Simon is Executive Chair of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network , which is a new initiative designed to support developing countries in tackling the challenges posed by climate change. It was launched on 11 March 2010 by the UK government.   It aims to help decision-makers in developing countries  design and deliver climate compatible development. It will do this by providing demand-led research and technical assistance, and channelling the best available knowledge on climate change and development to support policy processes at the country level.

The 'in coversation' video series is available here.

The network is currently looking for a permanent CEO - for more information see here.

The European Development Cooperation Strengthening Programme is an ODI project funded by DfID and led by Simon.  It was established to support the debate on EU institutional and policy change by building an infrastructure of knowledge, contacts and information on EU development cooperation.  It aims to: construct a community of ‘ EU change-makers’; support the conversation on development cooperation, its structure and its relation to the wider arena of EU external action; and take the agenda forward through policy analysis and by promoting the sharing and practical use of knowledge and information.

The ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, and the arrival in Brussels of a new leadership team, together provide an opportunity to re-invigorate European collaboration and collective action in the realm of international development.  Europe is at a cross-roads, emerging from an eight-year period of introspection with a new treaty which provides a mandate, not for centralisation, but for greater cooperation.

The German Development Institute funded part of this work, specifically on responding to future development challenges: is more supranationalism the answer?

Simons work on reform of the international system of governance in development cooperation: the role of the EU is also related.

Specialist Adviser to the House of Commons International Development Select Committee

Advisory positions, including: Development of a ‘Capability Index’ (KPMG/ ODI), European Development Report

Simon was recently asked to consider Reform of the International System of Governance in Development Cooperation: the Role of the EU for the Institute for International Studies of the University of Madrid.  The paper is available here.

Simon recently completed work on Canadian Foreign Aid and Development with Liam Swiss for the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation in Toronto.  A draft of the draft discussion paper produced was presented on the 17th May - Simon joined the roundtable dscussion.

Simon recently chaired the European Investment Bank's event on their Mid Term Review of External Lending Mandates.

Towards an Asia-Europe Partnership for Sustainable Development

Simon has completed work with Tech4Dev preparing for and participating in the ASEM Development Conference II –Towards an Asia-Europe Partnership for Sustainable Development, co-organised by the European Commission and the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, took place in Yogyakarta (Indonesia) on 26-27 May 2010.  His trip report is availabe under blogs.

Member of the Senior Advisory Board of the DFID Humanitarian Emergency Response Review

Simon is a member of this review of DFID's humanitarian aid, set up by the Secretary of State, Andrew Mitchell, and led by Lord Paddy Ashdown.

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Simon is a Member of the German Marshall Fund Transatlantic Task Force on Development, a position he has held since 2007

The taskforce sets out its missions as: Global poverty is a challenge to us all, because it affects us all. In our interdependent world, we must act together to address this global challenge. Development matters. The Taskforce consists of 24 members from the United States, Canada and Europe. Our countries have a joint population of 740 million people, account for around half of all global trade, and provide more than 85 percent of Official Development Assistance ( ODA). It is therefore particularly important for these countries to reassess policies and practices with the intention to improve global development outcomes, such as economic and human progress. The combined leadership of North America and Europe can help to accelerate the pace of human development, but only by working together in partnership will we be successful – rather than working alone, or worse, in separate directions. The Taskforce urges leadership on and commitment to development even in the midst of the economic and financial crises that beset the world.

Simon recently facilitated a consultation on supporting the linkages between business and development for UNDP in Vietnam, December 2009.  The link takes you to the full report.

Simon is currently moderating four sessions for Business Action for Africa. 

The 2009 series 'Harnessing the Power of Business for Development Impact' concluded that doing good business is very often the most powerful and systainable way to reduce poverty.  To read Simon's summary of the lessons learned, click here.

The current series builds on this and aims to continue to deepen understanding of how the sector can best harness core business practices to achieve the greatest potential impact on development and poverty alleviation.  This series is organised by Business Action for Africa, DfID and the Harvard Kennedy School.

Simon was recently commissioned by DfID to present a session on 'Game Changers in South Asia- past crises, future prospects' at their recent South Asia Forum.

Simon recently hosted  DfID's Joining up Africa event, with Jon Snow.  The event was a major international conference to promote better regional economic integration in sub-Saharan Africa.

The event - which brought 200 delegates from African politics, donors, business and civil society - was held in partnership with three key pan-African institutions; the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

Other partners were the World Bank, the European Commission, the Infrastructure Consortium for Africa and UK Trade and Investment. 

The objective of the event was to push for faster and more substantial progress on trade in the region.

It agreed:

• Commitments to improve the way more than $6 billion in multilateral aid to regional programmes is spent.
• Practical ways of working better with business.
• New actions to accelerate progress on regional trade, transport and energy programmes

Simon provided a presentation to, and acted as resource person for, the German Development Institute's workshop 'Beyond 2015: starting the conceptual debate about the future of the Millenium Declaration and the MDGs' in January.

In September 2010, a high-level Millennium+10 Event will be held in New York to review progress towards the Millennium Development Goals ( MDGs). Many challenges will persist beyond 2015, catalysts for MDG achievement need to be taken into account in discussions on the future of the Millennium Declaration and the MDGs, concretely: a reference framework for international development beyond 2015.

To contribute to that debate, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ) and the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) has organised a workshop on 18 January 2010 in Bonn to discuss the main challenges for international development up to and after 2015, to identify prerequisites and priorities for a potential post-2015 target system and to strengthen the conceptual foundations for a BMZ position on this. The discussions was focused on the following three questions:

• Should the protection of global public goods, such as climate, be integrated into a future agenda and how?
• How can the two chapters of the Millennium Declaration on peace, security and disarmament, and on human rights, democracy and good governance be better reflected in a future reference system for international development?
• Is there a need for additional social or economic goals after 2015 (e.g. social protection, socio-economic equity, pro-poor green economy)?

Simon recently participated in an ODI conference on Aid Effectiveness Beyond 2010

Simon gave a lecture on European development cooperation to the Budapest University of Technology and Economics on 15 October 2009. The event was part of the "Kapuscinski Lectures" initiative of the European Commission and the United Nations Development Programme. Experts from around the world delivered lectures on development and development cooperation at universities in 12 new European Union countries. The series is named “Kapuscinski Lectures” ,after Ryszard Kapuscinski, a Polish reporter and writer who covered developing countries.

Simon gave a lecture on European development cooperation to the Mediterranean Academy of Diplomatic Studies on 26 November 2009. The event was part of the "Kapuscinski Lectures" - as above.

In Simon's presentation to the Informal Network of DAC Development Communicators - Annual Meeting 2009 he did the following things:

1. Drew some connections between the Think - Tanks world and the communicators world, around the theme of policy entrepreneurship;
2. Discussed how the development challenge and narrative is changing, post crisis and in the face of climate change and other new issues;
3. Identified five paradoxes facing communications in that context; and
4. Proposed some guiding principles, in the form of a ten point programme.

For the full press release see here.

Simon recently became a Member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Poverty and Economic Development

ippr's Policy Advisory Council was established to draw on a wide pool of highly talented individuals to provide intellectual vitality and advice to the organisation. Simon has served on the Council since 2009.

ippr has established itself as one of the most influential think tanks in British politics. Its research and policy ideas have helped shape the progressive thinking that is now the political centre ground since 1988. Its work has always been driven by a belief in the importance of fairness, democracy and sustainability. And now, at a time of economic and political crisis, it is using radical thinking to take this agenda forward.

Simon has been a Trustee of the Fairtrade Foundation since 2008.  As such he serves on their Board of Trustees and is both a Charitable Trustee and a Company Member.

The Foundation’s mission is to work with businesses, community groups and individuals to improve the trading position of producer organisations in the South and to deliver sustainable livelihoods for farmers, workers and their communities by: being a passionate and ambitious development organisation committed to tackling poverty and injustice through trade; using certification and product labelling, through the FAIRTRADE Mark, as a tool for our development goals; bringing together producers and consumers in a citizens’ movement for change; and being recognised as the UK’s leading authority on Fairtrade

Trustee of Fundacion par las Relaciones Internacionales y el Dialogo Exterior (FRIDE) (Madrid)