Transparency International - run by dodgy David Nussbaum

[TonyGosling]

Have you heard of an organisation called "transparency international"? They have just determined that the UK is NOT very corrupt apparently. Anyway, I've been trying to get to the bottom of them and its a tangled web and no mistake. First question: who funds these people - that ought to be easy enough for an organisation committed to "transparency" - well, here's their page:

http://www.transparency.org.uk/who-we-are/who-funds-us

So no direct info there. But you can follow the trail they leave and it takes you to here:

http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Accounts/Ends42%5C0001112842_AC_2 0130331_E_C.pdf

Scroll down to page 19 and you'll find the DSP (defense and security programme - I think?) received grants from MOD, Nato and Price WaterhouseCoopers amongst others.

On another page you'll find a list of the trustees as well as the advisor council of this supposedly independent body which includes 3 lords and a baroness

http://www.transparency.org.uk/who-we-are/trustees-a-advisory-council

But the man who stands out to me is David Nussbaum - where had I heard that name before?

David Nussbaum

David Nussbaum
View David Nussbaum's (United Kingdom) professional profile on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is the world's largest business network, helping professionals like Dav...
View on uk.linkedin.com

Was it his role as head honcho at WWF or at Oxfam... or perhaps his early years at PriceWaterhouseCooper. Now what gets intriguing here is his position at a private equity fund called "Low Carbon Accelerator". Is this the company that collapsed rather suddenly or a different one with the same name? Perhaps I should email Transparency International to ask them... here's a Reuters report on the company in question:

Low Carbon Accelerator NAV slumps, stops investing

Low Carbon Accelerator NAV slumps, stops investing
LONDON (Reuters) - Low Carbon Accelerator Ltd, a UK-listed low-carbon investment company, said it would make no new investments after its net asset v...
View on www.reuters.com

And here he is - our man of the moment. Speaking at an anti-corruption conference (what else?):

International Anti-Corruption Conference > People: Who's who? > David Nussbaum

International Anti-Corruption Conference > People: Who's...
Nussbaum links the issues of climate change and corruption in terms of financial flows to combat climate change and adaptation funding.
View on iacconference.org
Preview by Yahoo


Ain't the World Bank great. Isn't globalisation brilliant... I have developed a real warmth and respect for this man in the few minutes I've been looking into him. But that's as far as I've got so far. Seems that Transparency International might not be the white knights they make themselves out to be and that Nussbaum's background might also be worth delving into further. So far, I've only gone a little way into pursuing any of these threads but then I've literally only started looking an hour ago. I'd be most interested to hear if anyone else makes any discoveries.

Happy hunting,

James Boswell