Magnitsky Awards
Presenter’s Bio

Sir William Browder KCMG is a British human-rights champion, anti-corruption campaigner, and the driving force behind the global Magnitsky justice movement. Born in the United States and later settling in the United Kingdom, he began his career as an investor, co-founding Hermitage Capital Management in the 1990s and becoming one of the largest foreign investors in Russia. His shareholder-rights activism exposed deep-rooted corruption at the heart of Russian state-linked companies, drawing the ire of powerful interests.

Browder’s life changed irrevocably after the arrest, torture, and death of his lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who uncovered a massive tax-fraud scheme implicating Russian officials. Magnitsky’s killing transformed Browder from financier to full-time human-rights advocate. He launched an unprecedented global campaign to hold human-rights abusers and kleptocrats accountable, urging governments to deny them safe haven for their money and freedom of movement.

His efforts led to the passage of the U.S. Magnitsky Act in 2012 – allowing targeted sanctions against individuals responsible for corruption and human-rights violations. Browder went on to spearhead similar legislation internationally, helping secure Magnitsky-style laws in more than 35 countries across Europe, North America, and beyond. These measures have reshaped how democracies respond to authoritarian abuses, creating a powerful accountability tool used to defend dissidents, journalists, political prisoners, and victims of state violence.

Despite relentless retaliation from the Kremlin – including multiple Interpol notices, disinformation campaigns, and threats to his safety – Browder has continued to testify before parliaments worldwide, brief governments, and support victims of state persecution. His advocacy has become a cornerstone of the global movement against kleptocracy, demonstrating how financial and legal tools can be used to challenge impunity.

In 2024, he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) for services to human rights, anti-corruption, and international affairs. Today, Sir William Browder remains one of the world’s most influential voices confronting authoritarianism, proving that persistence, truth, and moral clarity can reshape international justice.