People

IHRB was founded in 2009 under the leadership of Mary Robinson, the former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former President of Ireland, who served as its inaugural Chair and since as its Patron. IHRB’s subsequent Chair was the late John Ruggie, author of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. 

IHRB’s current Chair is Margot Wallström, the former Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Chair convenes IHRB’s International Advisory Council to review and reflect on IHRB’s strategic direction, programming, and the global context in which it operates. 

IHRB’s International Advisory Council is composed of influential thinkers across business, government, finance, trade unions, civil society, and academia. 

Patrons

Chair, The Elders; Patron, IHRB

Patron Emeritus, IHRB; Author, UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights

Patron, IHRB; former Head of Community Affairs, BP

International Advisory Council

Chair, International Advisory Council, IHRB; former Swedish Foreign Minister

Member, UN Working Group; Professor, Univ. of Washington; International Advisory Council, IHRB

Founder China Dialogue; Visiting Professor, the Lau Institute KCL; contributing editor Prospect

Executive Director, CREER; International Advisory Council, IHRB

Founder, Vienna Solutions; International Advisory Council, IHRB

International Advisory Council, IHRB

Director, Raoul Wallenberg Institute; International Advisory Council, IHRB

Partner, Clifford Chance LLP; International Advisory Council, IHRB

Building Feminist Economies Manager for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID); International Advisory Council, IHRB

Former General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation; International Advisory Council, IHRB

Author, ESG/Strategic Communications Expert; International Advisory Council, IHRB

Director, Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business; International Advisory Council, IHRB

Trustees

Also members of the International Advisory Council

CEO, Global Business Initiative on Human Rights; Co-Chair of Trustees, IHRB

Director, Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining; Co-Chair of Trustees, IHRB

Independent Consultant; Trustee, IHRB

Trustee, IHRB; former Senior Advisor, Council on Ethics, Norwegian Government Pension Fund

Trustee, IHRB; former Global Head for Social Performance and Human Rights, BG Group/Royal Dutch Shell

Partner, Kirkland & Ellis; Trustee, IHRB

Partner, Clifford Chance; Trustee, IHRB