We are pleased to announce the appointment of Alyson Coates as a new Non-executive Director (NED) of the Trust, effective 1 April 2011. Prior to this appointment, Alyson has been Vice Chair and Chair of the Audit Committee at South Central Strategic Health Authority, in its current form and previously as Thames Valley Strategic Health Authority, since 2004.

Martin Howell, Chairman, said:

“Alyson joins us at an exciting and challenging time for the Trust, as we move closer to an integration with Community Health Oxfordshire, and celebrate the end of our third year as a Foundation Trust. I am confident her knowledge of the local healthcare economy will be a great asset to us as we continue to grow and strengthen as an organisation.”

Alyson originally trained as a research biochemist before working in international marketing in the biotech industry. She worked in a government science policy unit before moving into management consultancy with McKinsey where she specialised in the management of innovation. The majority of Alyson’s career was spent as an investment analyst for the international bank Societe Generale, concentrating on the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. She is an Independent Governor of Oxford Brookes University and a member of the Auditing Practices Board of the UK’s senior independent financial regulator, the Financial Reporting Council. Alyson lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband and son.

The NED vacancy came about as a result of the resignation of Elaine Whittaker in December 2010 when she left the area to take up a new job in Leeds.