David Sainsbury’s story
David Sainsbury was born into a strong family tradition of philanthropy. He set up the Gatsby Charitable Foundation as an endowed grant-making trust in 1967, four years after graduating from King’s College, Cambridge.
Lord David Sainsbury's ambition to take on some of society's biggest challenges with compassion, thoughtfulness, and rigour is inspiring.
- Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
A legacy of philanthropy
All Gatsby’s funds have come from David Sainsbury, and he and the Gatsby Trustees set our strategic direction and approve all activities. Gatsby operates in areas that David Sainsbury is particularly passionate about, and where he believes charitable funding can make a real difference.
He left J Sainsbury in 1998 after being appointed as Minister of Science and Innovation in the UK Government. His responsibilities included; science and technology, innovation, space, the bioscience and chemical industries, and the Patent Office. He received the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Philanthropy on behalf of the Sainsbury family in 2003.
David Sainsbury's outstanding philanthropic work has unlocked social progress in a unique way – venturing into areas where no one has gone, testing ideas no one has thought of, sponsoring lifesaving and life enhancing innovations no one has championed and by investing in the best of causes his charities have transformed conditions for millions.
- Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer