About us
The Basel Institute on Governance is an independent centre of expertise dedicated to advancing good governance and countering corruption.
Our aim is to contribute to a more peaceful, just and sustainable world.
We work hand in hand with governments, civil society and the private sector to prevent corruption, recover illicit assets and foster business integrity.
Our work helps to safeguard public resources and address global challenges like poverty, health, climate change, environmental sustainability, security and crime – with positive impacts for citizens, governments and economies all over the world.
Facts and figures
160+
Team members
30+
Nationalities
2003
Year established
Associated Institute of the University of Basel
Non-profit Swiss Foundation
Based in Basel, working worldwide
Our values
Promoting good governance starts from within. We are guided by the principles of integrity, accountability and transparency in everything we do. These values shape how we work across countries, institutions and partnerships – from our internal culture to our work in the field.
We believe that promoting good governance also requires living those principles ourselves. That means acting with professionalism, respecting human rights and diversity, fostering trust and fairness, and holding ourselves to high ethical standards wherever we operate.
Why we fight corruption
Corruption is about more than stolen money and bribery. It weakens institutions, fuels crime, blocks development, and erodes trust in society. Today, it’s also used as a tool in both domestic and international power struggles.
Corruption affects us all. Tackling it, and promoting good governance, is vital to achieving our mission of building a more just, peaceful and sustainable world.
What sets us apart
Practitioner-led support
We prioritise mentoring, peer learning and long-term partnerships over one-off interventions. Our teams work alongside partners to build sustainable skills, systems and networks.
Independent and evidence-based
As an independent non-profit organisation, we combine practical engagement with rigorous analysis and research. This allows us to bridge the worlds of policy, academia and frontline practice.
Global and locally grounded
Our staff and partners work across regions and sectors. We combine global expertise with local knowledge and long-term relationships to ensure our support remains relevant and responsive.
Our team
We are a multinational team combining expertise in anti-corruption, governance, law enforcement and research. Our staff consist of experienced practitioners, many based in partner countries around the world, who bring hands-on operational knowledge alongside global, multidisciplinary perspectives.
Internally, we are structured in five Directorates, each with specialised expertise and networks:
International Centre for Asset Recovery
Working globally to strengthen asset recovery capacity, practice and policy.
Private Sector
Catalysing the power of the private sector to prevent corruption.
Prevention, Research and Innovation
Connecting anti-corruption research with practice.
Green Corruption
Targeting the corruption and financial crimes driving environmental degradation.
Management, Resources and Operational Support
Keeping our people, projects and systems running smoothly.
View all team members
Governance and funding
The Basel Institute is led by Executive Director Elizabeth Andersen and governed by a Foundation Board chaired by Peter Maurer.
Annual Report
Our full results, financials and governance review for 2024.
View 2024 Annual ReportOur partnerships
Partnerships are central to our work. We collaborate with governments, multilateral organisations, civil society, academia and the private sector to strengthen anti-corruption efforts globally.
Close partners include organisations such as the OECD, UNODC, Europol, the World Bank, WWF, Transparency International and many others.
We also serve as Secretariat to like-minded and impactful organisations that share our vision and openness to new ideas.
The Wolfsberg Group
The International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators
Ethics and Compliance Switzerland
In addition, we convene global and regional communities of practice that support peer learning, professional exchange and practical cooperation across borders and sectors.
Our history
2003: The Basel Institute is established by Professor Mark Pieth.
2003: The Basel Institute is established by Professor Mark Pieth.
2004: The Basel Institute is a founding member of two early Collective Action initiatives, the Wolfsberg Group and the World Economic Forums Partnering Against Corruption Initiative.
2004: The Basel Institute is a founding member of two early Collective Action initiatives, the Wolfsberg Group and the World Economic Forums Partnering Against Corruption Initiative.
2005: Gretta Fenner joins the Basel Institute as Managing Director.
2005: Gretta Fenner joins the Basel Institute as Managing Director.
2006: The International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) is established to assist countries seeking to recover funds stolen through corruption, with funding from Liechtenstein, Switzerland and the UK.
2006: The International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) is established to assist countries seeking to recover funds stolen through corruption, with funding from Liechtenstein, Switzerland and the UK.
2007: High-impact financial investigations training starts with ICAR’s first flagship training programmes in Indonesia and Tanzania.
2007: High-impact financial investigations training starts with ICAR’s first flagship training programmes in Indonesia and Tanzania.
2009: Anti-corruption research kicks off with a grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation for research on health governance.
2009: Anti-corruption research kicks off with a grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation for research on health governance.
2010: Private-sector engagement gets a boost with a multi-year grant from the Siemens Integrity Initiative for work on anti-corruption Collective Action.
2010: Private-sector engagement gets a boost with a multi-year grant from the Siemens Integrity Initiative for work on anti-corruption Collective Action.
2012: The Basel AML Index is first published as a country ranking and risk assessment tool for money laundering and terrorist financing.
2012: The Basel AML Index is first published as a country ranking and risk assessment tool for money laundering and terrorist financing.
2013: The B20 mandates the Basel Institute to develop the B20 Collective Action Hub, a global resource centre on anti-corruption Collective Action.
2013: The B20 mandates the Basel Institute to develop the B20 Collective Action Hub, a global resource centre on anti-corruption Collective Action.
2014: Asset recovery assistance moves to its current mentoring model, with the first full-time ICAR advisor deployed as an embedded expert in Kenya.
2014: Asset recovery assistance moves to its current mentoring model, with the first full-time ICAR advisor deployed as an embedded expert in Kenya.
2015: First field office opens in Peru to run a multi-year Swiss-funded programme aimed at strengthening Public Finance Management at the subnational level.
2015: First field office opens in Peru to run a multi-year Swiss-funded programme aimed at strengthening Public Finance Management at the subnational level.
2016: A prestigious UK grant kickstarts research on social norms, behavioural drivers of corruption and informal networks.
2016: A prestigious UK grant kickstarts research on social norms, behavioural drivers of corruption and informal networks.
2016: eLearning course published in cooperation with the Egmont Group of FIUs, focused on operational analysis of suspicious transaction reports.
2016: eLearning course published in cooperation with the Egmont Group of FIUs, focused on operational analysis of suspicious transaction reports.
2018: Jersey and Norway join Liechtenstein, Switzerland and the UK as core donors to ICAR.
2018: Jersey and Norway join Liechtenstein, Switzerland and the UK as core donors to ICAR.
2019: A pilot project on illegal wildlife trade, with seed funding from the Elephant Crisis Fund, paves the way for our Green Corruption programme.
2019: A pilot project on illegal wildlife trade, with seed funding from the Elephant Crisis Fund, paves the way for our Green Corruption programme.
2020: Basel LEARN is developed as a virtual knowledge platform for free self-paced eLearning courses and for the delivery of ICAR’s trainer-led programmes.
2020: Basel LEARN is developed as a virtual knowledge platform for free self-paced eLearning courses and for the delivery of ICAR’s trainer-led programmes.
2021: The Green Corruption programme expands as Liechtenstein becomes a core donor.
2021: The Green Corruption programme expands as Liechtenstein becomes a core donor.
2021: Research into behaviour change interventions deepens with an innovation pilot intervention in Tanzania to address social norms of bribery in healthcare.
2021: Research into behaviour change interventions deepens with an innovation pilot intervention in Tanzania to address social norms of bribery in healthcare.
2022: Peter Maurer becomes President, succeeding Mark Pieth.
2022: Peter Maurer becomes President, succeeding Mark Pieth.
2023: Expansion of work in Ukraine on corruption prevention, defence-sector integrity and public procurement.
2023: Expansion of work in Ukraine on corruption prevention, defence-sector integrity and public procurement.
2023–2024: Appointment of new Foundation Board members Stefanie Bailer, Dorothée Baumann-Pauly, Nicola Bonucci and Helen Alderson.
2023–2024: Appointment of new Foundation Board members Stefanie Bailer, Dorothée Baumann-Pauly, Nicola Bonucci and Helen Alderson.
2024: The Basel Institute mourns the passing of Gretta Fenner, Managing Director.
2024: The Basel Institute mourns the passing of Gretta Fenner, Managing Director.
2025: Elizabeth Andersen joins the Basel Institute as Executive Director.
2025: Elizabeth Andersen joins the Basel Institute as Executive Director.
2025: Opening of the Kyiv office to support Ukraine’s long-term reconstruction.
2025: Opening of the Kyiv office to support Ukraine’s long-term reconstruction.
2025: Launch of Basel STUDY postgraduate certificates in collaboration with the University of Basel.
2025: Launch of Basel STUDY postgraduate certificates in collaboration with the University of Basel.
2025: Expansion of work on virtual assets, including specialised training and scaling of the annual Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptoassets.
2025: Expansion of work on virtual assets, including specialised training and scaling of the annual Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptoassets.
2026: Development of advanced social network analysis, strengthening research on criminal networks.
2026: Development of advanced social network analysis, strengthening research on criminal networks.
2026: Stefanie Bailer becomes Vice President, succeeding Dr Anna Peters.
2026: Stefanie Bailer becomes Vice President, succeeding Dr Anna Peters.