Peter Eigen was born on June 11, 1938, in Augsburg, Germany, to Grete Eigen (born Müchler) and Fritz Eigen, an engineer and industry manager. Eigen spent his early childhood during World War II in Berlin and in Czechoslovakia, where his father had been assigned during the Nazi regime to manage a large factory.
Eigen worked as a regional director at the World Bank, but later left to pursue his anti-corruption efforts in Berlin.[1]
Founding and Building Transparency International (TI)
Eigen's interest in combatting corruption led to the development of Transparency International (TI). In February 1993, he gathered approximately 20 individuals and experts in The Hague, Netherlands, where they signed the Founding Charter of Transparency International in the office of the Dutch Development Minister Jan Pronk. The organization was established as a charitable society based in Berlin. In May 1993, Eigen secured funding from the GTZ and the German Development Foundation, Deutsche Stiftung für Internationale Entwicklung (DSE) to publicly launch TI at the Villa Borsig, the official Guest House of the German Government in Berlin-Tegel. Leaders from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the German development community participated in the launch.[2] Transparency International's mission is to address corruption in all its forms through engagement with civil society, business, and government, a strategy Eigen describes as 'the magic triangle'.[3]
By the late 1990s, Eigen believed the World Bank had the political will and resources to support anti-corruption efforts, but lacked direct mechanisms to finance and empower civil society organizations globally. Along with other Transparency International board members, including Frank Vogl, Barry Metzger, and Pierre Landell-Mills, Eigen conceptualized the Partnership for Transparency Fund (PTF) as an independent organization to address this gap. The PTF was formally registered under New York State Law in December 2000, with Eigen serving as its first Board Chair. The PTF was established as a charitable entity, with the goals of providing small grants and technical assistance to civil society organizations working to promote good governance and hold governments accountable.[5]
In 2007, Eigen initiated the launch of the Berlin Civil Society Centre (now the International Civil Society Centre), a think tank supporting global civil society organizations. He partnered with Burkhard Gnärig, former CEO of International Save the Children Alliance (London), to establish and lead the Centre. Gnärig served as the Centre’s Managing Director until 2018, working pro bono in the early years.[6][bettersourceneeded]
Eigen was one of the initiators and served as the first chair of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).[7] The initiative was formally launched following the conclusion of the "Publish What You Pay" campaign in June 2003, when representatives from governments, industries, and civil society groups convened in the United Kingdom to endorse a common set of "EITI Principles."[8] Under Eigen's leadership, the group convened five times between 2005 and 2006, publishing the EITI Validation Guide and creating the framework for the initiative’s governance.[9]
Eigen has highlighted corruption risks in the global oil, gas, and natural resources sectors and emphasized cooperation between companies, governments, and civil society to ensure transparency and accountability. Under his leadership, EITI and Transparency International chapters have implemented codes of conduct and accreditation to promote good governance. He has cited cases like Siemens in Germany as examples of positive corporate reform following anti-corruption efforts.[10]
In 2022, Peter Eigen founded the Local Electricity Access Programme (LEAP Transparency), a Senegalese-led initiative aimed at promoting equitable, inclusive, and sustainable energy access in rural communities.[11][bettersourceneeded]
Personal life
In 1963, Peter Eigen married Jutta Philippi, a physician and musician, with whom he had three children. Jutta died in 2002.[1]
Publications
Eigen, P. (2008). The Web of Corruption – How a Global Movement Fights Graft / Adapted from the original *Das Netz der Korruption*, Frankfurt/Main, Campus Verlag, 2003. ISBN 3-593-37188-X.
Eigen, P. (2003). Das Netz der Korruption / Campus Verlag, Frankfurt/Main, New York. / Language: German.
References
1 2 3 Eigen, Peter (2003). Das Netz der Korruption: wie eine weltweite Bewegung gegen Bestechung kämpft. Frankfurt am Main: Campus. ISBN3-593-37188-X. OCLC53057796.
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