From L to R: Bob Forsyth, Ed Owen, Adrian Walker.
London’s Air Ambulance, the charity that delivers a 24/7 advanced trauma team to critically injured people in London, has strengthened its board with the appointment of three new trustees. The new Trustees, Adrian Walker, Bob Forsyth and Ed Owen together bring a wealth of experience across the charity, banking and finance, communications, accounting, audit and governance, and medical research sectors.
Chairman of London’s Air Ambulance, Mark Vickers said, “The past five years have seen transformational growth in all aspects of the charity, not least in the enhancement of frontline operations and our service delivery capability, including the acquisition and operation of a second helicopter. Our strategy for the next five years will focus on further improving our patient care and developing long term pre-hospital clinical expertise through the institute. The appointments of Adrian, Bob and Ed further strengthen our board to lead us through this next stage of our development. They come at an exciting time with our new CEO Jonathan Jenkins taking up his role in the middle of next month. It is fantastic to have been able to attract such high calibre talent into the charity and we are delighted to welcome them onto the board.”
Adrian Walker, Managing Director, Head of Global Transaction Banking, Lloyds Banking Group joined Lloyds Banking Group as Managing Director of Leveraged Finance in 2007 and became Head of Global Transaction Banking in November 2015. Adrian comes to London’s Air Ambulance with over 30 years’ experience spanning retail, corporate and investment banking activities and is a highly experienced leader and strategist, proficient in leading transformational change and business development.
Adrian said, “I am thrilled to be joining the board of London’s Air Ambulance. The charity has my absolute commitment and I will do my very best to help it prosper and grow for the benefit of Londoners and the capital’s many visitors. I am honoured to be working with the London’s Air Ambulance team.”
Bob Forsyth, Senior Assurance Partner, Ernst & Young LLP, has been a partner for Ernst & Young since 1992, taking on various management roles from Head of Marketing to his current role as UK Head of Audit Quality. As a client service partner, Bob has helped many companies improve their financial and corporate governance, and developed the firm’s best practice model for audit committees.
Bob said, “I am thrilled to be involved with London’s Air Ambulance and its work in prehospital medicine. I have huge respect for the medical, operational and charity crew and I am looking forward to working alongside them as they continue to provide a life-saving service to the capital. I am excited to offer my support as the charity embarks on the next chapter of its incredible journey.”
Before joining Medicines Discovery Catapult as Head of Engagement & Communications in December 2016, Ed Owen was Chief Executive of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, one of the UK’s leading medical research charities. Under his leadership, the trust implemented a new research strategy and established plans for a national clinical trials platform in cystic fibrosis. Ed now leads work at the Catapult to ensure medical research charities play a greater role in future drug discovery and development in the UK. Between 1997 and 2005 Ed was a government adviser in the Home Office and Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
Ed said, “As someone who lives and works in London I know how vital London’s Air Ambulance is to the people of this city. The service is run by a very professional and hard-working team and I am excited to be joining them. I look forward to bringing my experience to bear and to help the charity make an even greater impact over the next few years.”
London’s Air Ambulance treats on average five critically injured people in London each day, performing medical interventions at the scene of the incident which are normally only found in a hospital emergency department. Barts Health NHS Trust provides the doctors and some financial support and the London Ambulance Service provides the paramedics and expertise to dispatch the service. The charity relies heavily on voluntary donations and has a world class reputation for delivering clinical innovation and excellence at the scene of the incident.
