Women have long played a pivotal role in driving philanthropy. Studies have shown that they tend to participate in charitable giving more frequently than men and often allocate a greater proportion of their wealth to causes they care about. In many family businesses, this commitment has seen women take the lead in shaping and managing corporate giving. Now, they are going further – redefining what it means to give, and how philanthropy can create lasting social impact.
Today, beyond tackling immediate needs, they are addressing systemic issues, positioning themselves as influential forces in the future of philanthropy and its strategic applications. Women at all executive levels are applying business principles to philanthropy, seeking measurable outcomes, and treating their charitable activities as investments in human capital and long-term social change.
In this article, we celebrate 10 remarkable women from global family enterprises who are redefining the role of philanthropy in business, making it not just a responsibility but a core part of their identity and legacy.
Here are 10 Women in Family Business Driving Philanthropy:
Anu Aga (India)
A pioneer of India’s Corporate Social Responsibility movement, Anu Aga retired from running her family’s engineering company, Thermax, in 2004 to dedicate herself fully to social causes. Since then, she has been a driving force behind the philanthropic initiatives of the Thermax Foundation.
Anu’s humanitarian efforts primarily centre around education for underprivileged communities. She serves on the board of Akanksha Foundation, which supports the teaching and development of 14,600 students across a network of 27 schools. In 2009, Anu was involved with the launch of Teach for India, an organisation committed to tackling educational inequity throughout the country.
In 2010, Anu was awarded India’s fourth-highest civilian award, the Padma Shri, for her work in the social sector. Today, her family continues to uphold her legacy, contributing 30% of its income from Thermax dividends to philanthropic causes.
Filiz Bikmen (Turkey)
Filiz Bikmen has played a pivotal role in shaping modern philanthropy in Turkey — both as a practitioner and as a thought leader in strategic giving. During her tenure as Founding Director of Programs and International Relations at the Sabancı Foundation, she was responsible for shaping the organisation’s grant-making and advocacy programmes, with a strong focus on gender equality, disability rights, and cultural communication.
Under her leadership, the Foundation became one of Turkey’s most respected philanthropic institutions, known for its impact-driven approach and commitment to social inclusion.
Since stepping away from her Sabancı Foundation role in 2013, Filiz has become an influential independent consultant and advisor in strategic philanthropy, working with initiatives such as the Şevket Sabancı family’s Esas Sosyal initiative, which strives to create solutions to social problems, particularly in the areas of youth and employment.
Margarita Louis-Dreyfus (Switzerland/France)
As Chairwoman of Louis Dreyfus Company, Margarita Louis-Dreyfus played a key role in transforming the family-owned enterprise into one of the world’s largest global agricultural commodity merchants and processors. While she remains the controlling shareholder of Louis Dreyfus Company, Margarita’s has increasingly focused her energy on philanthropy.
Serving as head of the Louis-Dreyfus Foundation, which she founded with her late husband, Robert Louis-Dreyfus, with a mission to create lasting social impact. The Foundation supports projects in education, child welfare, and community development, working across Europe, Africa, North and South America to improve living conditions and promote upward social mobility for underprivileged communities.
In addition to her leadership in philanthropic efforts, Margarita is also recognised for her personal donations to advance cultural causes and healthcare, especially in the area of leukaemia research.
Yousriya Loza Sawiris (Egypt)
A pioneer of strategic philanthropy in Egypt, Yousriya Loza Sawiris is credited with transforming charitable actions into results-driven investments in human capital. In her role with the Orascom Group, the global engineering and construction contractor founded by her brother, Onsi Sawiris, Yousriya developed the philanthropic model she would later apply in the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, which she established in 2001. Famously advocating a philosophy of “Don’t give me a fish; don’t teach me how to fish; just give me access to the pond.”, Yousriya’s champions access and opportunity as the keys to lasting change.
One of the Foundation’s flagship initiatives is the Sawiris Foundation Scholarship Program, which provides full scholarships for Egyptian students to pursue studies at top-ranked universities around the world, such as Harvard and Stanford. Thousands of graduates have gone on to hold roles in Egypt’s professional landscape, further contributing to the country’s social and economic development.
Gina Fairfax (Australia)
A dedicated philanthropist and avid supporter of the arts, Gina Fairfax established the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation with her husband in 2008. In her role as a trustee and Foundation director, Gina plays a fundamental role in shaping its mission: to support geographically challenging rural and remote locations in Queensland and the Northern Territory.
The Foundation operates through the proceeds accumulated from the sale of Tim Fairfax’s media business, which included prominent newspapers such as The Sydney Morning Herald. Since its inception, education has been a major pillar of the Foundation’s work, funding scholarships for students from isolated regions and contributing to programs that improve educational outcomes.
A large portion of the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation funding goes directly to strengthening communities outside of major cities, supporting programs that address mental health, social isolation, and providing access to health services. Gina’s passion for the arts is also evident, with the Foundation becoming a longstanding supporter of the arts, endowing grants to regional art galleries, museums, and festivals. In recognition of her contributions, Gina was named patron of the Queensland Music Festival program in 2025 – an event that celebrates music, community, and culture across Queensland.
Adriana Cisneros (Venezuela/USA)
In 2013, after years of active involvement in her family’s multimedia conglomerate and investment company, Adriana Cisneros became as CEO of the Cisneros Group – a 95-year-old firm considered to be one of the most influential media and entertainment companies in the Spanish-speaking world. Adriana also leads the family’s Fundación Cisneros, a philanthropic organisation that supports education, digital literacy, and cultural initiatives across Latin America.
Among Fundación Cisneros’s many initiatives is the Piensa en Arte program, which integrates art into education and supports the development of critical thinking skills, partnering with organisations such as UNESCO and Harvard University. In the area of social development, the Foundation centres its work around community projects and access to economic opportunities in underserved regions. It also advocates for gender equality and women’s leadership, participating in forums and initiatives that support women in business and society.
María Asunción Aramburuzabala (Mexico)
With a long history of philanthropy in her native Mexico, María Asunción Aramburuzabala has increased her focus on charitable work since the sale of her family’s Grupo Modelo to InBev in 2013. Formerly a controlling stakeholder in the iconic brewing giant, María has since redirected her focus toward creating lasting social impact.
María’s philanthropic activities are primarily conducted through her personal foundation, Fundación María Asunción Aramburuzabala, and the non-profit she co-founded, Dar para Dar A.C. (Give to Give). Through these organisations, María supports a wide range of initiatives focused on schooling, scholarships, and access to education in Mexico. The Foundation also advances initiatives in healthcare and social development, investing in projects that promote social mobility, entrepreneurship, and community development.
Lubna Olayan (Saudi Arabia)
An influential business leader and prominent figure in both the corporate and philanthropic spheres, much of Lubna Olayan’s most significant accomplishments have come in advancing women’s inclusion in the Saudi workforce.
Lubna initially served as CEO of the Saudi financial arm of The Olayan Group, one of the nation’s largest conglomerates. In 2019, after stepping away from her executive role, she was appointed Executive Committee Chairperson of Olayan Financing Company.
In addition, Lubna chairs the Suliman S. Olayan Foundation, through which she leads key philanthropic initiatives in education, healthcare, and community development. The Foundation provides university scholarships for Saudi students, supports educational programs, funds medical research, hospitals, and healthcare initiatives, and provides programs that support social welfare and economic empowerment. Throughout her career, Lubna has been a powerful role model, shattering multiple glass ceilings and proving the tremendous potential of women at the highest corporate levels.
Roshni Nadar Malhotra (India)
Before becoming chairperson of global technology giant HCL in 2020 – making history as the first woman to lead a listed IT company in India – Roshni Nadar had already demonstrated a passion for and commitment to philanthropy.
Serving as a trustee for the Shiv Nadar Foundation, Roshni played a key role in establishing its education initiatives, including the not-for-profit Sri Sivasbramaniya Nadar College of Engineering and the VidyaGuan Leadership Academy, which provides training to financially disadvantaged rural youths. Since its founding, the Foundation has invested over $1.2 billion in its institutions and projects.
Roshni’s philanthropic vision also extends to environmental conservation. In 2018, her passion for wildlife led her to launch The Habitats Trust, which aims to protect India’s indigenous animals and natural spaces while creating and preserving sustainable ecosystems. In recognition of her contributions to education and conservation, Roshni received the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur in 2024, France’s highest civilian award.
Ana Botín (Spain)
In 2014, Ana Botín succeeded her father as Group Executive Chair of the Santander Group, one of the world’s largest banking institutions. Under her leadership, the Group has placed a strong emphasis on sustainability and gender equality, setting public targets for increasing the number of women in the bank’s leadership positions. Ana has also helped make Santander a world leader in green finance, pledging to achieve net-zero emissions in its portfolio by 2050.
Beyond the corporate sphere, Ana is the figurehead for her family’s Fundación Botí, one of the largest private foundations in Spain. The Foundation promotes education and talent development through its Botín Scholars Programme, which grants scholarships to graduates from Spanish universities to pursue Master’s degrees at top international institutions. It also plays a significant role in Spain’s cultural arena, hosting exhibitions and performances at its Centro Botín arts centre designed to harness the power of art to drive social and economic development.