Our Team

Deborah Lehr

Founder of the Antiquities Coalition, Chairman, Board of Directors

Deborah M. Lehr is an accomplished global business strategist who has supported leading global firms and organizations to grow their presence in the world’s most complex markets. Deborah applied her business acumen and policy knowledge to launch the Antiquities Coalition which works across the world to fight against cultural racketeering, the illicit trade in antiquities, where she serves as its Chairman.

Deborah is the CEO of Basilinna, a global strategic advisory firm with offices in the United States, Europe, China, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. In addition, she is the Executive Director of the Paulson Institute, a think tank founded by former Secretary of Treasury Hank Paulson, which is focused on trade, finance, and conservation.

Deborah has built and led advisory businesses at Edelman Global Advisory, Stonebridge, and the law firm of Mayer Brown. Earlier in her career, she worked at the New York Stock Exchange and Merrill Lynch, as well as serving in the U.S. Government as a Director for Asian Affairs at the National Security Council, as Deputy Assistant  U.S. Trade Representative and at the Commerce Department.

She sits on the boards of the National Geographic, the World Monuments Fund, the Middle East Institute, Meridian, and the International Advisory Boards of Sesame Workshop and Aliph. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. UNESCO nominated Deborah for its inaugural list of accomplished global women, and she received the prestigious Hadrian Award from the World Monument Fund for her work in fighting the illicit trade in antiquities.

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