Cherian Mathews

Cherian Mathews is the Chief Executive of HelpAge International, a leading organization’s global work to promote the well-being, dignity, and rights of older people. Cherian has more than 35 years of international development experience in leading and managing humanitarian, long-term development and advocacy work at country, regional and global levels.

Previously, he worked with Oxfam GB as International Programme Director and before that as Asia Regional Director where he led major humanitarian responses in the Philippines and Nepal and led regional campaigns on economic justice and inequality. Before joining in 2003, Cherian worked with Action Aid. Before that, he worked with local and national level civil society organizations on the rights of Indigenous people and other marginalized communities in India.

Cherian also has engaged in a wide range of research and policy issues like Food Justice, Climate Change, Inequality and Humanitarian action. He is currently pursuing a policy agenda on population ageing and promoting the rights of older people, especially looking at intersectionality with gender, disability, and climate change. He is passionate about localization and decolonization of aid architecture.

Cherian has completed his postgraduate degree in development studies in India and has completed advance management and leadership courses at Oxford and Harvard Universities.