: Meet Jim Ingram, Medair CEO
In June, Medair’s International Board of Trustees unanimously appointed Mr. Jim Ingram as Medair’s new CEO.
Jim Ingram Medair CEO
Originally from Canada, Jim has lived and worked in Switzerland for 32 years. For 15 years, he was the Executive Director of Swiss L’Abri, a highly regarded Christian study centre. Since 2004, Jim has been an integral part of Medair, serving as Director of Finance, Interim CEO, and as a key voice on the Executive Leadership Team.
Jim spoke with us about his life, his career, and what lies ahead for Medair.
Q: How do you like living in Switzerland?
A: Switzerland is home to us. I have felt at home here since day one, since the day I arrived. It’s very similar to Canada in the sense of friendliness and order. All of our sons were born here. They’ve gone to Swiss schools, educated in French, learned German. We love Switzerland. This is home.
Q: How did you first hear about Medair?
A: I heard about Medair in the late ’90s from a student at L’Abri who worked for Medair, who shared with us what Medair was doing relieving suffering in this world. That got my interest because that’s the biggest reason ever given for people doubting God’s existence: people ask, ‘What is God doing about human suffering if He exists?’ So here was an organisation that was seeking to do something about physical suffering. That got my attention.
Q: How has your past experience with Medair in finance and on the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) prepared you for your position as CEO?
A: My seven years in finance gave me a very good understanding of our mission. Being on the ELT for the last four years, I’ve been involved in the major decisions about the mission and its implementation. There are many things I have to learn, but I know Medair. I know the terrific people who work for us: in the field, at H.Q., and at our affiliate offices. I feel I have my finger on the pulse of the organisation.
Q: What did you learn from your experience serving as Medair’s Interim CEO?
A: The importance of alignment and unity. It’s amazing to see what has happened over these last few months as everyone supported each other in this time of transition. Seeing the work of our passionate and dedicated field staff as they work alongside our beneficiaries really brought this home to me. The whole experience has sort of taken my breath away. I also learned that I was enjoying myself, and that’s important in life. God intends for His people to have a sense of enjoyment and fulfillment that comes from being in the right place, being in the right role. And I want everyone in the organisation to be experiencing that same enjoyment and fulfillment.
Q: Medair receives most of its funding from governmental and institutional sources. Do the contributions of private donors really make a difference?
A: Every donation makes a difference. Medair is a very lean organisation. Our general administrative costs are only 5.5 percent of our overall budget, our fundraising 6.9 percent. This totals 12.4 percent and that compares very favourably to other NGOs.
Q: What does the CEO do in Medair?
A: The CEO leads the organisation: discerning the necessary strategic choices, motivating people, translating our values and core purpose into the objectives and activities of the organisation, and getting everyone working together. Listening is very important, along with asking questions, looking at things differently, and getting directors and managers to do the same.
Q: What kind of changes do you expect?
A: As Medair’s new CEO, I’m humbled by the opportunity to lead the organisation forward, as we face the challenges of a changing world. I’m excited for what lies ahead. While I don’t anticipate drastic changes to the mission, we are in a changing world. The road ahead will be about building on the foundation that has already been built, while also seeking to do things like diversify our funding stream, increase our ability to respond more quickly and more frequently to emergencies, improve how we attract and retain staff, and develop our capacity to respond to crises in urban settings. Together, we will all take a look at what is working well, what needs to change, and how can we do better at relieving suffering—and relieving more of it around the world.
Spread the word: 
