"When people can vouch for people, friction from certain systems can disappear at scale," says the co-founder of Kiva and president of Branch, Premal Shah, on The Web of Us. In conversation with Claire Wathen, Premal takes us behind-the-scenes on how he created the world’s foremost microfinancing platform for underserved markets, shares how he made the leap from PayPal to social enterprise founder, and his favorite advice for living life like a hummingbird.

"Developing a mindset which prepares us for this entangled future is the intellectual journey that we all need to go on," says the founding director of the Oxford Martin School, Ian Goldin on The Web of Us. In conversation with Claire Wathen, Ian shares what makes him hopeful, four criteria for building a great organization, and why migration accelerates human progress.

"Everything in Oxford is named Oxford this or Oxford that, and we were very deliberate in being named Africa Oxford not Oxford Africa, and that re-centers Africa in the conversation" says the Co-Director of the Africa Oxford Initiative, Dr. Anne Makena on The Web of Us. In conversation with Claire Wathen, Anne shares how she’s spearheading equitable and sustainable partnerships between Oxford’s and Africa’s best researchers, how institutions can be more accessible by signposting opportunities, and the beauty and challenges of inhabiting multiple identities.

"When you understand the power game, you understand that you are not so critical for politicians," says former Colombian minister and founder of Manos Visibles, Paula Moreno on The Web of Us. In conversation with Claire Wathen, Paula explores the importance of creating inclusive spaces, why navigating power dynamics is about realizing that power is found within, and how she's built one of the biggest networks in South America for marginalized communities. 

"We shouldn't be paralyzed by analysis, right? That’s the essence of solving systems," says Brazilian entrepreneurship engineer Paulo Savaget on The Web of Us. In conversation with Claire Wathen, Paulo shares why thinking like a computer hacker can be a great approach, how piggybacking on other peoples’ solutions can save you a ton of work, and why friction isn’t necessarily a bad thing. 

Claire Wathen is launching a new podcast, The Web of Us. A show exploring the visible and invisible connections that shape our world. Every episode, we’ll deliver an insightful conversation exploring network theory to help you strengthen your own networks. Claire explains more.