Our Team

The PfD team is led by William Dau, a lawyer with 30 years of experience in anti-corruption activism, recognized for his work both locally and internationally. The team also includes multidisciplinary professionals with experience in the public sector and activism, financial experts, and project management specialists. Together, they use their practical experience to implement effective strategies for change and community empowerment.

CEO Profile

FOUNDER AND CEO

A grassroots anti-corruption activist for over 30 years, originally from Cartagena, Colombia, and a lawyer, who received death threats and survived assassination attempts. He obtained political asylum in the United States, where he resided in New York until returning to Colombia to run for mayor of Cartagena with an intense anti-corruption campaign.

William Dau

Trajectory

Executive Director, Projects for Democracy (PfD)

2024 – Presente

Founded this CSO aimed at promoting democracy, rule of law, transparency, anti-corruption, open government, and citizen participation / more than 10 acts of corruption uncovered and filed before corresponding authorities.

Mayor of Cartagena de Indias

2020 - 2023

Became the first mayor in over a decade to complete a full four-year term after having eleven mayors in the previous 8 years due to corruption.

Asylum in the United States

2004 – 2019

Fleeing from certain death received political asylum and citizenship in the US working in New York, initially at a law firm (Cleary Gottlieb) and later a private equity firm (Blackstone), while continuing anticorruption activities related to Cartagena and Colombia / returned to Cartagena to run for Mayor in 2019.

Executive Director, Corporación Cartagena Honesta (CCH)

1999 – 2004

Founded a citizen watchdog organization against corruption, which was recognized two years later as the foremost NGO of the year in Cartagena.