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At the Coalface
At the Coalface is a series of conversations hosted by Philippe Rose.
Philippe's guests share stories about their life beyond the headlines of international affairs. They look for lessons learned about making an impact in the world as practitioners in diplomacy, international organisations, NGOs, journalism and the private sector.
Many of Philippe's guests are connected by their common experience of taking time away from work to attend graduate school at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy of Tufts University.
At the Coalface
Guillermo de los Santos - Fundraising for Good: On Ethical Persuasion
In this episode, I speak with Guillermo de los Santos, a humanitarian fundraiser whose career began as an unintended detour.
After studying international relations with hopes of working in diplomacy, Guillermo found himself stuck in telemarketing. What felt like a dead end became an unexpected training ground in persuasion, listening, and human motivation.
A chance opportunity led him to UNICEF, where fundraising clicked as a way to combine purpose, creativity, and data. From there, he built a career across organisations such as Médecins Sans Frontières and UNHCR, developing an approach to fundraising that is both effective and ethical.
We talk about how people decide to give, the tension between persuasion and manipulation, and why asking for money in humanitarian work is often misunderstood.
This is a conversation about detours, curiosity, and finding purpose in work you never planned to do.
Recorded on 9 January 2026.
Connect with Guillermo on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/guillermo-de-los-santos-msc-oxon-mba-6a739310.
Instagram: @at.the.coalface
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