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In a powerful and deeply honest keynote, Sara Pantuliano recounted ODI Global’s organisational transformation over the past five years, a process marked by bold decisions, painful trade-offs, and a renewed commitment to influence and purpose. Her reflection was more than a retrospective; it was a call to action for think tanks to adapt, evolve, and embrace discomfort as the world around them shifts.
Watch the video below!
A crisis that sparked change
The transformation to ODI Global began in crisis. In 2019, the organisation faced near-bankruptcy, a moment of reckoning that forced leaders to reconsider its direction and purpose. Appointed Chief Executive shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic, Sara accepted the role on the condition that she be allowed to make ODI smaller, not in significance, but in size.
She proposed a shift away from “growth for growth’s sake”, prioritising influence and impact instead. This meant that staff numbers went progressively down from 250 to 190 and the annual budget from £40 million to £32 million, with the organisation letting go of major funding streams that no longer aligned with ODI’s evolving mission to address global challenges. The message was clear: the organisation’s survival and relevance depended on doing fewer things better, and on doing the right things.
From project management to agenda setting
One of the most significant changes was ODI’s shift from a project-based, donor-driven model to one focused on setting its own agenda. Rather than chasing large contracts that offered little space for innovation or independence, ODI began declining offers that didn’t serve its mission.
Enrique Mendizabal wrote about this in relation to another think tank’s approach: Not projects but big ideas drive change.
Read about Fundación Bofill’s approach to deliver change with less: Scaling impact not research.
Sara illustrated this shift by recalling a decision to walk away from an £18 million education technology programme. ODI retained only the £1.5 million research component, where it could genuinely add value. “We can’t really contribute as the prime,” she explained. “We’re not supposed to be the prime. That’s not where our strength lies.”
ODI Global’s new operating model demanded that programmes be aligned with a core purpose centred on equity and justice. Entire programmes and thematic streams, including those on agriculture, water, education, and evaluation, were shut down. “These were not merely operational decisions, they were human ones,” she said, acknowledging the real anxieties and resistance that staff felt throughout the process.
A new identity: ODI Global
The name change from Overseas Development Institute to ODI Global was more than symbolic. It reflected a deliberate move away from a post-colonial worldview and research framing, towards one rooted in solidarity, equity, and global justice.
Sara described the organisation’s historical identity as no longer fit for purpose. The old name suggested that development happened “over there” and to people/countries, reinforcing a paternalistic approach to the objective of international cooperation. By becoming ODI Global, the organisation embraced the universality of development challenges and acknowledged the need for new models of engagement.
This shift was also internal. ODI Global examined its own structures and practices, confronting questions of power and privilege. Efforts were made to achieve gender parity in pay, lay the foundation for ethnic equity, and promote inclusive leadership practices. A special effort was made to seed the internal staff-led demand for decolonising research and policy. “We’re not where we need to be,” she admitted, “but we’ve set the course.”
Changing how research is done and shared
A central element of ODI Global’s transformation was rethinking how the knowledge it generates with others is produced and shared. The number of annual publications was progressively reduced from 650 to under 300, a move aimed at focusing on work that changes narratives, not just fills libraries.
Researchers were encouraged to move away from narrow, niche interests and instead contribute to broader systemic thinking. ODI Global began targeting key global processes such as: the G20, multilateral development bank (MDB) reforms, the design of the Loss and Damage Fund, supporting Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) in UNFCCC negotiations, supporting mutual aid efforts in humanitarian settings and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It also took firm stances on politically sensitive issues, including speaking out early on the genocide in Gaza, when too many others have been muted because of donor pressure or concerns.
To increase the accessibility and reach of its work, ODI Global has ramped up the adoption of diverse content formats, podcasts, infographics, short videos and stronger presence on social media, recognising that lengthy reports are often ineffective for reaching key audiences. “Our most downloaded publications are linked to subjects on university syllabuses,” she noted, underlining the need to adapt to contemporary knowledge consumption.
Building partnerships, not empires
A key tenet of ODI Global’s new strategy has been a shift from organizational expansion to equitable co-creation. Rather than setting up offices abroad, beyond small bases in Brussels and Washington to influence global processes, ODI Global is focusing on building strong and equitable partnerships, including in Africa, and contributing its research and convening to the commitment to locally-led action. Speaking in South Africa last week, Sara said, “Creating a base here in South Africa would be substituting for local voice and agency, which would be the last thing we want to do.”. These partnerships are designed to decentralise knowledge production, asking the hard questions about who sets the research agenda, who owns the product and whose perspective leads the policy influencing activity.
ODI has also embraced an incubation model, supporting new and innovative initiatives such as The New Humanitarian and the Lago Collective, which brings together migration, culture, and the arts, as well as the UN Charter Reform Coalition.
Embracing messiness: Leadership lessons
Sara did not shy away from describing the challenges of leading such a profound transformation. Internal resistance has been strong, particularly in response to the creation of ODI Global Advisory, a commercial arm designed to generate unrestricted income. For some staff, “commercial” is synonymous with “unethical”. Balancing mission with funding needs has required careful navigation and honest communication.
One of the most powerful insights shared was the need to “build the plane while flying it.” The tension between external ambition and internal cohesion is constant, and the emotional toll on staff is real. Yet, she insisted, transformation cannot be paralysed by dissent. Leaders must listen, create space for doubt, and be transparent about the messiness of change.
Towards a more flexible and responsive future
In the closing Q&A, Sara introduced a funding model that offers a practical solution to the rigidity of traditional donor relationships. Dubbed the “three-thirds model”, it proposes that one-third of funding be allocated at the organisation’s discretion, one-third be co-designed with funders, and one-third be responsive to funder needs. This approach, she argued, allows for the flexibility required to remain relevant in fast-changing policy environments.
Conclusion: Purpose over comfort
ODI Global’s journey offers a bold and often uncomfortable example of what it takes to remain relevant as a think tank in today’s world. Its transformation has not been linear or painless, and is by no means complete, but it has been anchored in a clear North Star: a commitment to equity, justice, and progressive change.
“We are still learning, still adjusting, still evolving,” Sara concluded. “But we are moving with purpose, with conviction, and with a renewed sense of what it means to be a radical force for change.”
This summary has been generated with the support of AI tools.