What happens when a career spanning entrepreneurship, risk mitigation, disaster response, genomics, the arts and technology converges around one question: how do we help people navigate an increasingly uncertain world without losing sight of their own agency and potential? Earlier this year, IFIP IP3 Global Industry Council (GIC) Chairman Stephen Ibaraki spoke with Simon Pereira Shorey, Founder and Chief Vision Officer of the International Foundation for the Displaced, about his remarkable career and the experiences that shaped his commitment to resilience, disaster response and humanitarian impact.
British-born, Irish-Brazilian and based in the United States for the past 25 years, Simon brings an extraordinary breadth of experience to the conversation. His career has taken him from advising major clients including BP, British Gas and the Duchy of Cornwall, to pioneering work in genomics, initiatives in the arts and community development, and public service in Jersey City. Along the way, he has built organisations, served on boards and worked at the intersection of business, technology and community resilience.
Stephen asks Simon about the experiences that shaped him, and Simon reflects on how boarding school taught him about fear, vulnerability and isolation, while 9/11 left what he describes as a permanent imprint. Those experiences ultimately redirected his work towards disaster mitigation and resilience. He also shares how his experiences responding to crises have shaped his understanding of what people need when confronted with situations beyond their control.
The conversation then turns to Simon’s current focus: the millions of people displaced by conflict and disaster. He challenges the traditional paternalistic model of humanitarian assistance and argues instead for empowering people on the ground. Stephen and Simon explore what this means in practice, sharing examples of displaced people using the resources available to them, including a tomato and a 3D printer, to create livelihoods and rebuild their communities.
From there, the conversation moves naturally into technology. When Stephen asks about the possibilities of AI, robotics, UAVs and other emerging technologies, Simon describes a vision of technology that supports people without taking away their agency. He imagines, for example, an AI device that could speak with a frightened mother in her own language, help her understand her options and enable her to make her own decision.
But Simon is equally clear about the risks. He and Stephen discuss digital identity and the dangers of collecting and sharing personal data about vulnerable populations. Simon uses the experience of the Rohingya to illustrate the complexity of this issue: when people are displaced and their identities, histories and personal information are captured by systems they do not control, technology intended to help can also create new vulnerabilities.
What emerges is a fascinating conversation about resilience, displacement, human potential and technology, and about the importance of keeping the human being at the centre. As Simon puts it, the aim is to trust people, empower people, and use technology to expand what they are able to do.
Watch the full interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSa4vt09mhs
Find more information about Simon Pereira Shorey: https://stephenibaraki.com/ifip/interviews/v0526/simon_pereira_shorey_ifip.html
The IFIP IP3 Global Industry Council (GIC) serves as the principal forum for employers and educators to engage with IP3 and shape the global ICT profession. Each month, they feature relevant and insightful ideas in IFIP Insights.
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