Founder, Africa Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR)
PhD, Nova Southeastern University
Austin is currently studying for a PhD in Conflict Analysis and Resolution at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, USA. Before studying in the U.S., Austin was executive secretary and head of conflict resolution at the Human Rights Commission (now Human Rights and Conflict Resolution Centre) Abakaliki, Nigeria. Apart from studying and researching Austin is currently monitoring on behalf of shareholders in Chevron’s community engagement initiative in Nigeria for the Africa Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR), based in Nigeria.
In 2001, Austin was elected Ashoka Fellow for his innovative work in “harnessing conflict energy for development.” Twice Austin won Misereor grant for formation which supported his graduate studies. He is a member of the UN Working Group on Human Rights and Business. Austin has worked, researched and written extensively on the oil industry. He conducts training on conflict resolution, corporate social responsibility, human rights, non-violence and peace-building and development. Austin is adjunct faculty at the West Africa Peacebuilding Institute in Ghana.
Austin is the author of From Conflict to Collaboration: Building Peace in Nigeria’s Oil-Producing Communities and When Communities Confront Corporations: Comparing Shell’s Presence in Ireland and Nigeria. This was supported from another grant from Cordaid. He is on the regional and national board of the West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP). He currently directs the Africa Centre for Corporate Responsibility based in Warri, Niger Delta of Nigeria. Austin led the 28-person team that conducted f! or the very first time an evaluation of Chevron Nigeria’s Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMOU). Austin has conducted several research projects both in Africa and abroad on different subjects. Currently he is research fellow at the Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study in Humanities and Social Science (2011/2012) and he is designing a CSR-mediation facility that will focus exclusively on company/community conflicts.
Austin received his undergraduate degree from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife, Nigeria.