In memoriam – Simon Bartley

Simon Bartley served as President of WorldSkills International from 2011 to 2019, first elected at the General Assembly in October 2010 and re-elected for a second term in 2014, bringing to the role a combination of professional rigour, personal warmth, and genuine belief in the transformative power of skills.

Before joining WorldSkills, Simon built a distinguished career in the building services sector, where he served as Chair and Managing Director of his family business, C J Bartley & Co Ltd. Educated at Durham University, where he earned both a BSc in Engineering Science and Management and an MSc in Management Science, he was a Chartered Engineer, a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and a Fellow of City and Guilds.

Simon served as Chief Executive of WorldSkills UK for many years, where he played a pivotal role in bringing the WorldSkills Competition to the United Kingdom (WorldSkills London 2011). He also served as the UK’s Official Delegate to both WorldSkills International and WorldSkills Europe, and as a Board member of both organizations, before being elected President of WorldSkills.

Throughout his presidency, Simon was a tireless ambassador for the skills movement. He was passionate about young people, and everything he did was guided by his belief that every young person deserves the opportunity to discover and develop their talents. He served on the UK Government’s Skills Commission, on the Council of City & Guilds, and on the Strategy, Policy and Standards Committee of BSI. He was also a past Chair of the CBI’s Small and Medium Sized Enterprise Council.

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Simon Bartley, Past President of WorldSkills International, whose boundless enthusiasm for skills and young people left a lasting mark on our community.

Beyond his professional commitments, Simon gave generously to charitable causes, serving as Chair of Providence Row, a charity supporting homeless people in London, and as Master of two City of London Livery Companies. He was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in June 2015 for Voluntary and Charitable Services, a fitting recognition of a life lived in service to others.

He is survived by his wife, Christine, and their three sons and partners, James and Julia, Philip and Sarah, and Joe, and their grandson, Oscar. Our thoughts are with them and with all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Simon Bartley will be remembered by the WorldSkills community as a leader who brought professionalism, integrity, and heart to everything he did. WorldSkills is forever grateful for all that was achieved during his presidency and honours his memory by continuing the work he cared so deeply about. WorldSkills will keep building on Simon’s legacy to create a better world by giving young people opportunities and access to skills.

One of Simon’s favourite projects at WorldSkills was the creation and work of the WorldSkills Champions Trust, which is a volunteer group of past Competitors who are the voice of young people in the WorldSkills movement. The WorldSkills Champions Trust have made a video tribute to Simon.