Fiona David

Background

About Fiona David

I have three decades of experience in anti-slavery and human trafficking problem-solving, stemming from my early career as a human rights lawyer combatting the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Career highlights include: • Leading the creation of the Global Slavery Index, the world’s most comprehensive and influential anti-slavery measurement tool, cited by leaders including Barack Obama, His Holiness the Pope, Julia Gillard and Bill Gates. • Founding leader of one of the world’s most active and influential anti-slavery organisations, Walk Free, which today is known in every corner of the globe as a catalyst for change. • Brokering the global, multi-stakeholder partnership that measures global progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goal on forced labour, the UN Global Estimates of Modern Slavery. • Supporting major businesses to address forced labour in their operations and supply chains, and introducing business to the Bali Process, resulting in the Bali Process Government and Business Forum. • Advising all levels of government on anti-slavery best practice, and influenced legal and policy reform, including to the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) and the passage of Australia’s Modern Slavery Act 1998 (Cth). • Pioneering the inclusion of victim-survivor perspectives in anti-slavery policy development, introducing survivor leaders to the Prime Minister and Opposition, leading to Australia’s first anti-slavery reforms in government procurement. Currently, I provide specialist advisory services on modern slavery and migrant smuggling to companies, foundations and international organisations through my company, Fair Futures. As a Member of Chief Executive Women, I focus on creating powerful networks to support emerging women leaders. I hold several board roles, including as Deputy Chair of Australia's climate systems modelling capability ACCESS-NRI, Director of the Coollaroo Foundation and as Nicola Forrest's representative on Forrest Research Foundation. I am on several advisory committees, including for the NSW Anti-Slavery Commissioner and Talent Beyond Boundaries, supporting refugee talent into work.