What do the films Syrianna, Good Night and Good Luck and Darfur Now have in common, apart from George Clooney?  They are produced by former eBay President, Jeff Skoll, says Geraldine Royds

As eBay’s first President, he was a key player in the growth of the company from a start-up into an outstanding success with millions of users. When he was 35 years old,  Skoll left the business world with a reported $2 billion in his pocket and began to devote his time and money to charitable causes.

In addition to his films with George Clooney, his film North Country, for example, is credited with influencing the signing of the 2005 Violence Against Women Act.  An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore's documentary about global warming, has influenced the debate around climate change and American Gun, has raised awareness about gun violence. More recently, he has made two films about Afghanistan, An Indifferent World about Darfur and Angels in the Dust  about an AIDS orphanage in South Africa.

His core belief is that it is in everyone's interest to shift the overwhelming imbalance between the ‘haves’ and ‘have-nots’ in order to bring about a more peaceful global community.

‘Any individual can make a difference,’ says Jeff Skoll. ‘Business skills, when well applied, can do more than just make money. They can potentially make money an d do some real good, which is immensely satisfying.’

Watch a TED Video of Jeff Skoll talking about his life and work.