Simon Baker a researcher and monitoring and evaluation expert, has worked on development issues in Asia and beyond for over 25 years. His research has focused on human trafficking, livelihoods, development issues, education and health in Asia. He has undertaken operation research, population size estimates, surveys of rural development, trafficked victims including children, female sex workers, migrant workers, at-risk youth and getting communities to develop edutainment materials related to health.

He has worked closely with government ministries, including in Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, local and international NGOs, such as Child Workers in Asia, Save the Children, Acting for Life, Plan Finland, Plan Sweden, Plan Thailand, World Population Foundation, ECPAT International, APEC, CDC, the Population Council, PATH, MSF, the Thailand Business Coalition on AIDS, Mahidol University, RTI, International Planned Parenthood Federation, ICF, Embode, ISG, Walk Free Foundation, Winrock International, Social Impact, ADB, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNESCO, ILO, WHO, UNIAP, UN-ACT, UNOPS, ESCAP and of course national governments. In addition, he has worked for the Population Council and ICF International.

His regional experience includes Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Greece, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Moldova, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand and Vietnam.

He is fluent in Thai and speaks Greek, Lao, and Khmer. Dr Baker was a volunteer in Thailand and in Cambodia and earned his PhD in Demography, with a focus on child labour in Thailand, from the Australian National University.