Our Business

Givewell was formed in 1997 to play a key role in fostering a better culture of giving in Australia. We do this by conducting research on charities and generating ideas on better ways to give. We also believe that more informed and generous giving will lead to a more accountable, efficient and effective charitable sector.

Our 3 key strategies are to: -

• specialise in gathering information about charities, foundations and community attitudes to giving;


• ensure that professional advice on donations and bequests becomes a normal part of financial, tax and estate planning services; and to
• help companies and grantmakers implement well constructed giving programs as part of their service to the community.

Our fundamental belief is that people would like to make more of a difference. We provide ideas and information on how this can be achieved, so that making a difference is made easy.

Givewell (Reg No: U410 0242) is the registered business name of Walsh Consultants Pty Limited (ABN: 53 082 145 775). Part of the Lifecraft Group, Givewell operates alongside other Business Units Ethical Investor, Corporate Monitor and Cent$ational Harry.

Our people

Michael Walsh is the executive director of Lifecraft Group. He holds a Master of Commerce at the University of NSW, and has over thirty years business experience which spans accounting, auditing, academic research and includes 15 years in investment analysis. He is also a Non-Executive Director of Small Company Investment Manager Ltd, a Non-Executive Director of Hunter Hall International Ltd. Finally, Michael is also the Chairman of the Investment Committee for Australian Skandia.

Oliver Wagg, managing editor of Ethical Investor, previously edited UK-based Corporate Citizenship Briefing (www.ccbriefing.co.uk) - owned by Chime Communications' corporate social responsibility consultancy Corporate Citizenship. Oliver has written for Ethical Corporation magazine and was formerly Europe Editor of Agence France Presse's Global Ethics Monitor - the first real-time news service dedicated to CSR, socially responsible investment and corporate governance. He has a background in financial and business journalism, having worked for AFP's English language newswire AFX News (now part of Thomson-Reuters) as UK economics editor, New York bureau chief and technology, media and telecoms (TMT) correspondent. Oliver is a graduate of the University of Kent at Canterbury with a BA and MA in economics.

David Kirk is the Lifecraft Group operations manager, has a background of Operations and Quality Assurance Management in manufacturing. David spent 7 years in Interpretative Sign Manufacturing and 13 years in Hat Manufacturing.

Janet Hudson is the Lifecraft Group office manager. Janet has a background spanning 13 years in bookkeeping in the childcare industry and four years as a store manager. Janet is the longest serving employee at Lifecraft.

Elaine Saunders is a Corporate Monitor research analyst. Elaine has an extensive background in the Welfare Sector working with many disadvantaged groups and teaching at TAFE. She has a BA (Hons) in Social Policy & Administration from Plymouth UK, an LLB from Southern Cross University NSW with a DipGrad in Legal Practice from UTS Sydney. She was admitted as a legal practitioner to the Supreme Court of NSW in 2004.

Margaret Harlow is a Givewell research analyst and has worked in the not-for-profit sector for several years in the field of marine & coastal conservation. Margaret has a Bachelor of Environmental Science from Griffith University, Brisbane.

Samantha Elley is a Corporate Monitor research analyst and has nearly 20 years experience in the IT industry working with major corporations such as American Express, Bank of America and Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Samantha also holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Literature from Macquarie University, and a Diploma in Freelance Journalism and has experience writing articles for various publications.

Carolien Jonkman is a Givewell research analyst and arrived in Australia in 2007. She has worked in the Dutch education sector for several years as quality management coordinator at The Hague University. Carolien holds a Bachelor degree in Management, Economic and Law and a Master of Arts in Social & Cultural Science from the Free University in Amsterdam (Netherlands).