Financial Transparency Coalition

Media Advisory: Spokespersons Available for G20 Commentary

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Task Force on Financial Integrity and Economic Development (Task Force) will have spokespersons available to provide commentary and insights related to the 2010 G-20 Seoul Summit November 11^th and 12^th.

The Task Force is a unique coalition of international civil society organizations which promotes awareness of the link between illicit financial flows and poverty in developing countries and advocates for greater transparency and accountability in the global financial system.  Task Force members include: Christian Aid, the European Network on Debt and Development (Eurodad), Global Financial Integrity, Global Witness, Tax Justice Network, Tax Research LLP, and Transparency International.

The following Task Force spokespersons are available for commentary and analysis on the following topics:

• Illicit financial flows;
• Secrecy jurisdictions, tax evasion;
• Corruption in developing countries;
• Poverty alleviation, economic development;
• Policy recommendations moving ahead from the Seoul 2010 Summit.

Raymond Baker, Global Financial Integrity

Mr. Baker is the director of the Task Force and an internationally respected authority on corruption, money laundering, economic development, and foreign policy issues, particularly as they concern developing and transitional economies and impact Western economic and foreign interests.
(Contact: +1-202-255-7978, rbaker {at} gfip.org, Time Zone: Bangkok ICT)

Robert Palmer, Global Witness

Mr. Palmer is a policy analyst and campaigner working to curb the role that the financial system plays in facilitating corruption and entrenching poverty in the developing world.  Mr. Palmer investigates major banks which have done business with corrupt politicians and develops practical policy solutions to prevent such abuses of the financial system.
(Contact: + 44-75-45-645-406, Rpalmer {at} globalwitness.org, Time Zone: Bangkok ICT)

Anthea Lawson, Global Witness

Ms.  Lawson is the lead investigator on financial institutions and corruption at Global Witness.  Ms. Lawson leads Global Witness’s campaigns to tackle kleptocracy by investigating and focusing policy attention on the external mechanisms that allow state looting to occur.
Contact: 44-78-72-620-855, Alawson {at} globalwitness.org, Time Zone: UK GMT)

John Christensen, Tax Justice Network

Mr. Christensen is a development economist and former economic adviser to the UK and Jersey governments.  He has researched tax havens and tax policy for many years and played a leading role in campaigning for tighter regulation and control of tax havens and offshore finance centers.
(Contact: +44-79-79-868-302, john {at} taxjustice.net, Time Zone: UK GMT)

Richard Murphy, Tax Justice Network and Tax Research LLP

Mr. Murphy is a chartered accountant and director of Tax Research LLP which undertakes work on taxation policy for a wide range of clients including governments, government agencies, commercial organizations, aid agencies and pressure groups in the UK and abroad.  He is the creator of the country-by-country reporting accounting concept and comments regularly on issues relating to corporate transparency , accounting, taxation and tax havens. He is co-author of “Tax havens: How Globalisation Really Works”, Cornell University press, 2009.
(Contact: + 44-136-638-3500, Richard.murphy {at} taxresearch.org.uk, Time Zone: UK GMT)

Alex Cobham, Christian Aid

Mr. Cobham is Chief Policy Adviser at Christian Aid, which is one of the UK’s leading international development agencies and operates in some 50 countries.  As a development economist Mr. Cobham’s research has focused primarily on taxation, international financial flows, and the macroeconomics of poverty eradication.
(Contact: +44-79-82 236-863, ACobham {at} christian-aid.org, Time Zone: UK, GMT)

Núria Molina, Eurodad

Ms. Molina writes and speaks publically on developing and transitional economic issues related to aid and governance including:  the impacts of the global economic crisis on developing economies, the response to date by the IMF and the private sector, and declines of private capital flows.
(Contact: +32 -473-410-834, nmolina {at} eurodad.org, Time Zone: Brussels CET)

François Valerian, Transparency International

Dr. Valerian is an expert in corruption and financial transparency issues.  Prior to joining Transparency International, Dr. Valerian held positions in French public service, including advisor to the Minister of Industry, worked in mergers and acquisitions with BNP Paribas, and was a partner with Accenture.
(Contact, +49 -170-314-3903, fvalerian {at} transparency.org, Time Zone: Bangkok ICT)

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The Task Force on Financial Integrity and Economic Development addresses inequalities in the global financial system that penalize billions of people, and advocates for improved transparency and accountability.

For additional information please visit http://www.financialtransparency.org