Welcoming Ned Wills, CEO of Laureus Sport for Good, to Purposely Podcast - a global foundation that uses sport to end violence, discrimination and disadvantage, working with young people across 40 countries through more than 200 programmes, and chaired by All Black legend Sean Fitzpatrick.

Laureus was born from Nelson Mandela's words - that sport has the power to change the world - and 25 years on, Ned makes a compelling case that the organisation is more relevant than ever. But this isn't a story about elite athletes and glitzy awards. It's about what actually makes a purpose-driven organisation endure: deep trust with grassroots partners, a community of 400 volunteer sporting ambassadors, and the rare ability to think in 20-year horizons rather than four-year funding cycles.

Ned also reflects on his own unconventional path - sailing, the oil industry, running commercial operations at Harlequins Rugby, and back to Laureus as CEO. He talks about what crossing between the for-profit and for-purpose worlds taught him, why he believes traditional philanthropy alone won't get us there, and what Grant Dalton once said to him on a boat that shaped how he leads.

Key Themes

Why the community around Laureus, not the awards, is what's kept it alive for 25 years
The productive tension between corporate partners and community organisations, and how to work with it rather than against it
Long-term thinking as a leadership asset, what it actually looks like in practice
What a stint in elite sport taught him about purpose, performance and what really drives a fanbase
Letting go as a CEO, and why his job is to give talented people the cover to do their best work
Why sport is one of the most cost-effective interventions in the sector, and what resilience has to do with it
The funding and impact questions every for-purpose leader is grappling with right now

This episode of Purposely is brought to you by Trust Investments your specialist for-purpose investment manager and Benevity, the all-in-one software solution that benefits employees, customers, nonprofits and society.