Susanne Grau

Susanne Grau is a Lecturer and Project Manager at the Institute for Financial Services Zug (IFZ) within the Business School of Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, where she serves as Head of the Economic Crimes Department. She is also the Owner and Managing Director of SUSANNEGRAU Consulting GmbH, providing expertise in governance, compliance, and economic crime prevention.

Her educational background includes:

• Licentiate in Law from the University of Zurich
• Federally certified expert in accounting and controlling
• MAS in Economic Crime Investigation from Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
• CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner) from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners in Austin, Texas

Susanne Grau specializes in white-collar crime, particularly focusing on economic crime investigation, accounting fraud, and financial crime prevention. Her research interests span across forensic accounting, compliance frameworks, corporate governance, and anti-corruption measures. She has developed particular expertise in detecting and preventing balance sheet manipulation, financial statement fraud, and workplace fraud. Her work bridges the gap between theoretical understanding of economic crime and practical application in both corporate and public sector environments.

Her extensive publication record reveals a strong focus on practical applications of economic crime prevention, with particular attention to Swiss legal frameworks and international comparisons. Her work consistently addresses emerging challenges in financial crime, including pandemic-related fraud schemes, cybercrime threats, and evolving methods of accounting manipulation. Grau's research demonstrates a progression from case-specific analyses toward broader systemic understanding of economic crime patterns and prevention strategies.

Susanne Grau holds significant leadership positions in professional organizations:

• Vice President of SwissAccounting
• Member of the Board of Directors of Controller Akademie AG
• Board member of the Swiss Association of Experts for Combating Economic Crime (SEBWK)

She actively contributes to professional development through various educational programs, including the MAS Economic Crime Investigation, CAS Economic Crime Investigation Essentials, CAS Financial Investigation for police officers, and CAS Finance and Accounting for Lawyers. Her practical experience spans roles as Head of Economic Crimes at Zug Police, Head of Forensics Switzerland at BDO AG, and various positions in internal audit and accounting.