Matthew Bowcock has founded technology companies in Australia, the US and the UK.

After studying Law, he worked for multinational computer companies in the UK and Australia before setting up his own software business. He was Chief Executive of the company for ten years, living and working in South East Asia and Silicon Valley.  In 1998 he merged it with a UK company and floated on the LSE and NASDAQ and was a board director of the public company. In 2000 he sold his shares and founded a software security company and a genetics company. He was Chairman of both companies for a number of years.

In 2000, he established the Hazelhurst Trust, a family charitable trust, and in 2005 became a trustee and vice-chairman of the Surrey Community Foundation. He is now the Chairman of the Community Foundation Network, a trustee of the Beacon Fellowship and a director and co-founder of Localgiving.com.  He spends most of his time now working to encourage community philanthropy in the UK.

Read more about his views on the development of locally-managed philanthropy