The Tax Justice Network announced today the appointment of a new board of directors at the organisation’s Annual General Meeting last month. Directors are elected by the organisation’s members, reflecting its cooperative ethos. The appointments follow a global recruitment and selection process that began in September 2024.
Hon. Irene Ovonji-Odida, who continues as chair of the board at the Tax Justice Network, said:
“We’re delighted with how far we’ve been able to strengthen the board, adding important new skillsets and further extending the range of perspectives and expertise. A core aim of the Tax Justice Network is to address the global inequalities in taxing rights between countries, and the combination of five new board members and five incumbents gives us the global range of experience to support the organisation in delivering on this. With negotiations now imminent of the UN framework convention on international tax cooperation that the Tax Justice Network has pursued for so long, we are entering a critical phase for the establishment of globally inclusive arrangements for tax rule-setting – and this board has an important role to play in steering our strategic engagement.”
The new board now consists of ten members. The Tax Justice Network’s public invitation for applications to its board was met with an overwhelmingly strong pool of applicants, from which a small number of candidates, following a lengthy interview process, were chosen to stand for election, alongside existing Board members, at the Annual General Meeting.
The organisation’s members also moved to align with positive governance practice, electing a fully non-executive board for the first time and adopting term limits (three-year terms, repeatable up to three times).
The Tax Justice Network expresses its deep gratitude to existing and former board members for their work and dedication to the organisation and its mission.
The Tax Justice Network’s board now comprises of the following board members (in alphabetical order by forename):
Ignacio Saiz
Ignacio Saiz is an international human rights advocate and independent advisor to civil society organizations, foundations and inter-governmental bodies on rights-based approaches to economic justice. As Executive Director of the Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR) in New York, he helped forge fruitful alliances between the international human rights and tax justice movements. He previously served as Policy Director at Amnesty International (AI) in London, overseeing global thematic programs on economic and social rights, corporate accountability, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and LGBTQI+, refugee and migrants’ rights, among others.
As Deputy Director of AI’s Americas Program, he was responsible for Amnesty’s research and campaigning in Mexico and Central America. As well as substantive expertise at the intersections of tax justice and human rights, Ignacio brings two decades of organizational management experience and a proven commitment to aligning NGO governance and working practices with values of human rights, equity and justice. He holds an LLM in international human rights law from the University of Essex.
Irene Ovonji-Odida (chair of the board)
Irene Ovonji-Odida is a lawyer and women’s rights activist. She was a Member of the High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa (Mbeki High Level Panel) and UN FACTI Panel. She is a member of the Independent Commission for Reform of International Corporate Tax (ICRICT), South Center Tax Initiative and the Pan African Lawyers Union task force on Illicit Financial Flows. She previously served in the East African Legislative Assembly, and was International Board Chair for ActionAid International and Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Association of Women Lawyers.
Joe Sutcliffe
Joe Sutcliffe is a freelance researcher, facilitator and advisor with a focus on labour rights and corporate accountability, particularly in the global south. As a committed trade unionist and internationalist, Joe works in and with the trade union movement to deliver research, policy insights and education initiatives that support the fight against corporate power. His areas of specialism include labour in global supply chains, business and human rights, gender in the world of work, and the informal economy.
Joe is also a trained corporate researcher, supporting unions to understand the structures, finances and operations of multinational companies as a basis for strengthening union organising, bargaining and campaigns. He has over a decade’s experience working in civil society and the trade union movement across south and southeast Asia, Europe and east Africa. Joe is an associate of the Global Labour Institute and Progressive Policies and was previously Senior Advisor on workers’ rights at CARE International for nearly 6 years.
Emilia Reyes
Emilia Reyes is Programme Director of Policies and Budgets for Equality and Sustainable Development, at Equidad de Género: Ciudadanía, Trabajo y Familia (Gender Equity: Citizenship, Work and Family). She is Co-Convenor of the Women’s Working Group on Financing for Development, as well as a co-lead of the Economic Justice and Rights Action Coalition in the UN Women’s Beijing+25 process.
She’s a Contributing Author in the segment “Gender, Climate Justice and Transformative Pathways” of the IPCC report: Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. For five years she was an Organizing Partner of the Women’s Major Group for the 2030 Agenda; for two years she was Co-chair of the High Level Political Forum’s Major Groups and Stakeholders Coordination Mechanism.
Lyla Latif
Lyla Latif is an expert in corporate, tax, and transactions law, currently serving as the Chief Executive of Lai’Latif & Co Advocates. She holds a faculty position at the University of Nairobi, where she not only earned her First Class LLB and an LLM in Public Finance and Financial Services Law, but also co-founded the Committee of Fiscal Studies. This initiative is dedicated to reshaping tax policies with an African perspective.
With previous teaching experience at Cardiff University and Warwick Law School, Lyla brings extensive academic credentials including an MA from the University of Duisburg-Essen and a PhD in Wealth Taxation and Financing Public Health from Cardiff University. As a decolonial and pan-African thinker in public finance, she has collaborated with UNDP to design training courses on strategic tax policy reform, guiding developing countries toward achieving SDGs and implementing fair and progressive tax systems. Her expertise has been sought internationally, having helped Lebanon draft its digital tax strategy, Uzbekistan develop its green sukuk strategy to avoid double taxation, Egypt formulate its national tax policy, and supported the Revenue Appeals Tribunal of Eswatini on transfer pricing cases. Throughout her work, the principle of tax justice remains fundamental to her approach.
In recognition of her profound influence and expertise, especially concerning the digital economy, the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Information, Communication, and the Digital Economy in Kenya appointed Lyla to the TaskForce on Emerging Technologies and Data Governance. This team is tasked with developing the roadmap for the regulation and taxation of emerging technologies in Kenya, signifying her pivotal role in shaping the nation’s digital future.
Marla Dukharan
Marla Dukharan, a Trinidad-born economist and dynamic leader in Caribbean economic justice, has built a distinguished career addressing the structural challenges impacting the region’s progress. With over 25 years of experience, Marla is known for her tireless commitment to dismantling the barriers to the Caribbean’s sustainable and equitable socio-economic prosperity. Her unyielding advocacy for better accountability and governance, greater fiscal and economic independence, and social justice, has established her as an influential advisor to governments, international bodies, and the private sector.
Marla’s dedication to empowering Caribbean nations is evident through her support of leaders driving meaningful change. Her Caribbean Economic Report and numerous thought leadership pieces provide actionable insights to influential Caribbean stakeholders, highlighting pathways to socio-economic freedom.
Marla has spearheaded discussions, published insightful reports, and advocated tirelessly for Caribbean people. Her work spans critical issues such as the European Union’s indefensible blacklisting, the UN Tax Convention, and other global developments directly affecting Caribbean communities. Her insights and expertise have made her a trusted advisor to various governments, multinational corporations, multilateral institutions, and private-sector boards across the Caribbean.
Marla’s existing board roles reflect her commitment to socio-economic advancement. She has served on the Government of Barbados’ Jobs and Investment Council, and sits on the Advisory Board for the United Nations Development Program’s Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean. She is also a board member of the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CAPRI), a leading research-based non-profit supporting evidence-based policymaking in Jamaica and beyond. Marla is also a founding member of the Barbados chapter of the International Women’s Forum — a by-invitation-only ‘network of the most accomplished women in the world.’
Nara Monkam (vice-chair)
Nara is Professor of Economics at the University of Pretoria and was previously the Director Research at the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) and. She has more than 10 years of experience in tax administration reforms in Africa. She has demonstrated leadership and managerial skills in leading both operational and analytical teams, through major multidisciplinary research, technical assistance and capacity building programmes at ATAF and the African Tax Institute.
She has more than 16 years of experience from research and policy analysis in Africa. She has published scholarly and policy-oriented research on public economics, tax reform, revenue administration, fiscal decentralization, and local government taxation. Her work has involved long-term collaboration and advisory services with international research institutions and countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Vietnam.
She has worked as consultant for bilateral and multilateral development organizations, including EU, GIZ, T20 and the World Bank. Her experience also covers teaching, thesis supervision and training in public finance, tax administration reforms, fiscal decentralization reforms, and property taxation. Nara holds a PhD in economics from Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia (USA).
Olufemi Olarinde
Michael Olufemi Olarinde is an expert in tax policy and administration, boasting a diverse professional background. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Banking and Finance and a Master’s degree in Financial Management. Additionally, he is a Chartered Accountant, Chartered Tax Associate, and Chartered Human Resources Professional.
Currently, Mr. Olarinde leads the Fiscal and Tax Reforms Division at the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in Nigeria, while also serving as the Special Advisor on Tax Policy to the Executive Chairman of the FIRS.
With over 19 years of experience, Mr. Olarinde specializes in tax policy, legislation, and research. He has gained recognition for his expertise on various national and international platforms. He serves as the Nigerian Country Correspondent for the Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrators (CATA) and is a member of the United Nations (UN) Sub-Committee on Health Taxes. Additionally, he is a member of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Implementation Committee in Nigeria, as well as the Tax Administration Committee of the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF). He also holds the position of Dean of the Tax Policy and Administration Faculty at the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), among various other local and international roles.
An alumnus of the Commonwealth Senior Leadership Programme, Mr. Olarinde is currently enrolled in the Public Leadership Programme at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government. He has received multiple awards for excellent service in both the private and public sectors. As a public speaker, he has delivered papers at over 20 tax conferences worldwide.
Paul Tang
Paul Tang has worked on research in economics and later switched to public policies and politics. He acquired his PhD at the University of Amsterdam, writing about secular trends in economic development and growth. At the CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis he leads on research in international issues like climate change policies, trade policies and long-run scenarios but also developed guidelines for social cost-benefit analysis.
His political career started in the Dutch national parliament in 2006. He was financial spokesperson for his political group during the global financial crisis, but he also worked on tax issues. He was the one of the first to criticise the position of the Netherlands in the industry to tax avoidance. Later he moved to the European Parliament, again addressing the problem in and with the financial sector. He was from the start involved in sustainable finance, including the SF Disclosure Regulation and the taxonomy. Het continued to criticize tax avoidance, most notably by letting the European Parliament condemning the tax havens with Europe, including the Netherland. He also initiated and chaired the subcommittee on Tax Matters, that further looked into the problems of tax avoidance and evasion. At the same time, he worked as rapporteur on the Anti-Money Laundering Legislative Package, introducing a European AML authority and improving the exchange of information on high-value assets.
Yamini Mishra
Yamini Mishra is currently serving as the Country Director for Mac Arthur Foundation in India. Prior to this, she was the Regional Director for Amnesty International’s South Asia Regional Office, with additional interim charge for Amnesty International’s South Asia Regional Office and East, Southeast Asia and Pacific Regional Office as well. She has also served as the Programme Director of the Global Issues Programme which included the Gender, Sexuality and Identity Unit, the Economic and Social Justice Unit, the Refugees and Migrant Rights Unit, and the Business, Security and Human Rights Unit.
She has served on the Advisory Group of the UN Secretary General’s High-Level Panel on Financing for Gender Equality and is on the board of Centre of Democracy and Social Action and on the Governing Board of Centre for Agrarian Reform and Economic Studies.
-ENDS-