Tom Austin is the global director of operations for the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF), where he has been working since September 1996. AKF has offices and is operational in over twenty countries, employing approximately 5,000 staff members with an annual budget of approximately 250 million USD. As global director of operations, Tom has responsibility for HR, security, and organizational strengthening across AKF. In his time with AKF, he has held a variety of roles both in the field and at headquarters. His field-based roles included country director positions in Afghanistan and Tajikistan. He also held the position of global director for rural development for eight years before assuming his current role in 2015. In addition to his experience with AKF, Tom has worked for a variety of humanitarian and development agencies in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caucasus and the Balkans. He holds a master's degree in law and development.