How the British-American Project Selects Its Members

Robert “Bo” Parfet is the founder and CEO of Colorado-based Denali Venture Philanthropy. A finance executive, entrepreneur, author, and mountaineer, he set and accomplished the incredible feat of climbing the highest peaks in every continent globally, including Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and Mount Everest in Asia. Based in the Denver area, Robert “Bo” Parfet is a recipient of the JPMorgan Leadership Award and a British-American Project Fellow.

The annual conference of the British American Project, which alternates between the US and the UK, brings together both Fellows and newly selected nominees. The meeting is a four-day program that allows new members to experience what the BAP is all about at its core. It also provides Fellows with an opportunity to reconnect and bond over mutual and diverse interests surrounding the US and the UK. Every year, before the conference, existing participants nominate individuals from the influential and intellectual societies of the two-member countries on either side of the Atlantic.

The age range for the nominees is between 28 to 40. However, the nomination processes differ in both the UK and the US. For example, in the UK, nominees participate in a series of tests, including management games and competitive debates.

In contrast, recommended participants in the US submit letters of recommendation and undergo other selection processes. After the selection process, new and existing members — now called delegates — attend the annual conference held in November.