Sir William Browder KCMG

Sir William Browder was the largest foreign investor in Russia until 2005, when he was denied entry to the country and declared “a threat to national security” for exposing corruption in Russian state-owned companies.

In 2008, Browder’s lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, uncovered a massive fraud committed by Russian government officials that involved the theft of US $230 million of state taxes. Magnitsky was arrested, imprisoned without trial, and died in prison in 2009 after being denied medical treatment. Since then, Browder has led a global campaign advocating for governments to impose targeted visa bans and asset freezes on human rights abusers and corrupt officials. Sir Browder has led the Global Magnitsky Campaign for governments around the world to impose targeted visa bans and asset freezes on human rights abusers and highly corrupt officials, introducing the passage of the Sergei Magnitsky Accountability Act in 2012, & the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act in 2016, which has since been adopted by 11 countries, including the U.S., UK, Canada and New Zealand.

He is the author of "Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man’s Fight for Justice" and "Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder, and Surviving Vladimir Putin’s Wrath." The former recounts his experiences in the finance industry and his transformation into a human rights activist following his expulsion from Russia. The latter discusses his efforts to uncover who profited from the corruption scheme that led to Magnitsky's death and the subsequent international response.

For his exceptional service to the UK abroad and internationally, in recognition of his significant and sustained contribution to human rights and anti-corruption, he was appointed by King Charles in the 2024 Birthday Honours List a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (KCMG).