19 May - King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (King’s) is pleased to announce the appointment of Tim Smart as the new Chief Executive Officer, effective from 1 October 2008. Currently CEO of BT Global services UK, Tim is the first to move from the private sector directly to a CEO role in an NHS Foundation Trust. Michael Parker, Chair of King’s, said of the appointment: "After an extensive search, I am delighted that the panel chose to appointTim Smart.He comes with an impressive commercial track record. We have a very experienced, high-performing team here, from Directors and clinicians all the way through the Hospital, and Tim offers complementary skills at a time of unprecedented change and challenge for us, and for the NHS. The panel were particularly impressed by Tim'strack recordin business with public sector customersand by his understanding of and passion for healthcare and for the NHS. “
Tim Smart has asuccessful 30-year business leadership track record,in a number of roles both in the UK and overseas. For the past 5 years, he has been responsible for all BT's businesswiththe UK government and large enterprises in the UK, including the NHS.
Tim Smart said: “King’s is an organisation with an international reputation for innovation and creativity. I have been impressed by what I have seen of the performance culture within the organisation, and I am proud to be appointed to this exciting and important role. I am looking forward to combining my own experience and skills with those of the wider King’s team, and I aim to bring some new perspectives and value to the organisation for the future. In particular, I hope my commercial skills will be of real value as we further develop the Academic Health Sciences Centre. “
King's is currently working closely with King’s College London. Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust, and South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trustto create the UK’s largest Academic Health Sciences Centre,which will attractworld-class researchwith the goal of delivering breakthroughs to patients at the earliest possible opportunity. Ron Kerr, Chief Executive of Guys and St Thomas’s said: “The AHSC partners welcome Tim Smart’s appointment. His global business and organisationalexperience will be of great advantage as the AHSC takes shape.”
NHS Chief Executive David Nicholson said of the appointment:
"Tim Smart's skills and experience will be invaluable as CEO of one of the UK's biggest hospitals. I am impressed by his firm commitment to the NHS and look forward to working with him to deliver both world class medical research and best patient care at King's."
Speaking of Tim Smart’s decision to move to the public sector, Francois Barrault, CEO of BT Global Services said: "Tim's appointment is a real gain for the NHS. He is a first class leader, who has given more than 20 years exceptional service to BT. Tim's customer focus, vision and leadership skills have made a real difference to us, and I know he will do the same for King's."
Notes to editors
1. For further information:
For King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust:
Sally Lingard, Associate Director of Communications and Marketing
Tel: 020 3299 4867, Fax: 020 3299 3207
Out of hours – via switchboard on 020 3299 9000
e-mail: sally.lingard@kch.nhs.uk
www.kch.nhs.uk
For BT Global Services UK:
BT Group Newsroom
Tel: 020 7356 5369 (24 hour service)
www.bt.com/aboutbt
2. King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching hospitals, with over 6,000 staff providing around 700,000 patient contacts a year. King’s has a unique profile, with a full range of local hospital services for people in the London boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark as well as specialist services to patients from further afield. The Trust is recognized internationally for its work in liver disease and transplantation, neurosciences, cardiac and haemato-oncology. King’s also plays a key role in the training and education of medical, nursing and dental students with its academic partner, King’s College London. For more information, visit www.kch.nhs.uk
3. King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts are working together to create the UK's largest Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC). The AHSC will bring together the widest range of clinical and research expertise in the UK – strengths that will be used to drive improvements in care for patients, allowing them to benefit from breakthroughs in medical science and receive leading edge treatment at the earliest possible opportunity. For more information, visit www.londonsahsc.org
