# Jimmy Wales to co-chair The People’s Operator

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/01/21/jimmy-wales-co-chair-peoples-operator/
- Published: 2014-01-21T11:46:00+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has been appointed to the board of The People’s Operator,
the mobile phone operator that donates a percentage of its revenue to charities.

Wales has also made an investment in the business. His principal role  will be to“
drive the growth of a global community that connects as a force for good”.

 [⌊Jimmy Wales⌉](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/jimmy-wales.jpg)

[The People’s Operator was launched in the UK](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/2012/11/19/new-mobile-operator-donate-25-profits-good-causes/)
in November 2012 as a for-profit business with the aim of generating revenue for
charities. TPO passes 10% of each customer’s bill directly to causes chosen by the
customer. In addition, 25% of the company’s profits are donated to the TPO Foundation,
which will distribute them to good causes.

## Advertisement

The challenge of offering customers competitive pricing and generating income for
good causes is achieved in part by low customer acquisition costs: the company focus
on growth through customer recommendations.

TPO plans to expand to the USA, and is already trademarked in key markets around
the world.

Speaking in Munich, **Jimmy Wales** said:

> “TPO puts customers and the causes they care about first. With over 4 billion 
> mobile phone subscribers forecast for 2016 worldwide, TPO has huge potential for
> viral growth and the more it grows, the more money will pass to the people and
> communities that need it.  Only a small percentage in global take up will make
> a massive difference to people’s lives. Just as Wikipedia grew virally as communities
> wanted to work together to liberate knowledge, so I believe TPO will grow in a
> similar way as communities work together to support good causes across the globe.”

Andrew Rosenfeld, Founder and Co-Chair of TPO, added:

> “Donating to good causes through commercial success, and empowering the customer
> is an idea whose time has now come. This is why I’m so excited that Jimmy, who
> used the power of communities to change the world, is taking the lead at TPO to
> do the same again.”

 * **[Lycamobile to donate £1 for every £10 top-up](https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/04/25/lycamobile-donate-1-every-10-top/)**(
   25 April 2014)
 * **[OpenMarket to support Cancer Research UK in mobile engagement strategy](https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/12/03/openmarket-support-cancer-research-uk-mobile-engagement-strategy/)**(
   3 December 2014)
 * **[Four common digital errors hinder charities’ online fundraising, says Equimedia](https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/12/15/four-common-digital-errors-hinder-charities-online-fundraising-says-equimedia/)**(
   15 December 2014)