The Centre for Disaster Protection, an organisation dedicated to helping countries better prepare for and finance responses to disasters, has announced the appointment of Ben Webster as Associate Director, effective 8 September 2025.
He brings leadership experience and expertise in guiding governments, organisations, and communities to improve disaster preparedness and financing.
At REAP, Webster worked with stakeholders across the climate, humanitarian, development, and meteorological sectors to drive meaningful change, including expanding early action initiatives and embedding risk-informed approaches into national policies and legal systems.
In his new role at the Centre, Webster will support the development of technical and policy guidance for countries, donors, and multilateral organisations, helping to extend the reach and effectiveness of pre-arranged finance (PAF) mechanisms that enable faster, more coordinated disaster response.
Webster said: “During my time working with the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement and heading up the Secretariat of the Risk-informed Early Action Partnership, I saw how powerful it can be when governments, donors, and communities act before crises escalate.
“However, I also saw the limits — too much finance still arrives late, slowly, and unequally, especially for those living in the most vulnerable countries. Joining the Centre is an exciting opportunity to help shift this reality. By making pre-arranged finance the norm, we can ensure that protection reaches people when and where it’s needed most.”
Daniel Clarke, Executive Director of the Centre, commented: “Ben brings a rare combination of leadership, technical expertise, and practical experience of working with people, countries, and organisations to rethink how disasters are planned and paid for.
“His ability to convene diverse groups of policy makers and experts to drive systemic change will be invaluable as disaster losses now exceed USD 200bn annually, yet pre-arranged finance remains far too small and concentrated. With Ben on board, we are better placed to close the crisis protection gap, expand coverage in low-income countries, and make pre-arranged finance the default, not the exception.”
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