As iDE’s chief storyteller, Simon often travels to the field to interview our many entrepreneurs, describing their successes and sharing their experiences with a global audience. Simon also leads our thought leadership efforts, regularly publishes articles about our operations, edits many of our funding proposals and helps manage our communications officers, who are based in low income countries across the world.

He has 30 years of experience working in journalism, communications, government, and international development. Simon was the New York correspondent for Time magazine, spokesman for the United Nations World Food Programme in Darfur, and press secretary to the Australian health minister. He has a master’s degree in journalism and a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. He's also the author of a biography on a Mafia boss.

Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Simon has lived in Colorado for more than 10 years and works out of our global headquarters in Denver. He is a doting father of three and spends his spare time enjoying the Rocky Mountains, skiing, mountain biking and building his log cabin.