Rowena Burns

Chair of Health Innovation Manchester

Rowena is the chair for Health Innovation Manchester with an approach to drive forward the organisation’s vital work in accelerating research and innovation across Greater Manchester’s health and social care system. Rowena’s role as chair involves extensive joint working with the City’s universities, major hospitals, and industry partners.

Rowena was a founding member of HInM in 2017 and has an impressive track record in senior leadership, including previous roles as group director of the Manchester Airports Group and eight years at the helm of Manchester Science Partnerships, both as CEO and latterly Chair.

Rowena is a significant advocate for the health innovation agenda, with a real passion to ensure local people benefit from some of the best and most advanced health, care and treatment the world has to offer.

Ben Bridgewater

Chief Executive, Health Innovation Manchester

Ben Bridgewater is Chief Executive of Health Innovation Manchester, an academic health science system that brings together health, academia and industry. The mission is to accelerate innovation into practice at pace and scale, so to transform the lives of Greater Manchester’s 2.8 million citizens.

He is a leading expert on health informatics, national clinical audit, clinical governance, healthcare transparency, patient experience measurement and digital transformation in healthcare, publishing numerous high profile academic outputs and delivering innovative IT tools for disseminating clinical outcomes to professionals and the public.

Prior to joining Health Innovation Manchester, Ben worked for global technology company DXC Technology as the Director of the Healthcare and Lifesciences Global Build Advisory Team. Until January 2016, he was a cardiac surgeon at the University Hospital of South Manchester for nearly 18 years.

Ben also provided clinical leadership for the UK national cardiac audit programme, as well as leading analyses that provides UK hospital and cardiac surgery mortality rates to the public. The programme is world-leading and associated with a 50% reduction in risk-adjusted mortality over 10 years.

Dr Helen Routh

Non-Executive Director

Dr. Helen Routh is a board director, advisor and senior executive with more than 25 years’ healthcare technology experience in business management, strategy and innovation. She currently works with public and private companies and clinical groups focused on the use of data to drive new solutions, business models and outcome improvements.

As well as being a non-executive director at Health Innovation Manchester, Dr Routh is currently non-executive Chair of Ultromics, and non-executive Director of Agfa Gevaert N.V. She is also an advisor to Nina Capital.

Previously, Helen held senior business and functional roles at Philips, leading teams in the Americas, Europe and Asia, working with multi-billion businesses and new ventures. Her responsibilities included Philips corporate research in North America, Senior VP and General Manager of the global clinical informatics businesses, and Senior VP Strategy and Innovation working across all the professional and consumer health businesses at Philips.

Dr Mark Chakravarty

Non-Executive Director

Dr Mark Chakravarty was appointed non-executive director at Health Innovation Manchester in January 2023.

Mark is a business leader and physician with more 20 years’ international leadership experience in both the private and public sector, including Novartis, Procter and Gamble and the NHS. He has worked in a variety of roles, including medical, scientific, external relations and communications.

Mark is currently the Vice Chair of the unitary board of directors at National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE). He was formerly the global head of communications and patient advocacy for Novartis Pharmaceuticals, and also led communications for the feminine and family care sector at Procter & Gamble.

Professor Steven Myint

Non-Executive Director

Professor Steven Myint was appointed non-executive director at Health Innovation Manchester in January 2023.

Steven has considerable entrepreneurial experience, and has been the founder of several companies across biotech, medtech, diagnostics, AI and corporate culture. He has been a board level executive in Biotech and Pharmaceutical multinational companies, including a Medical Director for Global Research and Development at GSK Global, and Senior Vice-President for R&D and Chief Medical Officer at BTG International. Amongst other current roles, he is chairman of Inex Private Ltd, and non-executive director of Aplagon Oy and Medisapiens Oy.

Steven was a former Dean of Medicine & Head of health schools at the University of Surrey Head of Microbiology at the University of Leicester. An NHS consultant for many years, Professor Myint has also been National Clinical Lead in AMR/Diagnostics for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHS E&I), and Senior Independent Director for Mid-Essex Hospitals NHS Trust. He is currently Co-chairman of the External Advisory Network for the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

In addition, Steven is the former executive director of the European Federation of Neurological Associations, the ambassador and founder of ethical values organisations, and a member of research funding panels in UK, Singapore and Finland.

Steve Oldfield CB

Non-Executive Director

Steve Oldfield CB was appointed non-executive director at Health Innovation Manchester in February 2023.

Steve has international leadership experience across the private and public sector, in healthcare and life sciences. He was appointed Chief Commercial Officer at the Department of Health and Social Care in 2017, where he worked at the centre of healthcare policy & operations throughout Brexit and COVID-19. Steve was awarded a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 2021 in recognition of his work on the COVID 19 response

Steve was formerly Chief Operating Officer for PGT Healthcare, a consumer-health joint venture between Procter & Gamble and Teva, and UK Managing Director for the Sanofi Group. He has strong record of delivery against ambitious targets and has successfully led major organisation transformation initiatives.

Steve was previously a non-executive director at Genomics England Ltd, and a member of the Advisory Board of Healthcare UK. He was the Chair of EU Medicines Group (EMG), UK Government Medicines Access Group (MAG) and Metrics Oversight Group (MOG), He was also an ABPI Board member, and a member of the UK NHS Industry Council & Accelerated Access Group.

Sir Richard Leese

Chair Designate, Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board

Sir Richard Leese was appointed as Chair Designate of Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board from 1^st November, 2021. Until December 1^st, 2021 he had been Leader of Manchester City Council since 1996.

Richard’s interests include devolution, place-based budgets and the links between economic development and social policy; public service reform as the route to tackling social determinants and inequality; developing open democracy and the community leadership role of local authorities; and the role of cities in creating a sustainable future.

His involvement in Health and Care goes back over two decades to when he chaired the Manchester/Salford/Trafford Health Action Zone. He chaired Manchester’s Health and Well-Being Board from its inception, and was the GMCA Health portfolio holder for Greater Manchester, chairing the GM Health and Care Board.

Joanne Roney

Chief Executive, Manchester City Council

Joanne has been the Chief Executive of Manchester City Council since April 2017, driving the Council through the fundamental changes to Health and Social Care.  She is lead Chief Executive for skills across Greater Manchester.

Before moving to Manchester, Joanne was previously Chief Executive of Wakefield Metropolitan Borough Council, where she held the top post from 2008.

Joanne’s career started in local government as an apprentice with Birmingham City Council when she was 16.   She has a strong track record in transforming public services and delivering major regeneration initiatives such as the Hepworth Gallery Wakefield and Parkhill Housing in Sheffield.  She has extensive experience  in housing and local government having previously worked as Director of Housing at Kirklees Council and Executive Director with responsibility for housing, communities and adult care services at Sheffield City Council.  Joanne  is a Fellow of CIH and a regular contributor to Inside Housing.

Joanne is a Trustee of the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund, established in the wake of the Manchester Arena attack, to provide financial support to victims and families affected.

Joanne was awarded the OBE for services to local government in 2009.

Graham Lord

Vice President, The University of Manchester and Dean of Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health

Graham Lord became Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health in February 2019.

He also holds the role of Executive Director of the Academic Health Science Centre as part of Health Innovation Manchester, and represents the University on the board of the Northern Health Science Alliance.

Professor Lord qualified in medicine from the University of Cambridge in 1991 and undertook a period of general clinical training as a junior doctor in Cambridge, Hammersmith, Oxford and at the Royal Brompton Hospital.

Following specialisation in nephrology, transplantation and general medicine at the Hammersmith Hospital, he undertook a period of research in molecular immunology at Imperial College London that led to a PhD in 2000, funded by an MRC Clinical Training Fellowship.

He was appointed as a Consultant in Nephrology and Transplantation at the Hammersmith in 2003. From 2003-2008, funded by an MRC Clinician Scientist award, he was a visiting scientist at Harvard University and then came back to the UK to become the Chair of Medicine at King’s College London.

He has built up a research group at King’s, investigating fundamental immune cell biology and the translation of this knowledge to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with organ transplant rejection and autoimmune diseases. As a consultant at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust he practices clinical nephrology with a particular interest in renal and pancreatic transplantation.

He led the successful application for the NIHR BRC at Guy’s and St Thomas’ and was appointed as Director of the Centre in 2012. In this role, he was responsible for the delivery of programmes of translational research and experimental medicine with a significant part of the Centre’s portfolio focussed on regenerative and personalised medicine, advanced therapeutics and informatics.

He was elected as an NIHR Senior Investigator in 2013 and a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2016. He has sat on the NIHR Strategy Board and the National Clinical Research Network Co-ordinating Centre Board. He has also advised the UK Government as a member of the Expert Advisory Group of the Accelerated Access Review, representing the BRCs across the UK.

Dr Owen Williams OBE

Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, Group Chief Executive

Owen started in post as Chief Executive of the NCA FT in November 2021. Prior to this appointment, he was Chief Executive of Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT), a position which he has held since 2012. In 2020 he was granted the degree of Doctor of Business Administration by the University of Huddersfield following the successful completion of his thesis which commenced 6 years previously in 2014. In the 2019 New Year’s Honours list he was awarded an OBE for service to health care across West Yorkshire and was asked to lead a National piece of work across the NHS in England with regards to reducing Health Inequalities. He was previously Vice Chair of the NHS Confederation and prior to joining the NHS he has worked across Local Government including two roles as Chief Executive at Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council and Rossendale District Borough Council. Before working in the Public Sector, he worked in commercial business including his first employment at the Yorkshire Building Society. He is passionate about reducing health inequality and ensuring that no communities – regardless of race, colour or creed – get left behind.

Prof Helen Marshall

Vice-Chancellor of The University of Salford

Professor Helen Marshall has led the University of Salford as Vice-Chancellor since April 2015, having joined in November 2013 as Deputy Vice-Chancellor.

Under Helen’s leadership the University has re-defined its role as an innovative, forward-looking, industry-focussed institution by creating a 21st Century version of the institution’s industrial heritage. Helen’s vision for a real-world approach to learning with a flexible, industry-informed and research-based curriculum has seen the university go from strength to strength. Salford is now positioned as the university of choice for students wanting a hands-on, work-based high-quality learning experience, as well as for industry wanting to engage in applied research and to recruit work-ready, dynamic graduates.

As the fifth fastest growing university in the UK, the largest provider of NHS staff in the North of England and with an over £1billion joint masterplan with Salford City Council and English Cities Fund, with innovation, collaboration and a clear civic mission at its heart, Salford continues to drive forward its strategy at pace under Helen’s leadership.

Helen is also actively engaged in the wider higher education sector through her role as a Board Member at the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW), continuing to undertake institutional reviews with the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) and working with organisations such as the British Council on international academic projects.

Prior to joining the University of Salford, Helen was Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Business Development) at the University of South Wales. During her tenure a new curriculum in creative industries was developed, a Centre for Financial and Professional Services established and a successful review and renewal of the law curriculum. She also led on widening participation and was Director for the Guardian award winning Universities Heads of the Valleys Institute (UHOVI) – a groundbreaking initiative backed by the Welsh Government to provide opportunities for local people and businesses to improve skills and qualifications by making learning accessible across the Valleys region.

Helen studied Law before continuing to postgraduate research in Corporate Merger Law at the University of Birmingham. Born in Cardiff, Helen has lived in the North West for a significant period of her career. Before moving to South Wales, Helen held senior positions at the University of Central Lancashire and at the University of Cumbria, as well as gaining extensive experience in quality assurance through a secondment to the QAA.

Sir Mike Deegan

Chief Executive, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Sir Mike Deegan holds a first degree in Law and a Masters degree in Industrial Relations from the University of Warwick. He was previously Chief Executive at Warrington Hospital and then North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust. Mike was involved in the preparation of the Government’s NHS Plan in 2000 and has held the post of Director of Human Resources for the NHS
He has worked widely across the public sector including roles in local government and education.

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust is the host trust for: GM National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) components (Biomedical Research Unit (BRU), Clinical Research Network (CRN), Clinical Research Facility (CRF)

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell

President and Vice Chancellor of The University of Manchester

President and Vice Chancellor of The University of Manchester

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwelljoined the Victoria University of Manchester in 1987, became Professor of Physiology in 1994 and held an MRC Research Chair from 1998 to 2010. Concurrent with her Faculty posts she has also held University roles as Vice-President for Research (2004–2007) and as Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (2007–2010).

She was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in June 2004 and made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 2005 in recognition of her services to science.

Professor Rothwell became President and Vice-Chancellor in July 2010 – the first woman to lead The University of Manchester or either of its two predecessor institutions. She was the founding President of the Royal Society of Biology and has also served as a non-executive director of AstraZeneca. She is currently Co-Chair of the Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology, a Deputy Lieutenant for Greater Manchester, Chair of Corridor Manchester Board, a member of the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership Board and a member of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership Board.

Professor Rothwell takes a strong and active interest in the public communication of science.

Eamonn Boylan

Chief Executive, Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Roger Spencer

Chief Executive, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

Roger was appointed Chief Executive at The Christie in March 2015, having previously worked as Interim Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer.

Roger has managed significant service developments including satellite radiotherapy & chemotherapy centres across Greater Manchester, transforming delivery of Christie services to an outpatient model. He directed the establishment of Christie partnerships for pharmacy, pathology, specialist diagnostic services and private patients & our academic investment plan. Roger leads for Greater Manchester in the National Cancer Vanguard developing & testing new models of care. In 2016 Roger led the Trust to a CQC Outstanding rating and is in the top 15 chief executives ranked by the HSJ in 2017. Roger leads the Christie in delivering the first national Proton Therapy service in the UK, operational in 2018.

Roger holds an MBA, an honours degree in Nursing Studies, is a Registered Nurse and is an independent director of Southway Housing Trust.

Roger previously worked at Salford Royal, East Lancashire Hospitals & Greater Manchester SHA.

Mark Fisher

Chief Executive, NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care

Chief Executive, NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care

Mark grew up in the West Country. He joined the Civil Service as a fast stream trainee in 1983. From June 2017 until June 2022 he was a Director General in the Cabinet Office and Secretary to the Grenfell Tower Public Inquiry. Since 1st July 2022, he has been Chief Executive of NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care.

Mark has worked in the Benefits Agency, as HR Director of the (then) Department for Social Security, and as deputy Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus. He has been Chief Executive of the Sector Skills Development Agency, promoting employer investment in skills, and Labour Market Director in the DWP during the 2009 recession. Immediately prior to his appointment to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry he was Director of the Office for Civil Society at the Cabinet Office (and later DCMS) with responsibility for social action, social investment, support for charities, business partnerships and youth policy.

Mark has been a Director of Working Links (Employment) Ltd, an advisor for the Prince’s Trust Team (formerly volunteers) programme, and a Public Member of Network Rail. He is Chair of the Estates and Finance Committee at Huddersfield University, and a Trustee of the Clore Social Leadership Foundation. He is also Chair of the Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC). In January 2010, Mr Fisher received a CBE.

Mark lives in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire.