Fresh thinking
Independent consulting in aid programs isn’t dying, but it is changing.
Koala Development’s Oli May, formerly the leader of Deloitte Australia’s international development practice, explains how the value of independent specialists remains strong but how they share that value needs to change. With institutional aid budgets reducing, there is now a wave of ‘independent consultants’ sloshing around the humanitarian and development market. That’s not to say…
Is it time to review your partner due diligence?
As purpose-led organisations scale, partner due diligence can shift from reassurance to risk. Purpose-led organisations, such as mission-driven companies and aid organisations, often experience similar pain points across their Partner Due Diligence (PDD) processes. These pain points can be signals that growing scale, complexity, or diversity has reshaped PDD needs – and that it may…
I’ve spent a career on the dark side of aid. Here’s why corruption still isn’t a reason to cut it
Ahead of International Fraud Week 2025, Oli May explains why cutting aid because of fraud, diversion and safeguarding issues will make abuse worse, not better, and be an own goal for donor nations At my last count I’d led, managed or quality-assured nearly five hundred investigations into fraud, corruption, sexual abuse and exploitation, terrorist resourcing,…