William J. Conner

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William Conner has spent more than 40 years transforming the fundraising results of the organisations with whom he has worked in the UK, the US and across Europe. His expertise is in leading organisations through institutional strategic planning for large fundraising campaigns, strengthening alumni networks, building high value relationships leading to successful fundraising, and crafting institutional visions and associated narratives to support fundraising initiatives. Bill is a founding partner of Conner & Associates and a By-Fellow of Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge where he is the Director of Institutional Advancement. 

 

His particular interests include new philanthropic ventures and encouraging robust donor and alumni engagement with philanthropy and social investment. He has held board roles with the European Association for Philanthropy and Giving (now Philanthropy Impact) and EUConsult. He is also an active trustee of a number of environmental and cultural institutions in the UK.

 

Bill began his consulting career in 1999 and in 2001 became a director of Brakeley Ltd in London where he served a wide range of clients in the UK, Continental Europe and the US. Before moving to Cambridge in 2019, he was for over a decade the Director of Development at Wolfson College, University of Oxford where he remains an Emeritus Fellow.  He has also served as Director of Development at New College, University of Oxford and the Ashridge Business School. Prior experience includes senior management and fundraising roles with the London Business School (Associate Dean for Alumni Relations and Development), the San Francisco and Miami Operas, the Castle Hill Foundation and the Boston University School for the Arts.