Benjamin Simmons

Benjamin Simmons is the Senior Director for IISD’s Economic Law and Policy Program. In this role, he oversees multidisciplinary teams advancing work on agriculture and food systems, sustainability standards, tax policy, sovereign debt, sustainable infrastructure, public procurement, and sustainable finance. He is also a member of IISD’s Senior Program Committee and the Innovation Fund Committee.

Ben has more than 20 years of experience building and directing global partnerships and initiatives at the intersection of economic development and environmental sustainability. Before his current role, he served as the Director of Sustainable Infrastructure and Director of the Nature-Based Infrastructure Global Resource Centre at IISD.

Prior to joining IISD, Ben held several senior positions at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), including Head of Secretariat for the Green Growth Knowledge Partnership. He was the founding coordinator of the Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) initiative and led UNEP’s Trade, Policy, and Planning Unit. He also represented UNEP in the United Nations Innovation Network and launched the Geneva Environment Lab to advance staff innovation within the organization.

Earlier in his career, Ben practiced environmental law at a private firm in New York City and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in southern Senegal.

Ben holds a Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School, a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and a Bachelor of Arts from Buena Vista University. He is based in Washington, D.C.