News archive
News articles for April 2009
Bankers are not all 'a bunch of bastards'
Ronel Lehmann, chief executive of Lehmann Communications_
With City bankers down on their luck, the ability of the Square Mile to find cash for donations is under threat, and many charities find themselves in dire straits.
Nevertheless, the contention from Michael Lynch, the outgoing chief of the Southbank Centre, that the City fails to support the arts misses the point. Describing the wealthy as ‘a bunch of bastards’ for refusing to cough up for the centre’s refurbishment, he only highlights how bad comms between those in need and potential donors have become. Corporate giving makes sense for the businesses as a way of engaging with the local community, motivating staff, and improving the corporate image. But in tougher times budgets are shaved, and only projects that deliver objectives will attract donations. We are not surrounded by a ‘bunch of bastards’, but by many who just do not know how, or why, they should get involved.
April 2009