Leadership by simplicity

Simplicity and coherence are at the heart of successful advocacy.  That applies to setting out objectives, explaining why they matter and can best be achieved, and influence decision makers.

As a group that brings together civil society and governments around the world to tackle illicit financial flows the Financial Transparency Coalition’s (FTC) primary objective is simple: a fairer financial system that contributes to a more just world.  But a lack of coherent strategy combined with overreliance on jargon and legalese can get in the way of explaining that message and reduces the chances that policy makers will act.

In a ten-month tenure as Interim Executive Director of the Financial Transparency Coalition, I led the Coalition during a period of transition and against the backdrop of a pandemic.  Working with the Coalition’s 11 member organizations and an external consultancy, I led the creation of a 3-year strategic plan and succinct Theory of Change for the FTC.

Going forward and as the world evolves, the FTC’s new strategy sets out how we will press for more financial transparency and fairer tax systems with a rights-based approach at its heart, making the crucial but often overlooked link between corporate and individual abuse of tax regimes and inequality.

In the process, under my leadership the FTC contributed to a series of public policy advances.

The United States and Argentina have moved forward with laws on beneficial ownership transparency—a critical step in ending anonymous companies, following a growing trend across the world.

At the United Nations, our advocacy led to the Financial Accountability, Transparency, and Integrity (FACTI) Panel placing efforts to combat illicit financial flows within a broader human rights framework and agreeing that greater involvement from the Global South is needed in setting the world’s financial standards.  This serves as a significant paradigm shift in the way that tax abuse is characterized as a human rights issue.

At the same time, the Coalition launched The Covid Bailout Tracker.  Also known as The People’s Recovery, this project continuously monitors governments’ financial responses to the pandemic and highlights the way that governments have prioritized the needs of multinationals and society’s wealthy while paying lip service to the most vulnerable.

By telling a story about what the Coalition does and what it is achieving, we are positioning the FTC as an effective political force.  At the same time, sharing our findings and expertise with journalists in the media creates a virtuous circle: it is good advocacy and builds relationships with influencers and decisions makers which, in turn, helps attract potential funders and partners.

I continue to act as a strategic advisor to the FTC – helping the Coalition to take this plan from theory to practice, and presenting a program of work to partners, allies, and potential funders.