The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) is pleased to announce the appointment of two new members to its global board in Geneva.

Nirmal Ghosh and François Mathieu have been nominated independently by the organization’s Network of Experts.

Based on the statutes of the GI-TOC, the Network of Experts has the authority to appoint members of the board, including its own members to serve as representatives of the Network of Experts.  Over the past number of months, the GI-TOC has been engaged in a process to appoint another two Network representatives to the board. These new appointments are a reflection of the growth in the size of the Network to 500+ members.

In the process of appointing the new board members, the GI-TOC Network recommended five candidates to the secretariat. As an outcome of this selection process, it is our pleasure to welcome Nirmal Ghosh and François Mathieu to the Global Initiative Board. Part of their mandate will be to represent the Global Initiative Network at board level.

Journalist and published author Nirmal Ghosh is the US Bureau Chief of The Straits Times, Singapore and South East Asia’s leading English daily, with a readership of over 1 million in the Asia-Pacific region and the United States combined.

Since 1994, Ghosh has been a foreign correspondent in Manila, New Delhi and Bangkok, covering politics, conflict and other current affairs in Asia. Nirmal has won PANPA and SOPA awards for his journalism.

The GI-TOC has always championed the role of journalism as a key pillar of civil society, which plays a central role in shining the spotlight on organized crime and corruption networks worldwide. We have supported individual members of the independent media fraternity who have faced intimidation and threats at the hands of criminal interests or oppressive state administrations. Nirmal’s journalistic experience in the Asia region aligns with these organizational goals and mindset.

On accepting his appointment, Ghosh said:

‘It will be a privilege to serve on the board of the Global Initiative. I look forward to learning from colleagues, and to contributing to a GI-TOC that is flexible, adaptive and forward-looking, makes the best use of resources, and – in ever sharper ways – shapes the discussion and the agenda on dealing with transnational organized crime in a world that is increasingly at risk.’ 

François Mathieu, recently retired after 30 years’ service with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police – where he was in charge of strategic criminal intelligence matters, and crime and security threats in Canada – plays an active role as a consultant in matters relating to money laundering.

François’s high-level professional experience in the law enforcement environment will be a valuable contribution to the GI-TOC’s strategic efforts to increase the evidence base relating to criminalized power structures in the Americas and help catalyze appropriate policy responses to the threat.

Says Mathieu:

‘It is an honour to join the GI-TOC Board. One of the characteristics and strengths of the organization is its diverse international Network of Experts. During the run-up to 2023, which marks the GI-TOC’s 10th anniversary since it was founded, I will work towards enhancing Network dialogue and collaboration across regions and fields of expertise, and among stakeholders.’

Sarah Cliffe, Chair of the GI-TOC Board, said:

‘On behalf of the GI-TOC Board and the secretariat, I would like to thank our Network members for engaging in the nomination process for these board appointments. All of the candidates had excellent credentials, making the task particularly difficult, and the board carefully considered the background of each of the candidates. Nirmal and François have long-standing expertise in a variety of organized crime forms, and we are very pleased to welcome them to the GI-TOC Board and look forward to fruitful collaboration.’

‘At the Global Initiative, we are delighted to welcome these two exceptional experts to our Board,’ said Mark Shaw, Director of the GI-TOC. ‘Their experience draws from key regions and areas of expertise, and I am more than confident that they will both support our cross-regional and cross-thematic engagement to leverage the mission of the Global Initiative. François and Nirmal’s experience will continue to add credence to and reverberate through the work of the Global Initiative, both regionally and globally.’

About the Global Initiative

The Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime is a global network with over 500 Network Experts around the world. The GI-TOC provides a platform to promote greater debate and innovative approaches as the building blocks to an inclusive global strategy against organized crime.

The GI-TOC Board provides strategic oversight and management of the organization, steering advisory functions and ensuring fiduciary control. The board, which currently numbers 11 members, has been appointed in stages as the work of the GI-TOC has grown since 2013, when the organization was founded.