Phil Mason – Head Anti-Corruption Team, DFID

Phil Mason has been with DFID for over 25 years (since 1988). He started DFID’s anti-corruption work in 2000 under International Development Secretary Clare Short and developed the Department’s first anti-corruption efforts, which unusually for DFID, focused as much on the ‘supply side’ – the responsibilities of developed countries – as with work in developing countries. This meant working with other Whitehall departments on issues such as Home Office on anti-bribery legislation, Trade ministry on practices of British companies abroad, and with Treasury on anti-money laundering and the early days of thinking about asset recovery.

He helped negotiate the UN Convention Against Corruption which was agreed in 2003. Between 2005 and 2009 he headed DFID’s Overseas Territories Department. He returned to lead the Anti-Corruption team again in January 2010.