Mr Giovanni Kessler is an Italian Public Prosecutor having fifteen years’ experience at the Courts of Trento and Bolzano and at the anti-mafia prosecution office of Caltanissetta, Sicily.

He served as Member of the Italian Parliament from 2001 to 2006.   He sat on the Justice Affairs Committee and during his five-year term, he authored numerous bills on the International Criminal Court, the European Convention against corruption, the International Judiciary Cooperation and the European Arrest Warrant. From 2003-2006, he also became Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. 

He was appointed Director General of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) for a seven-year term since 2011.  OLAF is the office in charge for conducting independent investigations into fraud and corruption affecting the financial interests of the European Union, as well as into serious misconduct by staff and members of the EU institutions.

In 2018 he was Director of the Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency, which controls the security of imports, collects duties and excises and regulates and controls the national market of tobacco and games.

He has been member and leader of several international associations.   In 2012-2016, he was President of the European Partners Against Corruption / European Anti-Corruption Network (EPAC/EACN) and in 2013-2021, he was IAACA ExCo Member.

He is now retired and works with anti-corruption NGOs in several European countries.