Lara is the Head of Business and Human Rights and a Senior Legal Adviser at GRC. Lara is a business and human rights lawyer, with demonstrable experience in supporting industry bodies, CSOs and governments with mitigating human rights risks across global supply chains. She brings specific expertise in remediation, access to justice and protection of human rights defenders. In her role at GRC, she provides advisory services to international organizations, governments, and business on international humanitarian and international criminal law, with a focus on corporate accountability and remediation. Relevantly, she has authored a flagship report for Anti-Slavery international on best practice in providing access to remedy for migrant workers in global supply chains; delivered human rights impact assessments for a Fortune 500 international brand, including conducting a baseline risk assessment of in-country operations in a conflict-affected and high-risk area.

Wayne is a British lawyer and has practiced for 20 years in the international human rights and humanitarian law fields. He has advised clients include governments, international organisations (e.g., the UN and the Council of Europe), NGO’s, corporations and individuals on their compliance with international human rights and humanitarian law. Representation has included advisory work in the global network of international tribunals, including at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Criminal Court [ICC], the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia [ICTY], International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda [ICTR], the Special Court for Sierra Leone [SCSL], as well as in the higher Courts of the United Kingdom. He is recognised in the Legal 500 UK 2017 as a Leading Queen Counsel and “one of the world’s leading international criminal lawyers”.

Wayne’s work has involved advising states (e.g., UK, The Netherlands, Ukrainian, Bangladeshi, Libyan, Serbian and Vietnamese governments), multi-lateral organisations (e.g., the UN, EU, Council of Europe), corporations and industry leaders, and civil society, providing a range of services to build monitoring, protective and preventative systems to ensure compliance with UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, (‘UNGPs’), international human rights (IHRL) and humanitarian law (IHL).

Wayne has over fifteen years experience working with corporations in conflict affected and high risk regions. He regularly conducts conflict analysis, leads teams of investigators as part of due diligence assessments for multi-national corporations and their supply chains, as well as designing and implementing stakeholder engagement, a variety of grievance mechanisms and remediation.

Recently, his advisory work has also included providing specialist IHL and IHRL legal advice to the UN (on liability of corporations engaged in reconstruction of Syria), Human Rights Watch (qualified privilege for human rights workers), the Ugandan judiciary (on the legality of amnesties in international law), the International Commission of Jurists (on the prospects of prosecuting a sitting head of state for alleged crimes against humanity) and the Ukrainian Office of the Prosecution on Environmental Crimes and conflict related sexual violence.

Dr Claire Bright is a Senior Legal Advisor at Global Rights Compliance (GRC). She is also an Associate Professor at NOVA School of Law and the Founder & Director of the NOVA Centre on Business, Human Rights and the Environment (NOVA BHRE) at NOVA School of Law in Lisbon. She holds a PhD in International Law from the European University Institute, an LL.M in Private International and Commercial Law from La Sorbonne, and a Dual Bachelor in French and English Law from UPEC and the University of Sheffield.
Her work focuses on business, human rights, and sustainability, with an emphasis on shaping policy and regulatory developments at national and EU levels, as well as supporting the implementation of human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD) in practice to foster responsible business conduct. She combines academic research with hands-on advisory and field experience, having contributed to shaping legislation at both national and European levels and to National Action Plans on Business and Human Rights in various countries.

In parallel, she has designed and delivered short courses, coaching sessions and executive trainings in Portugal, the United Kingdom, Mozambique, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Colombia, and has facilitated multi-stakeholder events as well as policy dialogues.

Dr Bright has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications in five languages. She has acted as consultant to governments, international organisations (UNDP, ILO, Council of Europe (CoE)), European institutions (European Commission, European Parliament and the European Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)), civil society organisations, and businesses. Notably, she co-authored the European Commission’s study on due diligence requirements in supply chains

Anaïs Tobalagba is a business and human rights lawyer with 15 years of experience in natural resources governance and due diligence in extractive industries. She has led multiple projects assessing the human rights and environmental impacts of oil, gas and mining activities across continents, in countries including, among others, Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In that context, Anaïs has engaged extensively with up-, mid- and downstream industry actors involved in mineral supply chains such as mining companies, smelters/refiners, and transition technologies manufacturers, among other public and private stakeholders.
Anaïs has in-depth knowledge of international and industry due diligence standards gained through advanced academic and field research, consultancy with industry actors, and participation in domestic and regional regulatory processes. Anaïs has thorough understanding of issues related to governance and corruption, having worked with State representatives, regulators and civil society actors to reinforce transparency, information disclosure, and public and corporate governance and accountability in relation to extractive activities. Throughout her career, Anaïs has also developed sound expertise in gender-related issues in the context of business. She worked closely with women impacted by business activities in Guatemala and the DRC, and holds a Ph.D. in International Law, her research focusing on the effectiveness of due diligence legal frameworks to address risks of gender-based violence in mining operations. Anais speaks fluent French, English, and Spanish, and intermediate Portuguese.

Advait Malviya joined GRC in 2016 and is the Administrator at Business & Human Rights Compliance. Advait is actively involved in various on-going projects of BHRC. Prior to his current role, Advait worked in a number of international organisations including the International Development Law Organization, SAARCLAW, Asian-African Legal Consultative Organisation and was admitted to the Indian Bar in 2017. He completed his Bachelor in Laws in India and his Advanced LLM with a specialisation in Human Rights, Peace and Conflict from SOAS, University of London, UK. He holds diplomas in Cyber law, Entrepreneurship Administration and Business Laws. Advait is fluent in English and Hindi.

Simon Töpfer is a Business and Human Rights Adviser at Beyond Human Rights Compliance where he works on providing practical advice to different actors on human rights and environmental due diligence. Over several years, he has worked with clients across different sectors, including the agricultural, textiles and chemcial industries.

His projects have entailed the development of tools, trainings and guidance on risk management, risk assessments, grievance mechanisms as well as stakeholder engagement through human rights impact assessments (HRIAs) and sector-wide dialogues. Across these, he bridges both human rights and environmental topics and legal, practical and rightsholder-based realms.

Simon holds a Master of Science in Environmental Policy and Regulation from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Development Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). He is fluent in German, English and Portuguese.

Madison Malowney is a Security and Policy Officer at BHRC, supporting the team and global projects with global security risk assessments. Madison’s previous experience includes interning at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague (Netherlands), where she provided policy advice and administrative support, and as a trainee at the Flemish Peace Institute, contributing to a comprehensive database on gun violence in the EU. She has also been involved in projects concerning post-Soviet de facto states, arms trafficking, cybersecurity, and conflict resolution. Madison holds a Master’s in International Relations and Diplomacy, specialising in the dynamics of organised violence in de facto states, and a Bachelor’s in Security Studies, focusing on 21st-century warfare in Ukraine, both from Leiden University. Proficient in Russian, Mandarin Chinese, and Dutch, Madison supports teams in conflict-affected and high-risk areas, contributing to BHRC’s mission of promoting business and human rights globally.

Penny Karageorgi is a Legal Adviser at Global Rights Compliance, where she provides legal advice to companies and CSOs focusing on Human Rights Due Diligence issues and in particular the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). Penny is specialized in Human Rights and EU Law and boasts a decade of professional experience working with private law firms, NGOs and Foundations, mainly in Greece, Germany and the US. She has experience in litigation before courts, including the European Court of Human Rights. Since 2022, Penny has been in the list of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) as an External Expert; she also serves pro bono as a Legal Expert for Cartoonists’ Rights International, defending freedom of expression of cartoonists worldwide. Penny holds a Master of Arts in EU Law from King’s College London and a Master of Laws in Environmental Law from the National University of Athens. She completed her Bachelor of Laws at the National University of Athens, Greece.

Jussara in a Legal Adviser for the Business and Human Rights team. In this role, Jussara is involved in GRC’s project on Preventing Forced Labor in Critical Minerals. Before joining GRC, she worked as an analyst in the field of sustainable finance, focusing on evaluating companies’ compliance with international norms on human rights and business malpractice. She has also contributed to projects related to transitional justice processes, human rights legal reform, accountability and civil society capacity building, with a particular focus on Sudan. Jussara holds an LLB in International and European Law, as well as an LLM in Public International Law from Utrecht University, where she specialised in human rights.

Robi is an international development professional with over 35 years of experience in financial management, compliance, training and development, and organizational design.
Experience includes Controller/Administrator for a California Law Corporation, and small business owner in Turkey. Most recent experience includes ten years in the International Development sector as CFO, Turkey Country Manager, and Finance Director working with U.S. Government, British, Dutch, and EU funding, primarily on Syrian Support programs, and more recently programs centered around highlighting war crimes and human rights abuses.

Ms. Olson holds an MBA from San Diego State University, an undergraduate degree in Business Administration also from San Diego State University, a certificate in International Business from University of San Diego. and certificates in USAID Rules and Regulations, Grants, and Cooperative Agreements (2020, 2017), and Federal Rules and Regulations, Grants, and Cooperative Agreements (2015).

Giulia Luzi has international experience in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning across international development organisations in Europe and Latin America, focusing on human rights, access to justice, security and conflict transformation.

Based in Mexico since 2019, Giulia holds a MA in Conflict, Security and Development from the University of Sussex and a BA in Applied Languages and Intercultural Studies from Dublin City University. She has worked with teams in Italian, English, Spanish and French.

Prior to joining GRC, Giulia worked as regional M&E Specialist for the Latin American office of the Institute of War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) and she was in charge of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO)’s outcome assessments in Mexico. She brings specialist knowledge in participative and qualitative methods, such as Most Significant Change, Gender Analysis and Kirkpatrick’s methodology for capacity building assessments.

Raphaëlle is a Junior Legal Adviser specialised in international humanitarian law. She has experience conducting research on the obligations of businesses operating in Conflict Affected and High Risks Areas (CAHRAs), including the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Raphaëlle research involves matters of businesses’ respect of international humanitarian and criminal law to better identify and mitigate the legal risks associated with business conducts in CAHRA.

Ana Santos Duarte is a Portuguese lawyer with expertise in Business and Human Rights, corporate sustainability, human rights due diligence, and responsible business conduct. She has extensive experience advising companies and industry associations on identifying human rights risks across global supply chains, developing corporate policies such as human rights policies and sustainability frameworks, and delivering training sessions for executives and industry leaders on responsible business conduct and human rights compliance.

As a Legal Adviser at Beyond Human Rights Compliance (BHRC), Ana advises civil society organizations (CSOs) on Business and Human Rights issues and supports businesses in integrating human rights considerations into their operations. She supports in conducting risk assessments, developing corporate policies, and aligning business practices with international standards and legal frameworks.

Ana is also a Research Associate at the NOVA Centre on Business, Human Rights, and the Environment (NOVA BHRE), where she contributes to academic and policy-oriented research, stakeholder engagement, and guest lectures on ESG, corporate accountability, and human rights due diligence.

Previously, Ana practiced law at a Portuguese law firm, advising on business and human rights, corporate sustainability, and social economy. She has developed and implemented human rights policies for businesses, conducted due diligence assessments, and worked on legal and strategic frameworks for sustainable corporate practices.

Ana holds a Postgraduate Degree in Corporate Law and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Lisbon. She is fluent in Portuguese, English, and Spanish.

Khaldoon the Data Analyst working GRC BHR division, where he analyzes data from the MyVox platform to uncover trends in labour rights violations in Pakistan. Khaldoon’s work supports advocacy efforts by transforming complex datasets into clear, actionable insights.