Anna Pienaar

Anna Pienaar joined IOM in March 2024 as Head of Unit (Labour Migration Pathways, Business and Human Rights), and brings two decades of experience in the fields of human rights, international development, and private sector engagement. In her prior role as Executive Director of the Responsible Labor Initiative (within the Responsible Business Alliance), Anna worked closely with member companies - global brands and their suppliers – to provide tools and capacity building aimed at upholding the rights of migrant workers throughout their recruitment and employment journeys.

Anna brings a wealth of experience in building public-private and multi-stakeholder partnerships, having previously led a team of experts within International Justice Mission (IJM) to engage governments, partner with corporations and mobilize social demand to protect vulnerable populations from modern slavery and other forms of exploitation. During her time at IJM, Anna was instrumental in the creation and launch of the Global Survivor Network, an organization led by survivors of modern slavery and violence with chapters in five countries, empowering survivor leaders to catalyze systemic change in their communities and globally. Prior to IJM, Anna managed international development programs in East Africa, Latin America and Asia related to women’s economic empowerment, microfinance and post-conflict reconstruction.

Anna holds a BA in European Studies and Spanish; a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management, an MScEcon in International Development; and a Postgraduate Certificate in Supply Chain Sustainability from the University of Cambridge. She holds American and British citizenships, and has previously lived in Argentina, Spain, Tanzania, Uganda, the UK and the US, and currently resides in Geneva.