Our Board

Our Board, made up of our executive directors and non-executive directors, oversees the running of our hospitals, including:

  • setting the strategic direction of our Trust
  • ensuring the provision of high quality care in our hospitals
  • overseeing financial stewardship.

Executive Directors

Fiona Wheeler, Chief Executive Officer (Interim)

Fiona Wheeler, Chief Executive Officer (Interim)

Fiona became our Chief Executive Officer (Interim) after three years as our Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer. She  began working in healthcare at King’s College Hospital 32 years ago, as a junior administrator.

In the years since then, she has undertaken a wide range of strategic and operational leadership roles across the NHS and has delivered demonstrable improvements in clinical and operational services.

You can read Fiona's stakeholder updates here.

 

 

Andrew Deaner, Chief Medical Officer

Andrew Deaner, Chief Medical Officer

Andrew has a very long history with the Trust, having been born at the old Ilford Maternity Hospital which became part of King George Hospital, and grew up locally.

He has been a consultant cardiologist at King George and Barts hospitals for 28 years and was recently Hospital and Medical Director at King George.

He brings a wide breadth of experience in both clinical management and senior medical education roles. Andrew is also an honorary clinical professor at Queen Mary University of London.

Nic Kane, Chief Nurse

Nic Kane, Chief Nurse

Nic has extensive clinical, leadership and operational experience and she joined us after spending three years as Chief Nurse at Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust.

She has worked in a variety of roles across the NHS, including at Barts Health and the Royal Marsden. 

Nic has spoken of her desire to build on our ongoing work to strengthen patient safety, enhance the quality of care we provide and champion the voices of patients and staff at every level.

Kevin Curnow, Chief Financial Officer

Kevin Curnow, Chief Financial Officer

Kevin joined us from the East London NHS Foundation Trust where he was their Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for three years. He was previously CFO at the Whittington Health NHS Trust which he joined in 2018. Kevin has had an extensive career in healthcare working at a senior level at a variety of organisations whose services have covered ambulance, community, mental health and acute provision. The depth and breadth of his experience will be invaluable as we strive to become a financially sustainable organisation. 

Kenye Karemo, Interim Chief People Officer and Director of Education

Kenye Karemo, Interim Chief People Officer and Director of Education

With more than 20 years of experience in pharmacy and clinical leadership, Kenye has built a career spanning clinical practice, workforce transformation, education and organisational development. She is recognised for developing innovative workforce solutions that improve staff experience, widen access to careers and education, and strengthen the future healthcare workforce.

Kenye is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and an active member of the UK Social Mobility Commission’s Employer Advisory Group. She is passionate about creating inclusive, high-performing healthcare organisations where staff can thrive and do their best for patients.

Linda Storey, Director of Corporate Governance

Linda Storey, Director of Corporate Governance

Linda joined the Trust in 2019 as Company Secretary having worked across a number of NHS organisations in corporate governance roles. Prior to her 22 years in the NHS, Linda’s early career was spent in the animal feed manufacturing industry for a national company, where she undertook roles across a range of functions including human resources, administrative management, and corporate governance.  

She is a Chartered Company Secretary and an Associate Member of the Corporate Governance Institute, and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and has a keen interest in corporate social responsibility and risk management.

Peter Hunt, Director of Communications and Engagement

Peter Hunt, Director of Communications and Engagement

Peter is the longest serving member of the Executive team and has played a crucial role in the organisation’s transformation. He joined us after a career as a BBC correspondent and presenter. As one of their most senior journalists, he covered international and national events, politics, and the royal family.

Non-Executive Directors

Sarah Betteley, Chair

Sarah Betteley, Chair

Sarah joined us in February 2025. She is also Chair of Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, a position she has occupied for the past four years. 

Sarah is a lawyer with significant non-executive experience in the NHS. She has held several senior executive commercial roles at BT and has acted as a consultant for small businesses, supporting them with strategy and growth development.

Mehboob Khan, Vice Chair

Mehboob Khan, Vice Chair

Mehboob joined our Board in April 2021 and became our Acting Chair in July 2024.

Mehboob was elected as a Labour Councillor at the age of 27 and has had extensive experience in the public and private sectors. As Leader of Kirklees Council, Mehboob was the first British Muslim to occupy such a role and he transformed it into England's greenest council and saved £120 million through a comprehensive transformation programme. This achievement won Kirklees the prestigious Local Government Chronicle Council of the Year award.

Mehboob has also held other key positions including Chair of Local Government Yorkshire and Humber, Chair of the West Yorkshire Fire Authority, Chair of the Local Government Association Safer Communities Board and Vice-Chair of the Local Government Association.

From 1996 to 2015, Mehboob served as a Councillor in Kirklees. He then became a Councillor in the Royal Borough of Greenwich for the next six years. Since 2021, Mehboob has been the Director of Policy, Programmes, and Change at the London Borough of Redbridge. Previously, he was a senior manager at London Councils (the cross-party organisation that represents the city’s 32 boroughs and the City of London) where he worked closely with Sadiq Khan’s administration on policy and government relations.

In his spare time, Mehboob enjoys running, walking, volunteering and cooking.

Lesley Seary CBE

Lesley Seary CBE

Lesley has more than 30 years’ experience in senior leadership roles in local government. This includes spending the last 8 years as Chief Executive of Islington Council. During this time, she has led a workforce of 4,500, managed a range of successful services, and developed considerable experience of partnership working with both statutory and non-statutory organisations.

Lesley has worked extensively with local health partners in north central London at both STP and borough level, including the hospital trusts, CCG, GP Federation and GPs. She has worked with health partners on health and social care integration as well as developing a strong approach to prevention and early intervention.

She has a strong commitment to public services, combatting health inequalities and delivering excellence in health and care. She is delighted to have the opportunity to use the skills and experience she has gained in the public sector in the area where she has lived for 26 years.

Professor Hilary Thomas, Chair of Quality Assurance Committee

Professor Hilary Thomas, Chair of Quality Assurance Committee

Professor Hilary Thomas is a joint non-executive director (serving also at Barts Health). 

As an academic and clinician, Hilary specialised initially in oncology and served as medical director at The Royal Surrey County Hospital.

Recent positions have included serving as chief medical advisor at KPMG LLP and she continues to work as a partner at PA Consulting.

Prof. Sir Mark Caulfield MD FRCP FAHA FESC FBHS HonFPharmacol FMedSci

Prof. Sir Mark Caulfield MD FRCP FAHA FESC FBHS HonFPharmacol FMedSci

Professor Sir Mark Caulfield is Professor of Clinical Pharmacology at Queen Mary University of London. He is also Vice Principal for Health, President Elect of the British Pharmacological Society and a non-executive director at Barts Health. He has joined our Board as part of our closer collaboration.

Sir Mark graduated in Medicine in 1984 from the London Hospital Medical College and trained in Clinical Pharmacology at St Bartholomew’s Hospital.

His research has focused on the genetics of hypertension and cardiovascular health, cancer and rare diseases. As Chief Scientist for Genomics England from 2013-2021, Sir Mark was instrumental in delivering the 100,000 Genomes Project and worked with NHS England to co-create the National Genomic Test Directory. He was awarded a knighthood in 2019 for his leadership of the 100,000 Genomes Project.

Marta Phillips OBE

Marta Phillips OBE

Marta has extensive experience of working at board level in the public and higher education sectors. Her board appointments include a member of Court for Heriot-Watt University and its Finance Committee, and member of Council for the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and its Audit Committee. She is a member of Court for Heriot-Watt University and its Finance Committee and a member of Council for the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and its Audit Committee.  Marta is also the independent chair of the London Fire Brigade’s audit committee, and board member and audit committee chair of the Public Sector Audit Appointments Limited. 

Marta was a senior civil servant and has many years of experience in the financial sector including as Chief Executive of the Pensions Advisory Service. She was made an Officer of the British Empire in 2006 for services to social housing.  

Sue Lees, Chair of Audit and Risk Assurance Committee and Chair of Finance, Investment and Performance Committee

Sue Lees, Chair of Audit and Risk Assurance Committee and Chair of Finance, Investment and Performance Committee

Sue was appointed in August 2019. She was previously a Non-Executive Advisor for our Trust, having been appointed to that role in October 2017.

She is a qualified chartered accountant with more than 30 years’ experience in both the private and public sectors including periods working within the NHS and local government. She has led large capital programmes, including the delivery of a number of new health care facilities within Barking, Dagenham, Havering and Brentwood.

Sue has recently retired from her role as Chief Executive of Elevate East London. She continues on a part-time basis to provide commercial and leadership support to Agilisys Ltd, a leading provider in the technology advisory sector.

Caroline Woolland

Caroline Woolland

Caroline, who is one of our associate non-executive directors, has a special focus on wellbeing and on ensuring the Board always considers the impact that decisions will have on the health and wellbeing of staff.

After an earlier career in BBC radio production, Caroline worked in a variety of roles where she ran secondment schemes, news management and events. 

Moving into human resources, she has held a number of HR Director roles in the public sector, media and architecture. 

After recent senior HR leadership roles at the CBI, News UK and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Caroline is now HR Director at The King's

Ruth Crowley, Finance, Investment and Performance Committee

Ruth Crowley, Finance, Investment and Performance Committee

Ruth, who is one of our associate non-executive directors, works as a GP Partner in Upminster after beginning her training in Havering and working at Queen’s and King George Hospitals.

She is also a clinical director of Havering Federation which strives to work as a collective to improve care for all of their patients.

Ruth is passionate about creating partnerships between primary and secondary care so that every single patient experience is efficient, effective and positive.

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