Biography
Simon Henzell-Thomas
Global Director of Climate & Nature, Ingka Group (IKEA)
Prior to this his current role he was the Director of Global Public Affairs, Advocacy & Transparency for Ingka Group where he lead the global Public Affairs, Advocacy & Transparency functions, driving change in society through purpose-led advocacy and campaigning, influencing public policy and ensuring the highest standards of corporate transparency. Simon has also held positions in the IKEA sustainability function in Sweden, leading the human rights strategy development and partnership-building. Before that, he was Head of Sustainability & Ethical Trade at The Body Shop, which then became part of the part of the L’Oréal Group.
He has over nearly 20 years of experience working with and for global blue-chip retailers in a number of senior leadership roles. He has a background in change management, executive and non-executive leadership, corporate sustainability, human rights, multi-stakeholder partnerships, advocacy, stakeholder engagement and corporate transparency.
Simon has a number of year’s experience as a non-Executive Director and Board member, previously as a Trustee for The Body Shop Foundation and as a Trustee for The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) in the UK. Simon has also been a Chair for the EuroCommerce Jobs and Skills Committee in Brussels. Simon has played important roles in global multi-stakeholder initiatives, such as the Real Play Coalition, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and the Leadership Group for Responsible Recruitment (LGRR). Simon has been a judge for the Cannes Award for Creativity in the Sustainable Development Goals category and was included in the Forbes list of “43 People Changing Advertising For Climate.”
Simon is a proud European with a British passport – living in The Hague with his wife and two sons. He has an MSC is Business Strategy and Environmental Politics from the University of London.
