In Loving Memory of Simon Bartley

June 25th, 1957 — May 21st, 2026

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Remembering Simon

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.

Celebrating Simon's Life

The following events have been arranged for family and friends to come together in remembrance and support.

Service
Wednesday
Jun 17, 2026
Jesuit Church of the Immaculate Conception (Farm Street)
114, Mount Street, Mayfair, London, W1K 3AH, GB
2:00PM

The service will be live streamed for those who cannot attend in person: https://www.farmstreet.org.uk/livestream

Tributes & Memories

Memory photo
Dear Bartley Family,

WorldSkills Chinese Taipei would like to express our heartfelt condolences on the passing of Simon Bartley.

Simon was not only a remarkable leader of the WorldSkills movement, but also a true friend to our organization. We will always be grateful for his support in strengthening the partnership between WorldSkills International and WorldSkills Chinese Taipei, and for his role in helping establish the Capacity Building Centre in Taipei.

It was our great privilege to welcome Simon to Taipei on several occasions. We will remember his warmth, encouragement, and unwavering belief that "Skills Change Lives."

His legacy will continue to inspire young people and the entire WorldSkills community for generations to come.

Rest in peace, Simon. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.

With deepest sympathy,

WorldSkills Chinese Taipei
Official Delegate, Lydia Huang
Technical Delegate, Kyle Liao
WorldSkills Chinese Taipei
Jun 23, 2026
Memory photo Memory photo Memory photo

My deepest condolences to Christine and her entire family on the passing of Simon, a dear friend whom I remember fondly. He always expressed his affection for Spain and for the family of Mr. Albert Vidal. I had the opportunity to meet him and share several international competitions with him. I have a particularly fond memory of WorldSkills Kazan 2019, where he invited Mr. Albert's daughter, Paloma, to the Albert Vidal Award ceremony, and where I had the opportunity to accompany the family to this event.
WorldSkills Lion 2024 was the last time I had the chance to greet him, along with his wife, Christine, and chat amicably. His work as International President of WorldSkills inspired millions of young people and professionals around the world.
José Rubio
Jun 23, 2026
Dear Christine and family,

I was deeply saddened to hear of Simon’s passing.

I will always remember him as a kind, joyful man who was always smiling and had something thoughtful and encouraging to say.

Cristine, I often think back to a conversation I had with you and Simon in 2019 when I had the privilege to meet you for the first time. The two of you encouraged me to put myself forward for the WorldSkills Board. It had never crossed my mind, but you both saw potential in me that I hadn’t yet seen in myself. I was truly touched.

Although I’m not on the WorldSkills Board, I have had the privilege of serving on the WorldSkills Europe Board, and that opportunity is, in part, thanks to Simon’s encouragement and belief in me. He was also one of the very first people to send me a personal email to congratulate me after I was elected. It was such a thoughtful gesture from someone who was so deeply committed to the WorldSkills movement and undoubtedly very busy.

Simon, your legacy will live on through all of us. The WorldSkills movement is stronger and richer because of your dedication, your generosity, and your unwavering commitment. Thank you for everything you gave to our community. You will be greatly missed, but never forgotten.

Alina Fleaca – Technical Delegate WorldSkills Belgium
Alina Fleaca
Jun 23, 2026
On behalf of WorldSkills Europe, we would like to express our deepest condolences to Simon’s wife Christine, his sons and their families, and his grandson Oscar.

Simon’s deep commitment to the youth of the world and to the work of WorldSkills leaves a legacy that will continue to inspire us all.
WorldSkills Europe
Jun 18, 2026
I still struggle to believe that Simon has left us. He was larger than life!
I will miss his dedication to the young people of our WorldSkills movement, his laughter and the banter we used to share. His good humour was so contagious!
My deepest condolences to Christine, his sons and their families, and his grandson Oscar. May he rest in peace, and may his memory continue to inspire the work we do in WorldSkills.
Laurence Gates
Jun 18, 2026
At this difficult time, and on behalf as well of WorldSkills Spain and the Secretary General for VET at the Spanish Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports, I extend my sincere sympathies to Christine, Simon’s sons and their families, and all who knew and admired him.
We stand in solidarity with the entire international WorldSkills family in mourning this great loss.
In Spain, Simon will be remembered not only as a distinguished and charismatic leader, but as a true ambassador of the skills movement, who reunited and inspired us. We honour his legacy by continuing to promote skills, support young people, and contribute to the vision he championed: a better world where every individual has the opportunity to develop their talents.
This is a great loss, but Simon Bartley leaves behind a lasting influence and will continue to lively inspire us all.
Gema Cavada - WorldSkills Spain - Secretary General for VET
Jun 18, 2026
It is with profound sadness that we learned of the passing of our beloved friend Simon Bartley.

Simon was a remarkable leader whose boundless enthusiasm for skills and young people left a lasting mark in the WorldSkills movement. During his presidency from 2011 to 2019, he brought professional rigour, personal warmth, and a genuine belief in the transformative power of skills to everything he did.

Simon is a dear friend of WorldSkills China and has played a pivotal role in the development and promotion of the WorldSkills movement in China. He visited China as President-elect one month after China’s accession into WorldSkills International. He was there when China’s bid to host the WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai was announced, and he consistently championed China’s vocational education, recognizing its potential to elevate standards and transform systems at a national scale. His encouragement and vision helped integrate WorldSkills standards into China’s TVET system, strengthening the foundation for talent development across the country.

Please extend our heartfelt sympathies to Christine and their family during this difficult time.

We may his great soul rest in eternal peace.

Lyu Yulin
Jun 17, 2026
Dear Worldskills International and Worldskills Europe Team,

We were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Mr. Simon Bartley, former President of WorldSkills International.

While we did not have many opportunities to interact directly, we had the honor of receiving his kind remarks at the International Abilympics ceremony held in Bordeaux in 2016, which we remember with great appreciation.

We would like to express our heartfelt condolences to his family, all at Worldskills International and Worldskills Europe, and to everyone who had the privilege of working with him.

Our thoughts are with you during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Secretariat
International Abilympic Federation (IAF)
Secretariat of International Abilympic Federation
Jun 17, 2026

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