International recognition for Griffith academic

Professor A J Brown

A Griffith University expert has been elected to the board of directors of Transparency International (TI), the peak global organisation working against corruption.

Professor A J Brown, from the Centre for Governance and Public Policy, was elected for 3 years at the TI Annual Members’ Meeting, held in Berlin, Germany on Sunday October 15.

The vote was taken by representatives of the global anti-corruption movement from 91 countries, with another 22 countries in attendance, along with other individual members, supporters and staff from TI throughout the world.

“It is an honour to be entrusted with this unique opportunity to help oversight and target the efforts of the world’s most important accountability organisation, as well as assist in its own governance and organisational development,” Professor Brown said.

Professor Brown has been a board member of Transparency International Australia since 2010, and involved in world-leading research in partnership with TI for over 15 years including on whistleblowing, anti-corruption agencies and national integrity systems.

In Australia, his research and policy recommendations were most recently heavily relied on in the historic report on whistleblower protections by the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Corporations and Financial Services (September 2017).

“I am excited by the opportunity to formally expand my work with TI Australia to our many friends and neighbours across the Asia-Pacific, and beyond,” Professor Brown said.

Pro Vice Chancellor (Business) at Griffith University, Professor David Grant, said the election result reflected Professor Brown’s remarkable work in the field.

“Ensuring there is trust in our public and corporate institutions has never been more important,” Professor Grant said.

“Professor Brown is uniquely qualified to support TI’s strategies for ensuring government and business organisations behave in ways that maintain public confidence in their honesty and integrity.

Professor Brown is the project leader for Whistling While They Work 2 — the world’s leading research into organisational responses to public interest whistleblowing — and the Australian Research Council Linkage Project, Strengthening Australia’s National Integrity System: Priorities for Reform.