Christian international development charity Tearfund has appointed Silas Balraj as its new chief executive, bringing decades of global leadership experience to the role.

Balraj, who spent more than 20 years at Compassion International, will begin his new role in September. His previous leadership positions included Country Director for India, Vice President for Asia, and most recently, Senior Principal in Compassion’s global program team.

Balraj said, “I am honored to join Tearfund at such a pivotal time. Around the world, millions still face the harsh realities of extreme poverty and injustice, and I’m deeply inspired by Tearfund’s commitment to working through the local church to bring lasting change. I’m passionate about the role of the church to transform communities facing crisis, and I look forward to being part of that mission.”

Balraj also brings private sector experience, having worked in India’s IT industry prior to his time with Compassion, leading startups while building HR and operations infrastructure.

Anna Laszlo, Chair of Trustees at Tearfund, said, “Silas brings a wealth of leadership, experience, and vision to Tearfund. His deep commitment to seeing the church act as a catalyst for community transformation will be foundational as we continue to respond to the growing and complex challenges of extreme poverty. He is a visionary leader, and we are incredibly excited about everything Silas will bring to the role.”

In the past year, Tearfund’s work has directly reached 2.9 million people, with another 6.1 million impacted through its church-led community programs.

Tearfund’s Chief Operating Officer, Tim Pilkington, will serve as interim CEO until Balraj takes up the post.