Bertram Lang

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT BERTRAM LANG

With a background in political science and China studies, I am dedicated to advancing sustainable development and good governance along global value chains. My diverse international experience spans academia, policy consulting, and EU institutions, leveraging fluency in five languages.Since January 2026, I work as a Senior Policy Advisor for the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF), supporting governments and international organisations in their development and implementation of critical mineral strategies to promote more socially, environmentally and economically sustainable outcomes.In the past, I have advised leading international NGOs, development agencies, and EU institutions and companies on strategic issues relating to their global China strategies. As Lead Researcher for the International Civil Society Centre, I collaborated with global strategy and country teams from Oxfam, Amnesty International, Transparency International, and Mercy Corps to develop impactful advocacy strategies. This experience in freelance projects combined with that of managing and coordinating team-oriented projects at the Robert Bosch Stiftung, the Mercator Institute for China Studies and Goethe University Frankfurt provide me with a unique sector-spanning skill set.My research has combined quantitative text analysis with extensive fieldwork across China and Europe. My book The Transnational Politics of Philanthropy (Policy Press/Bristol University Press, 2025) explains the internationalisation of Chinese non-profits, from environmental NGOs to tech-driven philanthropic foundations. My work on Tencent and Alibaba\'s use and abuse of AI in charity platform governance earned the Fondation Lombard Odier Prize in 2024.Recent projects have focused on the geopolitics of resource governance, looking into how the green transition to more climate-friendly energy systems can be realised with more respect for people and nature through better governance of the world\'s finite mineral resources. As a Mercator Fellow on International Affairs in 2025, I had the opportunity to promote cross-sectoral knowledge exchange in the critical minerals space during stints at the OECD\'s Centre for Responsible Business Conduct and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).Beyond my professional career, I contribute to civil society as Chair of Stiftung Asienhaus\' Advisory Board and a member of Transparency International Germany\'s National Steering Committee.