Last week I had the pleasure to attend both the Skoll World Forum and Oxford Jam. For those who don't know, the Skoll World Forum is an exclusive yearly gathering at Oxford University's Said Business School of important social enterprise, charity, NGO, and funding players (or as a friend of mine likes to call it, "the Grammys of the doing good space" – a label supported by the fact that the likes of Annie Lennox usually show-up). Oxford Jam came on the scene a few years ago as a fringe event to Skoll, largely because Skoll is not only expensive, but on an invite-only basis.
I dropped in on Oxford Jam a couple of years ago and, while there was good espresso (a prerequisite of mine) and interesting conversation (another prerequisite), one got the impression that it was a fringe event in the shadow of the almighty Skoll. That's definitely not the case anymore. Oxford Jam has really come of age and everyone, particular future Skoll attendees, should take notice.
The quality of sessions and speakers at the Skoll World Forum, with only a few exceptions, is always second to none. To give you an example, this year speakers included Kofi Annan, Mary Robinson and Muhammad Yunus. There really is no comparable gathering of social enterprise, philanthropic, investment, charity leaders, entrepreneurs, and practitioners anywhere else in the world.
Oxford Jam, while still billed as a fringe event to Skoll, was no less stimulating or dynamic. Sure, Kofi Annan did not give a keynote, but the sessions put on at the Old Fire Station were practical and enlightening. It's worthwhile noting here that while Kofi Annan did not speak, I did find myself having a nice chat with Jacqueline Novogratz, the inspirational founder of Acumen Fund, and one of her incredibly impressive trustees, Pat Mitchell (president and chief executive of the Paley Center) in the Old Fire Station's lobby.
This year's Oxford Jam sessions included a media training master class by the Thomson Reuters Foundation team, which featured charities and social enterprises pitching news stories and getting real-time feedback, and an informative round-table breakfast on current trends and issues faced by the impact investment community facilitated by the Calvert Foundation. A highlight was a session run by Richard Tyrie and his team at GoodPeople on the power of communication and networks. All of these sessions were interactive and, the biggest compliment this veteran event-goer can make, fun.
With the exception of meals, Oxford Jam is free. Sure, it attracts a slightly younger crowd and most organisations are up and coming as opposed to the established award-winning types at Skoll. But with that said, I found myself talking to and catching-up with the chief executives and head of CSR of organisations like UnLtd and Deloitte – hardly minnows.
Given that both Skoll and Oxford Jam are going on at the same time, the vibe in Oxford is comparable to that of the best music festivals – dynamic, hectic, and enjoyable. If you have the means and opportunity, I would recommend to anyone to do a mixture of Skoll and Oxford Jam next year. This way you're ensured an incredibly comprehensive overview of the social entrepreneurship and charitable space. But if you can only do Oxford Jam, don't despair, you'll still leave Oxford a more inspired person – one, that just might be more capable to take on the world.
Carlos Miranda is the chief executive of I.G. Advisors. You can follow him on Twitter: @IG_Advisors
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