UCLPartners welcomes three independent Non-Executive Directors

UCLPartners has appointed Catherine Pollard, Frida Polli and Judy Dewinter MBE to its Board as its first independent Non-Executive Directors. Between them, they bring experience across healthcare, technology, AI, entrepreneurship, governance and patient advocacy, including senior roles at Google DeepMind, MIT, the NHS and major health charities.

They join a Board that already brings together leaders from across the UCLPartners partnership. As the organisation looks to the next stage of its development, the three new directors will build on that expertise, bringing independent perspectives and experience to help guide its decisions.

Too many good ideas in healthcare struggle to move beyond the places where they were first developed. UCLPartners aims to change that by making it easier for innovations that work to be adopted more widely and become part of everyday health and care, so that more people benefit, whether patients, members of the public or those working in health and care.

Dorothy Chou, Chair of UCLPartners, said:

“Since becoming Chair, one of the things I’ve valued most is hearing directly from the people trying to make new ideas work for patients. Their ambition is enormous, but it takes people working across different organisations to turn it into lasting change. That’s one of the reasons the Board felt it was the right time to bring in independent voices. Catherine, Frida and Judy won’t just bring impressive experience. They’ll ask different questions and help us see opportunities we might otherwise miss.”

Chris Laing, Chief Executive of UCLPartners, said:

“Getting an innovation into routine use takes more than a good idea. It means understanding patients’ needs, working with clinicians and finding the right partners to make it happen. Catherine, Frida and Judy bring experience of tackling these challenges from very different angles, across technology, entrepreneurship, patient advocacy and governance. Their insights will help us make better decisions about where to focus our work and how to achieve more with our partners.”

The new independent directors

Catherine Pollard is Director of Impact at Google DeepMind and has more than 20 years’ experience across healthcare, life sciences, technology and innovation. She has held senior roles across the NHS and government, and previously led UK R&D strategy and operations at Moderna. Her experience spans AI and data, NHS transformation, policy, research and delivery.

Catherine said: “Having worked across the NHS, government and industry, I’ve seen both the opportunities and challenges involved in turning research and innovation into improvements in care. What excites me about UCLPartners is its ability to bring different organisations and expertise together to make that happen, and I’m delighted to be joining the Board.”

Frida Polli is a neuroscientist, entrepreneur, investor and AI leader. She leads the PRiSM Initiative at MIT and previously founded and led pymetrics, an AI technology company that scaled globally before being acquired in 2022. She also brings experience in investment, AI regulation and responsible innovation.

Frida said: “Building and scaling innovative businesses is challenging, but so is making sure new technologies deliver real benefits for people. UCLPartners has an exciting opportunity to connect innovation, investment and healthcare expertise to make that happen. I’m particularly interested in how we can support the responsible development and adoption of technologies that improve health and care.”

Judy Dewinter MBE is an experienced Chair and Board director whose career spans financial services, the NHS, medical research and the charitable sector. She is Chair of the Royal Free Charity and President of Myeloma UK. Drawing on her own lived experience, she is also a prominent patient advocate committed to improving patient outcomes. She brings extensive experience in governance, strategic leadership and organisational transformation, with a particular focus on building partnerships across healthcare and research.

Judy said: “UCLPartners has a vital role to play in bringing together healthcare, research and innovation to improve outcomes for patients and communities. Through my work, I’ve seen how bringing people together around a shared ambition and a clear sense of purpose can make a real difference to patient care. I’m delighted to be joining the Board and helping to shape the next stage of UCLPartners’ development.”