David Kaplan, United States, is executive director of the Global Investigative Journalism Network, an association of more than 160 investigative reporting nonprofits in 72 countries. GIJN runs conferences and workshops, provides investigative resources, and trains and networks journalists around the world.
From 2008 to 2011 Kaplan served as director of ICIJ, expanding the network’s partners, building up its capacity, and overseeing investigations that won ten major awards, including three medals from IRE, that organization’s highest honor. Until 2007 Kaplan worked as a chief investigative correspondent for U.S. News & World Report, then a two-million circulation newsweekly, where his stories included exposés of racketeering by North Korean diplomats, Saudi funding of terrorist groups, and the looting of Russia. Kaplan has reported from two dozen countries and his stories have won or shared more than 20 awards.
His books include YAKUZA, widely considered the standard reference on the Japanese mafia. He has worked in media development for 20 years and has trained more than a thousand reporters worldwide in his investigative journalism workshops.
