Our team

Dr. Leena Hoffmann is the co-founder and President of Luxembourg for Transparency (L4T) asbl. A dedicated anti-corruption researcher, she serves on the International Council of Transparency International - the global movement against corruption, is a non-resident Associate Fellow at Chatham House - the London-based international think tank, and an Honorary Senior Fellow at the Global Evergreening Alliance.

Leena began her career as an investigator at Nigeria's anti-corruption agency, specialising in high-level corruption cases involving politically exposed persons (PEPs). With over 15 years of experience as a research consultant and public policy advisor, she has promoted accountable governance and supported innovative anti-corruption initiatives through her research, analysis, and evidence-sharing.

At Chatham House, Leena led the Africa Programme's biggest and longest-running project which focused on social norms and corruption. Her interests particularly focus on how norms and networks influence corruption dynamics and how public disapproval can be harnessed for anti-corruption efforts.

Leena's perspective is profoundly shaped by her personal understanding of the devastating impacts of corruption on individuals and the institutions intended to safeguard their wellbeing and dignity. This conviction drives her work. Her background encompasses pioneering studies on collective behaviour and norms, conducting thorough policy analyses, and fostering strong relationships with stakeholders at all levels.

She has consulted for numerous international organisations, including Chatham House, the OECD, the World Bank, the US State Department, the World Food Programme, the UK FCDO and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Additionally, she has contributed to articles for Bloomberg, Deutsche Welle, The Economist, Newsweek, and Al Jazeera.

Leena began visiting Luxembourg regularly in 2004, and during an Easter visit in 2012, she experienced an epiphany while running in Muesbierg Forest. In 2013, she moved to Luxembourg from the UK with her family to accept a two-year AFR postdoctoral grant from the National Research Fund, joining the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER) as a Marie Curie Fellow.

At L4T, she leverages her understanding of the structural and social conditions that fuel corruption to advocate for practical and effective strategies to combat it. She has a forthcoming co-authored chapter in the Second Edition of the Routledge Handbook of Political Corruption titled "Corruption, Norms and Institutions: A Synthesized Framework for Understanding Systemic Illicit Behavior."

Dr. Oguzhan Akin is the co-founder and Vice President of Luxembourg for Transparency (L4T) asbl. As a known professional in financial crime compliance and regulatory strategy, he serves as a Senior Compliance Officer at China Construction Bank (Luxembourg) and is the Ambassador for the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) in Luxembourg.

He is an active member of the Transparency International Expert Network and the Association Luxembourgeoise des Compliance Officers (ALCO), and he serves on the Expert Network and Compliance Committees of the Association des Banques et Banquiers, Luxembourg (ABBL).

Throughout a 16-year career, Oguzhan has developed extensive expertise in institutional integrity across five jurisdictions: Luxembourg, Poland, the United Kingdom, Nigeria, and Turkey. His professional trajectory is defined by a steadfast commitment to cross-border regulatory enforcement and risk management, specifically in the areas of Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT), Combating the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), Sanctions, and Banking Compliance.

Having held key positions at global institutions such as Deutsche Bank, J.P. Morgan, and PwC, he now provides specialised analysis on the mechanisms of money laundering and the transparency of global financial flows as a member of the Transparency International Expert Network.

Oguzhan has been contributing to the Luxembourgish financial ecosystem since 2021. He established and leads the compliance training curriculum within the Executive Education division of the Luxembourg School of Business (LSB), where he also serves as an Adjunct Professor. His focus encompasses the ethical deployment of Artificial Intelligence, ESG frameworks, and the oversight of virtual assets, alongside traditional compliance mandates.

His insights into how illicit financial networks and informal markets impact the global economy have been featured in international publications, including the New York Post. Oguzhan earned his PhD in Finance from Kozminski University, with academic research highlighting transparency practices and imperfect markets.

At L4T, he contributes to driving policy development and advocates for accountability standards that address systemic financial crime.

Carmen Bermejo is a Senior Compliance Officer with a strong international background and deep expertise in anti‑money laundering (AML/CFT), regulatory oversight, and integrity risk management within the European financial sector.

With over a decade of experience across Spain and Luxembourg, she has developed a recognised track record in strengthening governance frameworks, promoting ethical business conduct, and translating complex legal requirements into practical safeguards against financial crime.

Carmen holds a double bachelor's degree in Law and Business Administration from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, a master's degree in Law, a master's degree in Compliance in the Financial Industry, and the CAMS certification. Her academic and professional path reflects a long‑standing commitment to advancing transparency and preventing the misuse of financial systems.

In her role at TMF Luxembourg S.A., Carmen leads regulatory monitoring, policy development, compliance oversight, and the implementation of EU and domestic AML reforms, most notably the AML 6th Package. Her work focuses on ensuring that organisations not only meet regulatory expectations but also embed a culture of integrity and accountability in their daily operations.

Beyond her technical expertise, Carmen is regarded as a trusted internal advisor on legal and regulatory matters. Her trilingual fluency in Spanish, English, and Italian and her international professional experience, including academic programs in the USA and Italy, enable her to navigate diverse legal environments and contribute to cross‑border efforts to combat corruption and financial crime.

Driven by a belief in ethical leadership and strong governance, Carmen is committed to supporting initiatives that protect the financial system from abuse and promote transparent, responsible, and corruption‑free business practices.

Elifsu Yigit is a law graduate (with honors) from the University of Lorraine, specializing in business and tax law, with growing expertise in financial regulation and compliance.

She has hands-on experience from legal and accounting firms, where she supported company formation, regulatory and administrative compliance, and basic accounting, as well as an internship at the Judicial Court of Dijon, observing judicial procedures in practice.

Passionate about transparency, AML/KYC, and the fight against financial crime, she brings strong analytical, documentation, and regulatory analysis skills to her role as a Graduate Associate at L4T.

Elifsu works in French, English, and Turkish, with additional knowledge of German and Russian.

Timothée Lefort is a final-year International Relations student at IE University in Spain, with a keen interest in geopolitics, economics, and cross-border governance challenges.

He recently completed an internship at the China Construction Bank in Luxembourg, where he focused on project development and cultivated a strong interest in transparency and anti-corruption.

Timothée is passionate about languages, international cooperation, and working in cross-cultural environments.

As an Undergraduate Associate at L4T, Timothee is studying the role of money mules in financial fraud and organised crime.

Dr Igors Ludboržs joins Luxembourg for Transparency as a founding member of the Board of Directors, bringing more than four decades of senior governance, audit and oversight experience across European and international institutions.

A dual national of Luxembourg and Latvia, he is widely recognised for strengthening accountability, integrity and financial governance in complex, high-stakes environments.

Dr Ludboržs served as a Member of the European Court of Auditors (2004–2016), where he led and supervised major audits of EU policies, programmes and institutions, including work related to the EIB/EIF and the ECB. He held senior leadership roles within the Court — including Dean of Chamber IV, Dean of the CEAD Chamber, and Member of the Administrative Committee, including a period as its President — contributing to institutional governance, audit strategy, and methodological development.

From 2013 to 2016, he provided independent oversight of the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) as a member, Vice-Chair, and Chair of its Board of Auditors, strengthening transparency, internal controls, and accountability at a key euro-area financial institution.

Since 2021, Dr Ludboržs has served as Vice-Chair (Special Adviser) of the European Commission's Early Detection and Exclusion System (EDES) Panel, contributing to the consistent and proportionate application of measures protecting the EU's financial interests.

Within the United Nations system, he has served as Chair, Vice-Chair and Member of the Independent Advisory Oversight Committee (IAOC) of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), supporting oversight of audit, investigation, risk management and governance functions and engaging with senior management and Member States. He also served as External Auditor to the European University Institute (2018–2021), providing independent assurance on financial management and reporting.

In Luxembourg, Dr Ludboržs has been a Réviseur d'Entreprises agréé (Approved Statutory Auditor) since 2019, advising organisations on governance, compliance, internal control and risk management.

His academic qualifications include a PhD in Economics (University of Vilnius), an LL.M. in European Economic and Financial Criminal Law (University of Luxembourg) and a Master's degree in Economics (University of Latvia). He has completed executive programmes at Harvard Business School and the Wharton School, and holds professional credentials including Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and ACCA.

Fluent in Latvian, English and Russian, with professional French and knowledge of several other languages, Dr Ludboržs brings a strong international perspective and independent judgment, and is committed to advancing transparency, integrity and sound governance.

Stéphanie Lhomme is a founding board member of Luxembourg for Transparency (L4T), bringing to this role 25 years of rigorous international experience in financial and legal risk consulting.

Currently, Stéphanie serves as a Partner at Arendt where she heads the Forensic Investigations, Corporate Intelligence & Litigation Support practice at Arendt Regulatory & Consulting. She specialises in complex engagements for corporates, private equity houses, financial institutions, and public organisations, covering fraud, misconduct and corruption investigations, worldwide asset searches, AML investigations, anti-bribery and anti-corruption reviews and strategic intelligence assignments.

Stéphanie has been a persistent champion for elevating the importance of anti-corruption measures within Luxembourg, often highlighting the inadequacy of existing AML frameworks alone to effectively address sophisticated corruption risks.

Having covered Europe & Africa for the past 20 years, Stéphanie has been responsible for account management, business development, and people management, assisting clients facing complex regulatory issues such as investigations into corruption under FCPA, UKBA, Sapin II and related frameworks, AML matters, and internal fraud investigations. Her work also includes the design and implementation of compliance programmes with a focus on anti-corruption.

She has successfully built and expanded business units from the start (including at FTI Consulting and Arendt), pioneered service offerings—including in cyber and crypto—and provides crucial counsel to corporate and financial clients on compliance programme architecture, advanced due diligence, and navigating internal and regulatory investigations.

Her distinguished career includes high-level roles such as Senior Managing Director at FTI Consulting in Paris, where she built the Forensic Investigations practice for France and Switzerland, and Partner for Europe & Africa at Control Risks, where she oversaw substantial regional operations and managed teams of more than 150 people across 10 countries in EMEA. She also holds senior experience from Kroll and the Big Four accounting firms.

Stéphanie is a dedicated educator, having developed and taught various training sessions and courses for clients and renowned schools and universities in Compliance, Ethics, and Investigations, including Sciences Po Paris (Master in Finance), ESCP (Master in Risks Management), the University of Grenoble (Master in Environmental Law) and the University of Luxembourg (Masters in European Economic and Financial Criminal Law).

She holds an MBA (Drexel University), a BA in Finance (ESCP), and executive governance certification (Sciences Po). Beyond her professional roles, she is a Commanding Officer in the French Navy Reserve, a testament to her commitment to leadership and public service.

As a founding board member, Stéphanie Lhomme will apply her deep strategic and financial acumen to shape L4T's strategic direction, governance framework, and long-term sustainability, significantly enhancing the organization's capacity for impactful, evidence-based advocacy and practical compliance solutions.

Joachim Kuske joins Luxembourg for Transparency as a founding member of the Board of Directors, bringing over 25 years of practical experience in asset management, fund governance, and regulatory compliance.

An INSEAD IDP-C and ILA Certified Independent Director, Joachim provides independent non-executive director services across regulated and unregulated fund vehicles in energy infrastructure, real estate, private assets, venture capital, hedge funds, and transferable securities.

He began his career in fund-related legal advisory at Caceis Investor Services and developed regulatory and transactional expertise at Delwaide Avocats and Elvinger Hoss Prussen. At VP Fund Solutions (VP Bank Group), he served as a CSSF-approved executive director and conducting officer, leading legal, compliance, and governance functions and supporting clients in adapting to evolving UCITS and AIF frameworks.

From 2014 to 2017, he advised on alternative investment arrangements at Elvinger Hoss Prussen, and since 2017, he has served as a non-executive director for multiple fund structures and managers.

Joachim's boardroom strengths include AML/CFT compliance, delegation oversight and monitoring, board organization, and governance best practices. He is vice-chair and board member of the Luxembourg Institute of Governance (ILA), chairs and represents ILA in specialist working groups with regulators on AML/CFT matters, and is active on ILA's Fund Committee while regularly lecturing in ILA training programs. He is also a member of the Non-Executive Directors Club of the Luxembourg Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (LPEA).

Beyond his professional practice, Joachim has a long record of civic engagement, demonstrating a commitment to institutional integrity and democratic values in his volunteer role as an Election Observer with OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) and past membership of the National Council of the Fédération National de Éclaireurs et Éclaireuses du Luxembourg (FNEL).

His qualifications include INSEAD IDP-Certification (2020), ecoDa European Board Diploma (2023), and an LL.M. in European Community Law (College of Europe, Bruges).

As a founding board member, Joachim will help shape L4T's governance standards, bridge policy and practice with key institutional stakeholders, and strengthen the organization's oversight capacity to promote transparency, accountability, and integrity in Luxembourg's financial sector.

Sharon March joins Luxembourg for Transparency as a founding board member of its Board of Directors. She brings over 25 years of front office investment bank management, corporate finance, syndicated loans, private banking and wealth management experience.

She has studied philosophy, ethics, psychology, finance, tax law writing, sustainability and accounting. She is a Corporate Governance Institute graduate and a certified independent director. She is also a member in good standing with the Luxembourg Institute of Governance (ILA), and an ILA sub-committee member supporting Luxembourg's governance community by analysing high-impact future trends and developing practical tools for board members.

Sharon brings deep understanding of the corporate and financial world, having worked in the biggest banks and companies, both stock exchange quoted and private, and worked across continents and cultures. She brings best practices in governance, strategy and development.

Experienced with corporate governance and strategic oversight, Sharon brings valuable insights to board-level discussions. She utilises analytical skills and leadership to drive organisational success. Her track record of fostering collaborative environments and ensuring effective governance practices is based on trust, respect and ethics.

Sharon has been serving on boards of directors since 2000, as chairman, executive board member and non-executive director in pharmaceutical, chemical and financial structures. She started her career in the trading room of the world's largest market-maker bank and was promoted within weeks to be assistant director of the department. She has worked with international complexities, large clients' financial needs and governmental funding needs. She has worked as chief executive, country lead, chair, founder and chief consultant.

In her free time, Sharon has volunteered and been certified in palliative care in Luxembourg and Germany; been certified to help children needing emergency care; and supported communal activities and civic engagement.

Sharon is part of the founding board team of Luxembourg for Transparency and will support the board with her deep understanding of international financial and local systems. She will help with the development of L4T's core missions by promoting transparency, trust, ethics and responsibility within the Luxembourgish markets.