Paul Smith Lomas took up his appointment as CEO of Practical Action in November 2015. Prior to this appointment, Paul was Practical Action’s International Director, responsible for the overall operation of its programmes and policy influencing around the world.
Paul’s professional background is as a mechanical engineer. He worked originally in the water treatment industry in the UK, before going on a VSO assignment in 1985 to Eastern Sudan, where he set up water and sanitation systems for refugee populations from Eritrea & Ethiopia. He then worked with ActionAid in the Nuba Mountains, still focusing on public health engineering with rural communities.
After a short spell in the commercial sector, Paul returned to the voluntary sector in 1991 as Technical Adviser for Oxfam, based in the UK. He was awarded an MBE for services to international development.
Prior to joining Practical Action, Paul was the Regional Director for Oxfam in the Horn & Eastern Africa, where he managed a large programme covering development, campaigning, and emergency response.
LinkedIn: Paul Smith Lomas