New man in charge of overseas aid

Friday 14 October 2016

There's a new man in charge of the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission.

Simon Boas took on the role of Executive Director at the beginning of October.

Mr Boas has over a decade of experience designing, implementing and evaluating aid projects in developing countries. He has managed UN Offices and Programmes in the Middle East and South Asia, and has selected and overseen scores of grants to NGOs.

His appointment comes as part of a programme of modernisation and reform of JOAC, begun by the Commissioners in 2015.

As the organisation’s 50^th birthday approaches, it will focus on improving its accountability to taxpayers and maximising the effectiveness of the assistance Jersey provides to the world’s poor.

Deputy Carolyn Labey, Chairman of JOAC, commented: “The employment of a dedicated development expert like Simon marks an important step in the evolution of JOAC into a professional aid organisation. The people of Jersey, and the people to whom their generosity can make such a difference, deserve to know that every penny spent on overseas aid achieves the maximum possible impact on poverty and suffering.” 

Mr Boas said: “Jersey’s overseas aid has changed hundreds of thousands of lives all over the world since 1968, and I am honoured and delighted to be a part of this amazing story. I look forward to meeting the many people who have been involved with JOAC over the years, and to contributing to the next stage of its development.”