In Episode 7, Chris Hoffman is joined by Paula Gil Baizan (Principal, Something Meaningful) and Ben Holt (Principal, New and Useful) for a candid conversation on what the humanitarian sector needs next after a brutal 2025: is this a “reset” — or a complete redo?

Paula argues we’re running on an outdated operating system built for predictable funding, stable access, and clear mandates — and those assumptions no longer hold. Ben reframes strategic foresight as a tool for action under uncertainty (not prediction), and asks the tougher question: if the sector’s “hardware” (institutions, incentives, hubs) can’t move fast enough, what new coalitions and models will emerge?

They get practical on what individuals can do right now: ground in values, prioritise dignity over scale, build networks of trust, and be honest about power and trade-offs. They also discuss “grief” and anger in legacy systems — and how to channel that energy into purpose-driven change, not institutional survival.

What we cover:

• Futures/foresight for humanitarian decision-making
• Values-based leadership in volatile environments
• Localization, power, dignity, and trust
• From legacy institutions to new models of aid

Links:

• Paula / Something Meaningful: https://www.somethingmeaningful.co/ (somethingmeaningful.co)
• Paula LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulagilbaizan/
• Ben / New and Useful: https://www.newanduseful.co.uk/
• Ben LinkedIn (quick find): https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-holt-innovation/

keywords: future of humanitarian action, strategic foresight, humanitarian innovation, localization, dignity, systems change, humanitarian leadership, resilience.

In Episode 6, Chris Hoffman is joined by Kenneth Kou (Head of Venture Lab / Crypto for Good Fund, Mercy Corps Ventures) and Simon Meldrum (Innovative Finance, IFRC; Executive Director, Humanitarian Finance Forum) to unpack what “innovative humanitarian finance” actually means—beyond the buzzwords.

This is a wide-ranging, practical conversation about where capital can (and can’t) move the needle: why the sector is shifting from narrative to delivery details, what’s broken about the hype around social impact bonds (and why the data matters), and how instruments like insurance, risk-sharing, and capital markets tools can help close the humanitarian funding gap—if they’re designed for real constraints. We also connect the dots between emerging tech + finance, including how venture-style approaches are testing new models for financially underserved and climate-vulnerable communities.

What we cover:

• Social impact bonds: market reality vs. storytelling
• Insurance, risk, and “doing less with less”
• The role of Humanitarian Finance Forum in unlocking private capital

Links:

• Mercy Corps Ventures: https://www.mercycorps.org/what-we-do/ventures
• Humanitarian Finance Forum: https://hfforum.org/
• Brookings “Impact Bonds by the Numbers”: https://www.brookings.edu/articles/social-and-development-impact-bonds-by-the-numbers/

LinkedIn (quick find):

• Kenneth Kou: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennethkou/
• Simon Meldrum: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonmeldrum/

keywords: humanitarian finance, innovative financing, social impact bonds, blended finance, insurance and risk, capital markets for good, IFRC, Humanitarian Finance Forum, climate resilience, financial inclusion.

In Episode 5, Chris Hoffman is joined by Fran Baker (Director of Sustainability, Social Impact, and Innovation at Arm), Shane O’Connor (Innovation Manager, Emerging Tech, UNICEF Office of Innovation), and Hovig Etyemezian (Head of Innovation, UNHCR) to unpack what makes public–private partnerships actually work in humanitarian innovation.

This isn’t a “pilot story.” It’s a practical conversation about aligning incentives, building trust across sectors, and avoiding the trap of partnerships that look great on paper but don’t survive real operational constraints. The guests share how long-running collaborations stay effective: clear problem ownership, strong local feedback loops, shared learning, and designing solutions that can scale without forcing a single tech stack. You’ll also hear why co-creation beats “solution shipping,” how innovation teams move inside large institutions, and what it takes to deliver outcomes for communities—not just reports for donors.

What we cover:

• Partnership models that scale (beyond one-off pilots)
• Frontier tech, responsible innovation, and real-world constraints
• How UNICEF, UNHCR, and industry partners collaborate in practice
• Sustainable impact vs. “CSR theater”

Links:

• Arm + UNICEF partnership (Arm): https://newsroom.arm.com/blog/arm-unicef-partnership
• UNICEF Office of Innovation: https://www.unicef.org/innovation/
• Shane O’Connor (UNICEF Venture Fund profile): https://www.unicefventurefund.org/team/shane-oconnor
• Hovig Etyemezian bio (AI for Good): https://aiforgood.itu.int/speaker/hovig-etyemezian/
• Fran Baker: https://www.arm.com/company/sustainability
• UK4UNHCR: https://unrefugees.org.uk/learn-more/news/news-updates/unhcr-partners-with-arm-to-unleash-tech-to-help-transform-refugees-lives/
  
  UNHCR Innovation: UNHCR Innovation Service

LinkedIn:

• Fran Baker: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franbaker1/
• Shane O’Connor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-o-connor-b9600b4/
• Hovig Etyemezian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hovig-etyemezian-9b33994/

keywords: humanitarian partnerships, tech for good, UNICEF innovation, UNHCR innovation, Arm social impact, frontier technology, co-creation, digital public infrastructure.