Mark Giffard-Lindsay
Managing Director
More than half of the world’s population of nearly 7.5 billion people are under the age of 30 – the biggest youth generation ever. Mark passionately believes that we should help engage young people as informed global citizens if we are to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Mark started his career in 1988 as a Logistics Officer for Operation Raleigh’s expedition to West Cameroon. He also served for 9 years with the Parachute Regiment Reserve, leading paratroopers on challenging exercises throughout the world.
Whilst a Director at two leading expedition companies, Mark launched and planned overseas school expeditions to 16 countries. As an Operations Director, this included overseeing all operational planning of itineraries, safety management systems, Expedition Leader selection, risk assessments, community projects, safety and pre-departure training for students.
He has led school and adult expeditions in many countries, from school teams in the jungles of Borneo, to taking 80 year olds to Everest Base Camp!
Mark then spent 9 years working in the international development sector, including 5 years in Nepal and other Himalayan countries for CARE International and the International Red Cross. He managed an international team of 22 staff as Country Director of a poverty alleviation NGO, and has overseen disaster relief and long-term sustainable development programmes in environmental protection, maternal-child health, and community-led microcredit and enterprise.
Mark then worked in Geneva for 2 years as a Senior Officer at the Headquarters of the International Federation of the Red Cross, and as a consultant at the United Nations, advising on global policy-making. Returning to the UK, he co-founded Global Action with Katharine.
Mark has a Master’s Degree in Governance and International Development from the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and a member of RedR UK (Engineers for Disaster Relief).