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Celebrating Judge Wolf’s Decade of Leadership at
Integrity Initiatives International (III, pronounced "triple I") and
the Appointment of Allan Rock as his Successor
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Marking III’s 10th anniversary, this is a special edition of our newsletter celebrating our founder Judge Mark L. Wolf’s decade of leadership. Long the driving force behind III’s development as a global leader on accountability for grand corruption and the creation of the Coalition for an International Anti-Corruption Court (Coalition for the IACC), he is stepping down as Chair of III. He will continue to be an active advocate for the IACC as Chair Emeritus.
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We are fortunate to announce that The Hon Allan Rock PC CM OOnt KC, a former Canadian Minister of Justice among many other roles, has been elected to succeed Judge Wolf as Chair of III. Read the full press release here.
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JUDGE WOLF'S REFLECTIONS ON A DECADE OF LEADERSHIP AT III
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I am often asked if I am optimistic about the IACC being created. I invariably respond by saying that I am “hopeful” in the way that Vaclav Havel defined hope years before he led his country to freedom from the Soviet Union:
“Hope is definitely not the same thing as optimism. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.”
III is an institutional expression of such hope. However, it is a hope that would have been difficult if not impossible for me to have sustained alone. As William James said in 1887, at the dedication of the magnificent Memorial on Boston Common to Robert Gould Shaw – who died leading one of the first black regiments in the U.S. Civil War and whose story was popularized in the film Glory – it takes a rare “lonely kind of courage” to challenge “alone an enthroned abuse.”
In 2016, I had the great good fortune to form III with many fine friends who shared my values and vision. I have since met many strangers who have also become cherished friends and colleagues in III’s vital cause.
As I also often say, if I never see the IACC become a reality, my contribution to trying to create it will have been richly rewarding because of the faith and friendship of each of you, and innumerable admirable others, young and old. For that, I am deeply grateful.
So, at this milestone in my enduring efforts on behalf of III I again thank each of you for all you have done for me and especially for the often poor and powerless victims of grand corruption throughout the world.
With best wishes,
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Judge Mark L. Wolf (ret.)
Founder and Chair Emeritus of III
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VOICES FROM THE YOUTH LEADERS NETWORK
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Judge Wolf is a staunch believer in the power of young people to create meaningful change in the world. III's Youth Leaders Network (YLN) is born out of his commitment to continual mentorship and the elevation of new generations. The YLN provides its members with a peer-peer learning and support platform connecting activists and other young professionals working on the frontlines of anti-corruption in dozens of countries.
Representing the YLN on the III Board, Serena Ibrahim, reflects that, “Judge Wolf did more than uphold justice—he helped make it attainable. Through his unwavering commitment to integrity and accountability, he built more than an institution; he helped build a movement that challenges the culture of impunity that has allowed corruption and kleptocracy to flourish for far too long."
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Serena Ibrahim speaking at a screening of Bribe Inc. in The Hague in June 2025
Photo Credit: Holland Park Media
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“In doing so, Judge Wolf gave future generations something priceless: the belief that corruption is not inevitable, that kleptocrats who steal from their nations can be held to account, and that integrity can prevail when courageous people choose to act. What makes his contribution so remarkable is that he did not place the responsibility for solving these challenges solely on the shoulders of young people. Instead, he helped create the momentum needed to confront them, leaving behind a foundation upon which others can build."
Serena Ibrahim
Founder of Youth Against Corruption
Lebanon
More voices from the YLN:
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You will receive our usual quarterly newsletter soon with more information about anti-corruption developments in recent months.
In the meantime, you can watch the recording of the recent Good Governance Academy Colloquium on the IACC featuring Justice Richard Goldstone, Justice Maria Wilson, and Allan Rock.
You can also sign up for our webinar on June 11 with Tournons La Page and Good Governance Africa broadcast in French and English.
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