King’s Birthday Honours 2025: Chief executive of Cambridge-based CBM UK Kirsty Smith awarded OBE
Kirsty Smith, chief executive of Cambridge-based charity CBM UK, has been awarded an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours for outstanding services to people living with disabilities overseas.
The honour recognises Kirsty’s deep commitment to international development and her leadership in driving inclusive, sustainable change for some of the world’s most marginalised communities.
Kirsty has worked in the field of international development for more than 25 years, with a particular focus on disability inclusion and accessible healthcare in low- and middle-income countries.
Under Kirsty’s leadership, CBM UK has significantly expanded its impact, restoring sight, improving health, and independence for millions of individuals and advocating globally for the rights and voices of people with disabilities.
“This recognition is truly an honour, but it also belongs to the incredible teams, partners, and communities around the world who are working every day to break down barriers and build a more inclusive future. I’m proud to be part of a movement that believes everyone, everywhere, deserves the opportunity to thrive,” she said.
Kirsty joined CBM UK as chief executive in 2012 and is part of the leadership of CBM Global, the international Federation of which CBM UK is a member.
In addition to her strategic leadership of the organisation, Kirsty leads on CBM UK’s advisory work, promoting broader, systemic change and supporting others to put inclusion into practice.
She is currently a member of the UK Government Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office’s External Challenge Board for disability inclusion.
In November 2024, Kirsty was appointed Chair of BOND, the UK network for organisations working in international development, which galvanises members to address structural injustice and seek sustainable change.
Her previous roles include chief executive for All We Can (formerly Methodist Relief and Development Fund); advocacy and campaigns director for World Action, a pioneering programme empowering young people to act on global injustice, and vice chair of INGO network BOND.
CBM UK’s chair of trustees Tim Morris added: “Kirsty’s vision and passion have transformed the way CBM UK delivers its mission. Her leadership has helped ensure that people with disabilities are not only included but prioritised in development efforts. We are thrilled to see her recognised with this well-deserved honour.”
CBM UK is an international disability and development organisation, working to end the cycle of poverty and disability in some of the world’s poorest communities.
