Simon has worked to influence development policy and practice for 15 years and was previously Director of policy, advocacy and research at Bond, and Director of policy and campaigns at Concern Worldwide UK. He has lived and worked in Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and Ethiopia for INGOs including Oxfam, Save the Children and International Alert. His areas of thematic expertise include: climate change, economic justice, conflict and peacebuilding, food security and nutrition, and humanitarian response. He teaches an online course on strategic policy advocacy with the International Centre for Governance and Policy.
Simon holds an MPhil and BA in African Studies from the University of Birmingham, is an OCM trained coach, sits on the Care International UK Board Impact and Transformation Committee and is a trustee of the Finance Innovation Lab.
Posts
New economics and international development: crisis or opportunity?
With the ‘broligarchy’ on the rise and Labour doubling down on economic growth, is there any chance for ‘new economic’ ideas to cut through? And what does this mean for international development?
Politics, policies and pounds: development in 2022
Our director of policy, advocacy and research Simon Starling takes a look at the politics, policies and the pounds sterling (or lack of them) that have dominated the year in development, before looking at what we might expect in 2023.
A daunting to-do list for new Foreign Secretary James Cleverly: here’s where to start
With the seventh secretary of state covering international development in four years being announced, and a turbulent time behind and ahead for the sector, here’s what Bond believes James Cleverly should prioritise in his new role.