundation when the foundation strategy is developed collaboratively and on an equal footing. In this context, it is highly recommended to involve a foundation expert who can develop a joint focus out of sometimes emotional discussions. Here, two aspects are particularly worthy of attention:

  • The foundation’s purpose should be open and broadly formulated, but its core areas should reflect the interests of all family members. So it’s entirely possible that a foundation will invest in research into Alzheimer’s disease (due to a grandmother’s illness), but will also fund the protection of endangered species because the grandchildren care about the continued existence of rhinos or orangutans.
  • In the case of a family foundation, it is advisable that the foundation board also include external members – in our example, a foundation or rhino expert, for instance. In my experience, I often find that as a foundation expert I can mediate between family members’ differing viewpoints or can chart a new generation-spanning path – since my opinion as a neutral expert is acceptable to all parties.

Thanks to a jointly developed, content-focused foundation strategy, interest in shared projects will grow and the family can move closer together on the path towards a mutual goal.

Clients

GRANT-MAKING FOUNDATIONS

COMPANIES

Non-Profit-Organizations

  • ECOM Foundation, USA + Switzerland
  • Fidel Götz Stiftung, Liechtenstein
  • Fondation BOTNAR, Basel
  • Innovation Foundation, Zürich
  • Roger Federer Foundation, Zürich
  • ZEITZ foundation, Kenya
  • Giorgio Armani Group, Paris
  • PB Invest (Schweiz), Zürich
  • Fondation Terre des hommes, Lausanne
  • Hospice générale, Genève
  • Southern Hemisphere, South Africa
  • taboobreaker association, Cape Town
  • 1000 years celebration Schwarzenburg 2025
  • University of Cape Town, South Africa

«To understand the heart and mind of a person, look not at what she has already achieved, but at what she aspires to.»

Kahlil Gibran, Poet

Imprint

PAGUME
Philanthropy Advisors GmbH
Weyermannstasse 44
CH-3008 Bern

Web:
www.pagume.ch

E-Mail:
christoph@pagume.ch

 

Managing Director:
Christoph Schmocker, Samy Darwish

Registered company name:
PAGUME Philanthropy Advisors GmbH

Responsible authority:
HCommercial Register of the Canton of Bern

UID:
CHE-130.397.837

 

Responsible for all content:
PAGUME Philanthropy Advisors GmbH

Photos:
© PAGUME Philanthropy Advisors GmbH

Design, Code:
www.pixelfarm.ch