The Institute for Human Rights and Business is delighted to announce the appointment of Julia Batho as its new Deputy Chief Executive.
IHRB announced in January 2022 that its long-time Deputy CEO Frances House would be stepping down and taking on a new role as IHRB's Senior Advisor on Special Projects. Since then, IHRB undertook an extensive search for her replacement, receiving an overwhelming number of applications.
Collaborating closely with John Morrison, IHRB's CEO, and Vanessa Bissessur, IHRB's COO, Julia will play a leading role in shaping IHRB's future direction and leadership, contributing to the strategic development of IHRB, oversight for monitoring and evaluation of programmes, good governance, and day-to-day management of the organisation. Julia will also play a key role in representing IHRB externally and building strong relationships with IHRB's funders and strategic partners.
Formerly IHRB’s Head of Labour Rights, Julia established IHRB’s presence in Southeast Asia and has managed our outreach in the Gulf region since 2019. Originally from Brazil, Julia is a qualified lawyer and human rights expert with a background in policy research and advocacy, strategy development and stakeholder engagement in the areas of international labour standards and labour migration.
On her new role, Julia comments:
“Over the past decade, IHRB has grown to be recognised as an impartial, unique, and trusted organisation in the business and human rights space. I am excited to continue on this journey with the Institute and look forward to helping it stay ahead of the curve – adding value, breaking down silos and catalysing collaboration and action to advance human rights.”
John Morrison, IHRB's Chief Executive commented:
“I’m delighted to have Julia contribute her expertise to the development of IHRB’s organisational growth and initiatives. As a colleague, Julia has been instrumental in shaping IHRB’s labour rights work. I'm looking forward to working with her in this leadership capacity, further strengthening IHRB’s role as a critical friend to businesses and human rights stakeholders, and supporting our mission to make respect for human rights part of everyday business."
IHRB's Former Deputy Chief Executive, Frances House says:
"It's been a great privilege to work for many years with a fantastic team of colleagues at IHRB under John Morrison's inspired leadership. I'm delighted to be passing the baton as Deputy CEO to Julia, who will bring great dedication, energy, and wisdom to this exciting role, as she has already done so ably since she joined IHRB in Thailand five years ago.”
