King’s Chief Executive Clive Kay announces retirement from role

06 November 2025 - Professor Kay to retire in summer 2026

Professor Clive Kay, Chief Executive of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, has today confirmed his plan to retire in summer 2026, after a near 40-year career in the NHS, the last six of which have been at King’s.

Professor Kay has been Chief Executive of King’s since April 2019, and led the organisation throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent superb recovery efforts by Trust staff. A respected consultant radiologist for more than 17 years, he moved into full-time NHS management in 2015.

During his tenure at King’s, Professor Kay led the development of the Trust’s five-year BOLD strategy, and helped re-establish King’s as a respected partner locally, and nationally. In October 2023, he also jointly led the largest go-live anywhere in the world of Epic, our electronic health record system, together with colleagues from King’s and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

Professor Kay has also championed a number of projects at King’s to help support local people, including the successful roll-out of the Project SEARCH initiative at the Trust, which provides workplace internships for young people with learning disabilities and/or autism.

In recent years, he has also helped stabilise the Trust’s financial position, whilst supporting and empowering clinicians within the organisation to further King’s reputation both nationally and internationally as a leader in research and clinical outcomes.

During his time at King’s, Professor Kay held the role of lead Chief Executive for the South East London Acute Provider Collaborative until last year, and is currently Chair of the Shelford Group, a collaboration between ten of the largest teaching and research NHS Trusts in England.

Professor Kay will remain in post as Chief Executive at King’s until a successor is appointed, a process which will be led by Sir David Behan, Trust Chair.

Sir David Behan said: “On behalf of the entire Board, I would like to thank Clive for his outstanding leadership, and extraordinary commitment to King’s, our people, and the communities we serve. He is a true champion of King’s, and the NHS.

“Clive has led King’s through an incredibly difficult and challenging period, but his vision and leadership, and compassion for people, has enabled the organisation to come out stronger, more ambitious, and better equipped to tackle the opportunities and challenges we will face going forward.”

Professor Kay said:

“It has been one of the greatest honours of my career to lead this superb organisation, and to work alongside the most committed, dedicated colleagues, who do their very best for patients every day.

“King’s is important to local people, but also has a truly international reputation, with people from all over the world choosing to build and develop their careers with us. This has motivated and inspired me every day in my role as Chief Executive.

“I also feel incredibly lucky to have worked in the NHS for so long. The NHS positively impacts so many people every single day, so to be just a small part of this extraordinary institution is something I will always cherish.

“I am incredibly grateful to Sir David for his excellent leadership, and to the Trust Board and colleagues for their unwavering support. I will continue to lead the organisation until my successor is appointed and takes up their role.”

A recruitment campaign for a new Chief Executive will begin in due course.