Simon is the Director General of the IoD, the UKs leading body for company directors and the largest body of this type in the world. He is a former Director of Reuters and British Airways, he is also the former Chief Executive of the British Venture Capital Association. In addition to this he used to be Communications Director to HM Queen Elizabeth II and the Communications Director to The Rt Hon John Major when he was Prime Minister of the UK from 1990 to 1997.