Barbara Frost has been Chief Executive of WaterAid in the UK since September 2005. During this time the organisation has increased its coverage from 15 counties in Asia and Africa to 27 and substantially increased its income from £26.9m to £48m

Barbara believes that WaterAid’s success is due to retaining a clear focus on safe drinking water, improved hygiene and sanitation to the world’s poorest communities and our emphasis on everyone’s right to these most basic of services. 

Barbara led on the development of our Global strategy that promotes WaterAid’s four Aims and links the work of all WaterAid Members - the UK, America, Australia and Sweden - and also played a pivotal role in creating WaterAid international. 

Prior to joining WaterAid, Barbara was Chief Executive of Action on Disability and Development - an international development organisation working with disabled people’s organisations in Africa and Asia to assist them to claim their rights and improvements in their living standards.

Before coming back to work in the UK Barbara worked for the international NGOs ActionAid, Save the Children and Oxfam Australia. She was based in Southern Africa; Mozambique for four years and then three in Malawi. She was responsible for managing and leading country programmes addressing a broad spectrum of development needs.

In her early career Barbara worked in Australia with the Federal and State governments, as well as with the voluntary and community sector, before moving to Africa and then back to the UK.

Barbara lives in London during the week and on the weekend returns to her country cottage in Somerset. She lives with her partner Keith and when not working she walks, tends her garden and helps looks after her 91 year old mother.