BNP Paribas rolls out donor-advised platform in Singapore for ultra-wealthy

[SINGAPORE] Private bank BNP Paribas Wealth Management launched a donor-advised fund platform in Singapore on Tuesday (Feb 10). It targets family offices and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, as philanthropy increasingly becomes a more formal part of wealth structuring and legacy planning in Asia.

Known as the BNP Paribas Bridge Foundation, it provides a structured framework for charitable giving, allowing donors to pursue philanthropic objectives while meeting international standards in governance, fiduciary oversight and regulatory compliance.

With philanthropic activity in the region becoming more complex and cross border in nature, donors are placing greater emphasis on control, transparency and risk management alongside impact, said the private bank.

It added that Bridge Foundation draws on the bank’s experience in governance and compliance, offering clients an operational structure that can support philanthropic activity originating from Singapore and across the region.

Singapore’s growing role as a base for family offices has also brought philanthropy into sharper focus, as governance, transparency and stewardship of private wealth come under greater scrutiny in cross-border charitable activity.

Arnaud Tellier, Asia-Pacific CEO, BNP Paribas Wealth Management, said philanthropy is becoming an integral part of how Asia’s entrepreneurs and wealthy families think about legacy.

“Wealth is no longer about accumulation, but about leaving a lasting legacy,” he said.

The foundation is overseen by a governance board comprising internal and external professionals with experience in philanthropy, impact investing and the Asian charitable sector. BNP Paribas added that the platform has already received initial commitments from entrepreneurial clients and family offices.

Mae Anderson, BNP Paribas Wealth Management head of philanthropy services, Asia, said the foundation seeks to provide clients with the efficiency, flexibility and confidence they want from philanthropic platforms, which institutions in Singapore can provide. 

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“Bridge Foundation is designed to provide a controlled framework that allows clients to focus on their philanthropic objectives while we manage the structural complexity,” she said.

It will help the bank connect with potential clients who wish to set up foundations in Singapore while emphasising its commitment to advancing philanthropy in the region to its existing clients, added Anderson. 

Singapore currently hosts other platforms similar to Bridge Foundation, such as the Asia Community Foundation and Temasek Trust’s TT Foundation Advisors, which also support structured giving and philanthropy in the region.