Sir Mark Lowcock KCB appointed as Chair of St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group
St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group (gesh) is pleased to announce the appointment of Sir Mark Lowcock KCB as Chair from 1 April 2025.
Sir Mark is a committed public servant and joins gesh after a distinguished career in the UK Civil Service, where he served as Permanent Secretary of the Department for International Development between 2011 and 2017, and at the United Nations as the Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator between 2017 and 2021.
Sir Mark brings a wealth of experience in government as well as international experience to the NHS, which includes supporting dramatic improvements in life expectancy in Africa and South Asia and coordinating UN humanitarian assistance in countries across the world affected by natural disaster and conflict.
Throughout his career, Sir Mark has held senior strategic leadership roles in large and complex organisations.
In addition to his previous roles in government and the UN, he is the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the University of London and a member of the World Health Organization Global Preparedness Monitoring Board. A finance professional by background, he is the Vice President of the Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and will take on the position of President of CIPFA from July 2025.
As Chair of gesh, Sir Mark will lead the Group Board in the delivery of the gesh CARE strategy (PDF) to ensure the Group delivers outstanding care for patients, fosters an inclusive culture and ensure services are sustainable and fit for the future. He will also play a key role in working with partners across the health and care system, to transform care and improve outcomes for local communities.
Sir Mark said: “It is a privilege to be appointed Chair of gesh and to lead an organisation which cares so compassionately for the people of South West London and Surrey.
“The NHS is facing very significant challenges, but I am committed to ensuring that we continue providing the highest possible standard of care for our patients, while also looking after our colleagues, making our Group financially sustainable, embracing innovation, and working collaboratively with our partners.”
Caroline Clarke, Regional Director of the NHS in London said:
“Throughout his career, Sir Mark has been committed to boosting the health of the communities he serves, and he brings a tremendous amount of experience and expertise to this role.
“We are all pleased to be welcoming Sir Mark to South West London and Surrey, where he will no doubt continue to help improve the health of our patients and communities.”
gesh is a group of hospitals and community services in South West London and Surrey, with 17,000 staff caring for a population of four-million.
Group Chief Executive Officer, Jacqueline Totterdell, said: “I’m really thrilled to have Sir Mark as our new Chair.
“He joins us at a time of opportunity – we are strengthening our ties with partners such as City St George’s, University of London to drive forward research and innovation, improve our services and develop our staff. We will also be building one of the biggest specialist renal units in the country, to improve services for some of our sickest patients.
“I look forward to working with Sir Mark to continue delivering the care we are proud of.”
After eight years as Chair of St George’s and nearly six as Chair of Epsom and St Helier, Gillian Norton’s term of office will come to an end in March.
Jacqueline said: “Gillian and I formed a partnership of honesty and mutual respect, and shared a commitment to always do the right thing for our patients and staff.
“Together, we have worked with our teams to drive improvements in care – including taking St George’s out of double special measures.
“Gillian’s warmth, compassion and leadership has helped us to become a more inclusive and collaborative organisation where every voice is valued. This is why she is so highly regarded by everyone at gesh and we’ll miss her dearly.
“She has been a huge personal support to me and, on behalf of everyone at gesh, I would like to say thank you to Gillian for the enormous difference she has made.”
