Simon Sheikh | |
Birth Place: | Sydney, NSW |
Alma Mater: | University of New South Wales |
Occupation: | Community campaigner |
Known For: | Former National Director of GetUp! |
Spouse: | Anna Rose |
Simon Sheikh (born 1986) is an Australian activist who is currently CEO of superannuation fund Future Super. He was the National Director of GetUp! from 2008 to 2012.[1] He was a delegate to the economics stream of the Australia 2020 Summit and was named the New South Wales Young Professional of the Year in 2007.[2]
He was born in Sydney, and has ancestry from India, Pakistan, Britain, New Zealand and Australia.[3]
He is the son of Michael Sheikh, an Indian-born Pakistani industrial chemist and inventor and British New Zealander, Rhonda Badham. He attended Camdenville Public School and later gained entry to Fort Street High School.[4] [5] He later studied economics at the University of New South Wales,[6] while working full-time in the Services Marketing team at Telstra and as a public servant at the NSW Treasury.[7]
Sheikh represented Australia as the youth representative at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Uganda in 2007.[2]
In 2009 he was part of the Sydney Leadership Program run by Social Leadership Australia at The Benevolent Society.[8]
He became National Director of GetUp! in September, 2008, at the age of 22.[9]
He stepped down from being National Director of GetUp! on 27 July 2012,[10] stating that he intended to avoid burnout. GetUp! claims its membership increased from 270,000 to 610,000 during his four-year term. 80,000 people donated to GetUp! in the 12 months up to July 2012. He is succeeded as director by Sam McLean.
Sheikh is managing director of Future Super,[11] an ethical superfund, which he co-founded with Adam Verwey.
Sheikh was a financial member of the Australian Labor Party for two years from 2004 to 2006.
In 2013, Sheikh unsuccessfully stood as a candidate for the Australian Greens seeking election to the Senate representing the Australian Capital Territory.[12]
In November 2011, Sheikh married Australian climate activist Anna Rose.[13]