Maria Knapp is a Partner for Compliance Forensics and Intelligence for EMEA. The practice supports companies to manage their reputation and risks emanating from financial crime exposure, sanctions, social and governance (ESG) risks and stakeholder management.

Maria specialises in advising corporate clients, DFIs and investors as well as their legal advisors, providing tactical and strategic advice on managing and ultimately mitigating reputational, bribery and corruption, ESG and operational risks with a focus on emerging markets. 

Her case experience includes:

• Anti-bribery and corruption policy framework reviews for clients with operations in high risk markets
• Pre-investment business integrity assessments especially in sub-Saharan Africa
• Market entry risk planning and stakeholder assessments

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