Dr Susan Hawley
Executive DirectorAbout
Dr Susan Hawley is an anti-corruption expert who has researched and campaigned on the UK’s role in facilitating global corruption for over 20 years. Her work has included taking the UK Export Credits Guarantee Department to court for weakening anti-bribery procedures, challenging the decision to drop the investigation into the BAE/Al Yamamah scandal, working to secure aid funding for international anti-corruption enforcement in the UK, and being part of efforts to ensure that corporate liability was included in the Bribery Act. She is a founder of Spotlight on Corruption, having previously worked at Corruption Watch UK, The Corner House and Christian Aid on corruption issues.
Posts by Dr Susan Hawley
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FinCEN Files: UK’s failure to prosecute high-end money laundering shows UK banks are above the law
21 September, 2020Dr Susan Hawley
The release of the FinCEN files exposes the role of big banks in facilitating money laundering as well as demonstrating how UK banks are beyond the reaches of the law....
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Settling with kleptocracy – do the UK’s civil recovery settlements let money laundering suspects off the hook?
6 July, 2021Dr Susan Hawley
6th July 2021 Some initial thoughts from Susan Hawley, Executive Director of Spotlight on Corruption From the reaction on social media, yesterday’s National Crime Agency (NCA) settlement with Izzat Javadovaand...
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The US Department of Justice shouldn’t get away with acting as the bully of anti-bribery enforcement: lessons from the Tom Martin employment tribunal.
19 February, 2021Dr Susan Hawley
On 17th February 2021, a UK employment tribunal found that Tom Martin – a former case controller at the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) – had been unfairly and wrongfully dismissed....
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The UK’s corporate crime rules – why urgent change is needed
10 November, 2020Dr Susan Hawley
Summary Introduction Last week, the Law Commission made a welcome and long-awaited announcement that it has been tasked with reviewing the UK’s corporate crime rules. At the same time the...
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What can we learn from COVID-19 loan transparency in the United States?
12 October, 2020Dr Susan Hawley
Tom Robinson
Publishing the names of COVID-19 loan recipients could be a crucial way of recouping billions of pounds lost to fraud and wrongful claims. Last week, the National Audit Office (NAO)...
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Unaoil – a very complicated win for the Serious Fraud Office
13 July, 2020Alex Clemens
Dr Susan Hawley
In a much-needed win for the UK’s Serious Fraud Office, two out of three of those it was prosecuting for corruption in the Unaoil case were found guilty.
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Where next for Deferred Prosecution Agreements
16 January, 2020Dr Susan Hawley
This blog in the Law Gazette by Susan Hawley, Professor Nicholas Lord and Colin King raises some questions about how the current UK Deferred Prosecution Agreement regime is working.
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Is enforcement in the UK to end the UK’s role in corruption working?
11 December, 2019Dr Susan Hawley
Blog by Susan Hawley for Centre for Study of Corruption at Sussex University.
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Closing the UK’s economic crime enforcement gap: Proposals for boosting resources for UK law enforcement to fight economic crime
24 January, 2022Dr Daniel Beizsley
Dr Susan Hawley
Economic crime – which includes corruption, bribery, money laundering and fraud – poses a major risk to the UK’s national security, corrupts financial institutions and markets, reduces economic performance and...
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Is long-awaited reform of the UK’s outdated corporate prosecution rules coming one step closer?
29 November, 2022Dr Susan Hawley
Today, veteran economic crime campaigner Margaret Hodge MP put forward some bold and crucial amendments to the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill currently going through Parliament to dramatically improve...
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Anti-corruption day – some reflections on the challenges ahead
9 December, 2022Dr Susan Hawley
This year has been a whirlwind on the anti-corruption front. From integrity issues bringing down a Prime Minister in July, to the UK finally getting to grips with its Londongrad...
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Can the next UK General Election be protected from dirty money?
6 January, 2023Dr Susan Hawley
James Bolton-Jones
It has long been known that existing electoral law does not do enough to safeguard UK political parties from foreign influence and dirty money. The 2020 Russia report by the...
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From Serious Farce to Serious Force – 4 priorities for beefing up the Serious Fraud Office in 2023
10 January, 2023Dr Helen Taylor
Dr Susan Hawley
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) – the UK’s top fraud fighting body – has been in the news again in ways it won’t welcome after top KC Clare Montgomery called...
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#WestminsterAccounts: Transparency is not enough. We need real reform
11 January, 2023Dr Susan Hawley
So here we go again. The Westminster Accounts is the latest scandal showing how vulnerable UK politics is to those seeking undue influence with their cheque books and how money...
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UK government finally commits to reforming corporate criminal liability
26 January, 2023James Bolton-Jones
Dr Susan Hawley
Yesterday the government signalled it will introduce amendments on corporate criminal liability reform in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill. We strongly welcome this major development on an issue...
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Time for a rethink on whistleblower compensation in the UK to fight economic crime?
23 March, 2023Megan Davis
Dr Susan Hawley
There is broad consensus that current UK whistleblowing protections are not fit for purpose and excellent work is being done in Parliament to promote the creation of an Office of...
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No new Government investment in the Economic Crime Plan threatens delivery
30 March, 2023Dr Susan Hawley
Dr Daniel Beizsley
James Bolton-Jones
The Economic Crime Plan is a really welcome set of commitments from the government but needs to be matched by much more ambitious public investment, including in training, if the...
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Integrity Deferred? An audit of government implementation of standards recommendations made by independent expert bodies
6 April, 2023Dr Daniel Beizsley
Dr Susan Hawley
Five months ago, on the steps of Downing Street, new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised to lead a government with “integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level.” That pledge represented...
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Now we need the other fraud strategy
4 May, 2023Dr Susan Hawley
Dr Daniel Beizsley
Yesterday’s long awaited fraud strategy contained some welcome commitments despite being launched with no new public funding. The strategy focuses however on consumer fraud which costs UK citizens £6.8 billion...
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The government missed a trick to fight fraud and corruption in its new Procurement Bill
20 June, 2023Dr Susan Hawley
James Bolton-Jones
Dr Daniel Beizsley
Last week, the government failed to back key amendments to the new Procurement Bill (which had strong cross-party support) that would have significantly strengthened the UK’s ability to tackle fraud...
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