The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has appointed Dr Samantha Roberts (pictured) as chief executive.
She is currently managing director for health and care at Legal & General and has more than 20 years’ experience of healthcare having worked in service delivery, consultancy and as a clinician.
Roberts joined NHS England in 2018 as director of innovation, research and life sciences, will take up her new role on 1 February following the retirement of Professor Gillian Leng.
Commenting on her appointment, Roberts said: “We are living through a golden age of medical innovation. So it is an enormous privilege to be asked to lead an organisation that has both such a proud history and a such a significant future role to play in bringing the best of this innovation into practice.
“I may be a newcomer to NICE but I have been a user of NICE products for the last 20 years so it is wonderful for me to be taking a role at the heart of something that I have valued so much over the years.”
Sharmila Nebhrajani, chairman of NICE, added: “I am delighted to welcome Samantha Roberts to NICE. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of the life sciences sector and the NHS that I know will help to drive our future vision.”
Minister for innovation, Lord Kamall said: “I would like to welcome Dr Samantha Roberts as the new chief executive of NICE. Dr Roberts brings a wealth of experience across both the NHS and the private sector.
“I would also like to thank Professor Gill Leng for her excellent and dedicated leadership of NICE over the last two decades.
“We hope that under Dr Roberts’ leadership, NICE will continue to play its vital part in driving improved patient outcomes across the health and care system, and ensuring that the UK is seen as a global centre of excellence for life sciences.”