Partner for Compliance Forensics and Intelligence for EMEA, Control Risks

Maria Knapp is a Managing Partner for Compliance, Forensics and Intelligence for EMEA. The practice helps companies manage their reputation and risks emanating from financial crime exposure, sanctions, environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and stakeholder management. The team is composed of 150 consultants located across 13 sites, and includes information analysts, forensic investigators, data analysis and legal technology specialists, and modern slavery and human rights experts.

Maria specializes in advising corporate clients, NGOs, development finance institutions (DFIs) and private investors, as well as their legal advisors, providing tactical and strategic advice on managing and ultimately mitigating reputational and operational risks, with a focus on emerging markets.

Her recent experience includes:

- Pre-investment due diligence reviews in EMEA, especially in sub-Saharan Africa
- Anti-corruption and ESG risk management program reviews for clients with operations in high-risk markets
- Market entry risk planning assessments

A lawyer in England and Wales, Maria trained and practised in finance and capital markets at Clifford Chance in London and Paris. She has worked in Canada, France and sub-Saharan Africa, including for the Zimbabwe chapter of Transparency International, the Namibian Legal Assistance Centre (Namibia) and the Pearson Peacekeeping Centre (Canada). Maria has an LLB from City University, London, and a BA (Hons) from McGill University and Sciences Po (Paris).