About Us
Michael Barron and Tim Law have developed the BO6 framework based on their combined experience of practical implementation of beneficial ownership reporting across four continents. They have advised governments on the requirements to meet FATF Recommendations, the EITI Standard 2019, OGP and what constitutes international best practice. They have produced scoping studies, drafted robust definitions, designed collection, verification, disclosure and enforcement mechanisms, drafted primary legislation and implementing regulations, advised on overcoming resistance and ensuring that users benefit from beneficial ownership information.
Our Team
Michael Barron
Consultant
I am an independent consultant delivering expert input on the transparency agenda, especially beneficial ownership and implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).
I bring more than 25 years’ experience much of it in the energy and natural resources sectors. I have recently completed projects in Azerbaijan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), Oman and Trinidad & Tobago. I am a former member of the UK EITI MSG. I am also researching and writing a book on the Gaza Marine gas project and related energy issues. I have extensive experience of engaging with governments, private companies, state-owned enterprises and civil society organisations.
I worked for more than 12 years as a government relations manager for the FTSE 100 oil and gas company, BG Group (British Gas) including postings in Cairo, Muscat and on the Gaza Marine project team as well as leading on transparency issues and the relationship with EITI.
I support governments implementing beneficial ownership reporting systems to meet international standards, undertake research on policy, economic and governance issues relating to the energy sector in the Middle East as well as providing training, including to government agencies, private companies and state-owned companies.
Tim Law
Consultant
I am an independent consultant with more than 18 years’ experience of tax, governance and transparency policy and implementation. I gained this experience both as an employee of Anglo American plc, a FTSE 100 mining company and as a consultant.
From 2003-14, I led Anglo American’s efforts on revenue transparency, managing virtual teams collating financial and other data across countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, including Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela. I have been part of the policy debate around transparency and ethical business behaviour for all of that time. I have developed and run training and capacity building for private sector, government and civil society audiences in different countries, including in Latin America. I have written content for publication and advised on communication strategy around ethical business behaviour and good governance.
I have been an independent consultant for 6 years, operating as Engaged Consulting Limited, and in that time, I have delivered technical assistance projects to countries implementing improved tax, governance, beneficial ownership registers, EITI requirements or similar in Africa, the Americas and Central Asia, including being Team Leader on a 2 year USD 600,000 project, funded by the Asian Development Bank, to support the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan with the implementation of a public beneficial ownership register. In particular, that has included EITI projects in Albania, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea and Trinidad and Tobago. I also co-authored a number of papers for DFID on governance and transparency, including on beneficial ownership transparency and commodity trading transparency.
In 2016, I was voted number 5 in the #economia50 most influential commentators on finance on social media, and my firm, Engaged Consulting, was the winner of the Tolley’s Taxation Award 2017 for Best Independent Consulting Firm and a Finalist in the same category in 2020.
