Coalition Experts
To arrange interviews with Financial Transparency Coalition experts, please send an email to press@financialtransparency.org.
Emma Burgisser, Economic Justice Lead, Christian Aid
Emma Burgisser is Economic Justice Lead with Christian Aid. She was formerly with the Bretton Woods Project, leading work on the IMF, macroeconomic policy and gender equality. She has a background in the women’s peace movement and women’s rights advocacy within the UN Human Rights Council and Treaty Bodies and a degree in International and European Law from the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen in the Netherlands.
Ommey Nahida, Senior Policy Specialist Economic Justice, Christian Aid
Ommey Nahida is Senior Policy Specialist Economic Justice at Christian Aid. She was formerly with Helen Keller International as Programme and Research Analyst, leading qualitative research on gender equality and inclusion, gender-based violence, maternal and child’s food security and nutrition. She also has experience in programme management and implementation of projects at country and regional level on labor rights, rights of minority communities and GBV at workplace, especially in garment sector. She is trained in qualitative research and a master’s degree in Anthropology from the Jahangirnagar University in Bangladesh.
Tove Maria Ryding, Senior Policy Analyst, Eurodad
Tove joined Eurodad in March 2013 as Senior Policy Analyst. She works on capital flight and tax issues and carries out policy research, analysis and advocacy as well as coordination and communications work. Before joining Eurodad Tove worked with Greenpeace International as coordinator for climate policy. She’s also been chair of the Danish 92 Group for 5 years and head of the Danish NGO Forests of the World for 3 years. Tove speaks Danish, Swedish and English. B.Sc. in Biology from the University of Copenhagen.
Adrian Falco, Vice-Chair of the Financial Transparency Coalition, Fundación SES
Adrian Falco is a member of Fundación SES’s Department of International Cooperation for Development and a member of Latindadd’s Study Group on New Financial Architecture. He is a member of the Coordination group of the Tax Justice Network for Latin America and the Caribbean and the coordinator of the Argentine SCO Platform for Regional Integration and Advocacy at the G20 (PLARSUR, by its Spanish acronym). He coordinated the writing of the book “Double taxation agreements in Latin America: analysis of the links between taxes, trade and finance responsible” (2013) and has a degree in sociology from the University of Buenos Aires.
Claudia Helms, Program Manager, Latin America & the Caribbean, Global Financial Integrity
Claudia Helms is the Program Manager for Latin America & the Caribbean at Global Financial Integrity (GFI). Ms. Helms is primarily part of projects that analyses corruption and financial crimes in Latin America and the Caribbean. Her interests include anti-corruption measures, security, democracy, and women empowerment in the Western Hemisphere. Prior to joining GFI, Ms. Helms worked for several years at the Organization of American States, in the Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation. A trained attorney, Ms. Helms graduated with honors from Universidad de Lima in Peru. Ms. Helms also holds a Master’s of Liberal Arts in Government, and a Graduate Certificate in Social Justice from Harvard University.
As of 2023, she has been speaker for international conferences on financial crimes, anti corruption and government matters. Ms. Helms is currently part of the joint Executive Diploma on Anti-Corruption and Diplomacy from United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA); and has also a Certificate of Anti-Corruption Legal Studies from American University.
Luis Moreno, Tax Justice Coordinator, Red Latinoamericana por Justicia Económica y Social LATINDADD
Economist with master’s degrees in Public Management and postgraduate studies on Local Development and Social Economy. Luis coordinates the tax justice department at Latindadd, is a member of the Coordination Committees of the the Financial Transparency Coalition (FTC), the Fiscal Justice Network of Latin America and the Caribbean (RJFALC), and Chair of the Global Alliance for Tax Justice (GATJ).
Donald Deya, Chief Executive Officer, Pan African Lawyers Union
Mr. Deya is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, and was previously the CEO of the East Africa Law Society (EALS), and, before that, Deputy CEO of the Law Society of Kenya. He has also worked with the Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists. While at the EALS, he founded the East African Civil Society Organizations’ Forum.
Among other things, he chairs the Executive Committees of the Pan African Citizens’ Network (PACIN), formerly known as the Centre for Citizens’ Participation in the African Union (CCP AU) and the International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect. He is a former Chair of the African Court Coalition and is also a Councillor (and former Secretary) of the African Forum of the International Bar Association. He is also a former member of the Executive Committee of the International Institute of Law Association Chief Executives.
He litigates extensively at the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the East African Court of Justice. Don has engaged in advocacy with several organs and institutions of the African Union, African Development Bank, African Legal Support Facility, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and the East African Community amongst others. Mr. Deya also engages the United Nations system and the International Criminal Court.
Rangarirai Chikova, Economic Governance Officer, Pan African Lawyers Union
Rangarirai Chikova is the Economic Governance Officer within PALU’s Good Governance and Rule of Law Portfolio. His responsibilities focus on programme planning, coordinating and reporting, policy research and analysis for the Economic Governance theme. He holds an Honors Degree in Public Administration from University of Zimbabwe and a master’s degree in Governance and Public Policy from University of Passau, Germany. Mr Chikova is also a fellow at the African Good Governance Network which is a group of highly educated academics and practitioners dedicated to good governance principles.
Prior to joining PALU, Rangarirai worked for the Zimbabwe Coalition On Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) as a Programme Officer and the African Forum And Network On Debt and Development (AFRODAD) as the Domestic Resources Mobilisation Lead where he acquired vast experience and knowledge in policy advocacy and influence. His areas of interest are mineral resources governance, illicit financial flows and tax justice. Over the years Ranga has produced several publications and blog articles on the above-mentioned topics.
Francis Kairu, Policy Advisor, Tax Justice Network Africa
Francis Kairu is a legal professional with a current emphasis on the intricate realm of Illicit Financial Flows, international financial and taxation frameworks, financial and economic transgressions, corporate transparency, and beneficial ownership. Presently serving as a Policy Officer at Tax Justice Network Africa, he concentrates his efforts on the intricate intersections of Tax and the International Financial Architecture.
With a paramount commitment to instigating transformative shifts within pivotal sectors, he excels in driving policy and legislative reforms that lay the foundation for enduring change. His extensive repertoire encompasses collaborations with governmental bodies, civil society entities, regional and international institutions, media entities, and communities. His adeptness lies in bolstering technical capabilities to effectively address emerging multifaceted legal challenges.
Francis Kairu earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) and subsequently achieved a Master’s degree in Law (LLM) from the University of Washington.