Dear TIPS Member,
Russian oligarchs and companies have been investing in London for two decades, encouraged by British politicians of all stripes, but critics say the 'London laundromat' cleans dirty money from Russia and across the globe. We commend to you a 20-minute FT Film “The London Laundromat”, which prominently features TI-UK staff and research.
The short film touches on many themes about which TI-UK has written extensively: reputation laundering, the role of professional enablers, the reasons why and how the UK has long been a preferred destination for dirty money. Indeed, the recent revelation that a major Tory Party donor, who donated more than £2m to the party, was listed as a director of a company secretly owned by a Russian oligarch close to Vladimir Putin illustrates the uncomfortable relationship between Russian wealth and the procurement of influence in UK politics.
TI-UK continues to campaign for effective enforcement of laws such as the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act to tackle wealth and reputation laundering.
· Sign TI-UK’s petition to #StopKleptocrats here.
· Read TI’s open letter to Governments here.
Please see below the TIPS Newsletter for April 2022. We look forward to seeing you soon.
- the TIPS team
1. Upcoming Events (register on our Events page)
TIPS Virtual Talk | The Impact of Digital Activism on Anti-Corruption in Developing Countries| 30 May 2022 | 7-8pm BST
International Conference on Anti-Corruption and Integrity 2022 | 13-14 May 2022 | London.
Sustainable Development and Human Rights | 18 May 2022 | 1-3pm BST
Digital Tools for Risk and Compliance | 31 May 2022 | 11am-12pm BST
ESG Risk Management | 24 May 2022 | 4-5pm BST
ESG Risk Management | 11 July 2022 | 16.00-17.00 BST
2. Recent Events
TIPS Virtual Talk | Summary
On 25 April, 12 TIPS members attended a fascinating discussion presented by author, broadcaster and political scientist Dr Stephanie Hare on her new book ‘Technology Is Not Neutral’. Stephanie discussed how the relationship between accountability, transparency and explainable AI is connected to ethics. A lively discussion took place throughout the event between all participants.
Many thanks to Stephanie for sharing her insights and to Sofia Tirini for expertly moderating! TIPS members can access a 25% discount for ‘Technology Is Not Neutral’ here.
TIPS Virtual Outreach Event | Summary
On 27 April, 13 academics and professionals attended the TIPS virtual outreach event with the University of Sussex focused on the nexus between sanctions, anti-corruption, and transparency. The panellists discussed the practical challenges presented by diverging sanctions and export control regimes. This was followed by an engaging Q+A session.
Thank you to the panellists: James Ford, Ed Malcolm, Lydia Rogers and Richard Hanson for your excellent contributions.
Above: TIPS' April Virtual Event with Dr Stephanie Hare, TIPS' May Virtual Event, and TIPS' April Outreach with the University of Sussex.
3. Items of Interest
TI publications.
- Downing Street Parties: Full Transparency Needed in Publishing of Sue Gray Report. See here.
- May Elections: Parties Urged To Adopt 10-Point Anti-Corruption Plan to Prevent Impropriety In Planning. See here.
TI blogs.
- Nine Years Since The Rana Plaza Tragedy. Has Fast Fashion Ironed Out Their Deadly Corruption Problems? See here.
- Leading Whistleblower Protection NGOs Call For Urgent Reform After Latest Whistleblower Firing. See here.
Podcasts.
- SEC Update: Proposed Climate Change and Cyber Incident Rules. Listen here.
- Svitlana Musiiakaka on the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission in Ukraine. Listen here.
- Catching Up with DOJ’s Antitrust Division. Listen here.
- India and the Russia-Ukraine War. Listen here.
Other items.
- Corruption Risk Forecast Tool. See here.
- FT Film: How London Became the Dirty Money Capital of the World. Watch here.
- UNODC: State of Integrity. A Guide on Conducting Corruption Risk Assessments in Public Organisations. See here.
- US must push for transparency in UAE defence sector. See here.
- A Most Reliable Ally: How Corruption in the Russian Military Could Save Ukraine. See here.
- Signatures For Sale: How Nominee Services for Shell Companies Are Abused to Conceal Beneficial Owners. See here.
- France’s Anti-Corruption Turnaround and the Path Forward. See here.
- Global Environmental Crime Tracker. See here.
4. Jobs Board
Operations Manager – Programmes, TI-UK, London. See here.
Compliance Analyst – Global Anti-Corruption, AMEX, Brighton. See here.
NATO Internships, Brussels. See here.
5. One Minute Reads
New One Minute Reads have been uploaded to the TIPS website. Please do click the link to read more – perfect for your morning/evening WFH coffee break!
6. Support TI-UK directly by joining Friends of TI-UK!
As a friend of TI-UK you will receive updates from TI-UK directly about TI-UK's ground-breaking research & advocacy campaigns. Your subscription will also support TI-UK's ongoing work across the UK, Business, Health, Defence & Security initiatives. Find out more here.
7. Focus on...
Berina Glusac, CIPE Consultant,
TIPS Mentee and Student
MA, Corruption and Governance, University of Sussex,
Why did you get involved with TIPS?
My journey with the TIPS Network began in late 2021. I became interested in Anti-Corruption throughout my professional career which led me to start an MA in Corruption and Governance at the University of Sussex last year. During my first semester, I heard about TIPS from my professor Robert Barrington. I researched it and applied to participate in the TIPS mentorship Programme. Tena Prelec was assigned as my mentor and we have been collaborating ever since. She is truly more than a mentor to me and is my friend now. My work with her has been incredibly beneficial and has helped me shape my future career path.
Please describe your experience as part of the TIPS Network.
My experience at TIPS has been fantastic so far. The advantage of being a TIPS member is having the opportunity to work closely with proven experts in anti-corruption. I have met many people and everyone has been amicable and open to collaboration. There are also plenty of opportunities to attend different talks and events, which would not be possible without TIPS. A special event I would like to highlight, is a speech of the famous author and TI co-founder, Frank Vogl. The whole experience is truly unique because TIPS allows young professionals like me to expand their views, network and scope of their careers through work and sharing the experience of professionals from a broad spectrum of the anti-corruption landscape. I'm really looking forward to the next several months with TIPS.
Connect with Berina on LinkedIn here.
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