Washington, D.C. – The Financial Accountability and Corporate Transparency (FACT) Coalition is pleased to announce Ian Gary as its next executive director. The FACT Coalition is a nonpartisan alliance of over 100 organizations focused on curbing corporate tax avoidance and corrupt financial practices. 

“Across the United States and around the globe, governments lose billions of dollars because of corruption and tax avoidance,” Ian Gary said. “With the current pandemic highlighting inequalities around the world, I couldn’t be more excited to lead the FACT Coalition into its next chapter. Ending tax avoidance and curbing corruption are critical steps needed to confront the economic crises spurred by the pandemic.” 

Ian Gary, who starts as executive director on November 9, is a senior policy, research, and advocacy professional with over 25 years of experience. Most recently, Ian directed a team at Oxfam America advocating for transparent and accountable financial flows – for example from oil and mining revenues, taxes, and foreign aid – to fight poverty.  Prior to his work with Oxfam, Ian worked for the Ford Foundation, Catholic Relief Services, and other social justice organizations in Africa and the US.   

“Ian is a recognized leader in the field and, among his many accomplishments, was instrumental in the civil society effort resulting in the inclusion of the bipartisan “Cardin-Lugar” provision in the US Wall Street Reform Act of 2010 requiring all oil, gas, and mining companies to disclose their payments to governments in every country of operation,” said Zoë Reiter, director of civic engagement at POGO, the Project on Government Oversight, and a member of the FACT Coalition’s Executive Committee. “We are excited to have Ian leading the coalition at such a critical time for the battle against corruption and for corporate transparency.” 

The FACT Coalition moved the House of Representatives to pass the Corporate Transparency Act in 2019, legislation that could curb financial secrecy caused by anonymous shell companies. The coalition pushed House lawmakers to later include the Corporate Transparency Act in their FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in July. Ian takes the reins of the FACT Coalition as the coalition works to include the legislation in the final version of the NDAA this fall.

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