Church Mission Society (CMS) announced yesterday (July 16) the appointment of Canon Andy Roberts MBE, 40, as its new chief executive officer. Roberts, a pioneering mission leader and former CMS mission partner, will officially take up the role on Aug. 1, 2025, succeeding Alastair Bateman. He has served as CMS’s director of mission since 2021.

Jeremy Moodey, chair of trustees at CMS, expressed excitement about the appointment. “Andy brings a rare combination of on-the-ground mission experience, strategic insight and a deep heart for transformation through the gospel,” he said. “We are excited for this next chapter under his leadership.”

Roberts, who lives in Oxfordshire, England, with his wife, Rose, and their two daughters, Sofia and Júlia, said it was a privilege to step into the position at such a pivotal time. “My passion is to see mission shaped by deep listening, courageous innovation and local leadership,” he said. “While CMS has a 225-year legacy, we’re entering a fresh era of pioneering grounded in the same spirit that inspired our founders.”

“Passing on ReVive’s leadership to local hands was a natural and necessary step,” he added. “Now, at CMS, I see an opportunity to continue that commitment to empowering others, globally and locally, as we follow Jesus to the edges.”

Originally from York, Roberts has spent much of his life in Brazil, where he and his Brazilian wife, Rose, dedicated several years to serving vulnerable children and young people in the city of Olinda. Their work, initially with the South American Mission Society and later through CMS, led to the launch of multiple groundbreaking initiatives, including ReVive International, a charity providing shelter and holistic support for girls affected by abuse, exploitation and neglect.

Roberts’ call to mission began at 18 during his first short-term trip to Brazil, where he immersed himself in the lives of the urban poor. “I quickly discovered I had a lot to learn – from street children and from the local church. Their spiritual depth humbled and transformed me,” he reflected.

Andy and Rose went on to establish ReVive, which has since grown into a nationally recognized charity thriving under local leadership. Under their guidance, ReVive also advocated for changes to legislation governing foster care and adoption in Brazil, leading to Archbishop Miguel Uchoa making Andy a lay canon for his services to the Anglican Church in Brazil.

In 2021, Roberts was awarded an MBE for his impactful work with vulnerable children in Brazil, making him one of the youngest recipients of this honor. That same year, he returned to the U.K. with his family to take up his current role as CMS’s mission director. His recent work has taken him across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, developing collaborative mission efforts both overseas and within the U.K.

Alastair Bateman, outgoing CEO for CMS, also welcomed the news. “I’m absolutely delighted with this appointment,” he said. “Having worked directly with Andy over the last four years, I know he will continue to live out CMS’s values of being pioneering, relational, faithful and evangelistic because they are an expression of who he is. I couldn’t be more pleased to pass on the baton of stewarding CMS for future generations to him.”