Ben Simms
Chief Executive Officer
Ben Simms is Chief Executive of Global Health Partnerships (formerly THET), with over 30 years’ experience leading global health, disability and development programmes across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe. He is passionate about strengthening the global health workforce, building equitable partnerships, and tackling racism as a structural barrier to better health outcomes. Before joining GHP, Ben held senior roles with HIV and disability organisations, including Sue Ryder, Sense International and STOPAIDS, and worked with UN agencies on rights‑based public health programming, experiences that shaped his commitment to anti‑racism, power‑sharing and the principle that global health must be built on mutual benefit, not charity.
At GHP, Ben has played a pivotal role in expanding the organisation’s pioneering Health Partnership model, enabling thousands of NHS staff to collaborate with peers in more than 30 countries.
A leading advocate for ethical health workforce mobility, Ben champions the contributions of diaspora health professionals and is a regular contributor to global policy discussions, including the World Health Assembly. He argues consistently for a UK approach to global health rooted in solidarity, long‑term system strengthening and investment in people. He has played a leading role in shaping and driving the UK Global Health Summit, helping establish it as a national platform that convenes government leaders, diaspora networks, academics and health professionals to advance a more globally engaged, equitable UK health system. In addition, Ben has provided significant leadership in coordinating the UK health community’s response to the 2021 military coup in Myanmar, convening a broad alliance of over 30 UK health institutions and diaspora clinicians to support colleagues affected by escalating violence and the collapse of the country’s health system.
He holds an MSc in Development Management (Open University) and an MA in History (University of Edinburgh), and has served as a councillor, trustee, and is Vice-Chair of the BBC Charity Appeals Advisory Committee.
