Franklin’s Legacy of Philanthropy and the Common Good
John Studzinski in conversation with Rory Sutherland at the RSA

On 12 January 2026, Benjamin Franklin House launched its Semiquincentennial programme with a wide-ranging public conversation at the RSA in London, marking the 320th anniversary of Franklin’s birth and the beginning of a year-long series of scholarship, dialogue, and digital programming exploring Franklin’s ideas and their continuing relevance today.

Franklin was an early corresponding member of the RSA, invited to join the society in 1755 while still living in Philadelphia, and later an active Fellow during his long residence in London. The partnership between Benjamin Franklin House and the RSA reflects Franklin’s enduring belief in what can happen when people come together around shared purpose and when ideas are given durable structures to support them.

The evening brought together Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman of Ogilvy and a pioneer in the application of behavioural science, and John Studzinski CBE, Vice Chairman of PIMCO and philanthropist, both long-serving trustees of Friends of Benjamin Franklin House. Their conversation ranged across Franklin’s life and legacy, the moral and civic dimensions of giving, entrepreneurial philanthropy, and the idea of the common good in contemporary society.

Watch the full conversation below.

Selected thematic clips from this conversation are available on Bloomberg Connects as part of Benjamin Franklin House’s Semiquincentennial programme.