4 December 2020 | GENEVA − The Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has appointed Tracy Staines, a distinguished auditor and seasoned executive, as Inspector General. Staines brings over 20 years of multi-sectoral experience in audit and risk management, including eight years at the Global Fund.

Promoted to Head of Audit in 2015, she has been serving as the Acting Inspector General since August 2020, after the departure of former Inspector General Mouhamadou Diagne. Staines is the first woman to hold the position of Inspector General, which reports directly to the Board.

“We are pleased to name Tracy to this critical role,” said Dr Donald Kaberuka, Global Fund Board Chair.

“Tracy’s long experience, robust knowledge of the Global Fund, commitment to the mission and a strong sense of professionalism will be central to leading the Office of the Inspector General to support the organization in the evolving global health environment,” said Lady Roslyn Morauta, Vice-Chair of the Board.

An independent, well-resourced and transparent Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is essential for the success of the Global Fund, Dr Kaberuka added. The Global Fund is committed to the highest standards of accountability in all matters, including the audits and investigations produced by the OIG. The Global Fund’s OIG is composed of 52 auditors, investigators, and other professional staff.

Staines replaces Mouhamadou Diagne, who announced in May 2020 that he would resign to take on the position of Vice-President of Integrity for the World Bank Group.

Staines’ appointment comes as a result of a robust global selection process that started in August 2020, led by a Board-appointed Inspector General Nomination Committee and supported by a search firm. A total of 145 applications were received by the application deadline of 11 September 2020, reflecting a diversity of gender, professional backgrounds and sector, and geographical locations. The Nomination Committee conducted a merit-based, competitive and apolitical process, informed by due diligence and background checks, and with due attention to diversity of candidate profiles, particularly diversity of gender, geographic background, and professional experience. Assessing candidates against Board-approved Terms of Reference, the Nomination Committee also paid particular attention to candidates’ track record with respect to Global Fund strategic issues including human rights and key populations affected by the three diseases.

During her tenure at the Global Fund, Staines has led an impactful audit unit, renowned for its solid, data-driven products. She has directed a comprehensive program of complex, high-profile reviews that have driven positive change, resulting in enhanced portfolio performance and significant improvements in accountability and risk management frameworks. She and her team have refocused the OIG’s annual assessment to maximize coverage of key risk areas including grant size, residual risk and disease burden. She leads on the delivery of a comprehensive annual opinion, setting out ambitious development areas, which have informed a series of enduring improvements at the Global Fund.

Staines has also led the development of an advisory capability within the OIG, evolving the unit into a value-adding strategic advisor. OIG advisory reports provide data-led and thoughtful analysis to senior management to drive improvements throughout the partnership. In addition, under her leadership, the OIG has cultivated strategic partnerships with Supreme Audit Institutions to build capacity and leverage local knowledge. She liaises closely with like-minded oversight functions and the United Nations Representatives of Internal Audit Services (UN-RIAS) community.

Prior to joining the Global Fund, Staines led audit and investigations teams at one of Europe’s largest banks and the UK Civil Service. She began her career with Deloitte, the world’s largest professional services firm, in London and Sydney. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, a Chartered Internal Auditor and a qualified member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments.

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