Who’s who

Martin Beaman, Exeter

Martin joined us as a Non-Executive Director in November 2023 and took on the role of Vice-Chair in November 2024. He became the Trust’s Chair 1 May 2026.

Martin graduated in Medicine from King’s College Hospital in London in 1979. He undertook his postgraduate training in London, the Midlands and Manchester before moving to Exeter as a Consultant Physician and Nephrologist. He was Clinical Director of Medicine (1995 to 2000) during which time he graduated with an MBA in Health Executive Management.

Throughout his time in Exeter he provided care to patients with kidney disease living in Torbay and South Devon visiting both Torbay and Newton Abbot Hospital on a weekly basis for over 20 years.

In 2000 he became an Associate Postgraduate Dean for Medical Education in the South West before being appointed in 2005 as the Inaugural Postgraduate Dean to the South West Peninsula Deanery. He subsequently became Dean for Postgraduate Medical Education in Bristol (Severn Deanery) in 2013. He retired in 2019 having been appointed as a Non-Executive Director to Devon Partnership NHS Trust (DPT) a few months earlier. He chaired the Quality Assurance Committee at DPT for just over four years. His NHS interests include quality of care, workforce development and clinical education.

Martin is the Trust’s Non-Executive lead for maternity services and the Board Maternity Safety Champion.

Liz Edwards-Smith, Plymouth

Liz joined us as a Non-Executive Director in October 2024.

An experienced senior leader and people and change specialist who has worked for more than 20 years across the public and private sectors. She has supported organisations and teams to deliver large scale transformation programmes including digital and culture change.

Following 14 years at Sema Group Plc, Schlumberger, Atos KPMG Consulting and Atos Consulting, Liz founded a micro-consultancy focusing on organisational and team development. Alongside this, Liz has held research fellow positions at Plymouth University focusing on how local coastal and rural community assets in South Devon and Torbay can support health and wellbeing.

An experienced Non-Executive Director and Trustee, she successfully guided transformation of Age UK Plymouth including collaboration with local government and health to establish a Short Term Care Centre.

Liz is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, a member of the British Psychological Society and Trustee at Citizens Advice Plymouth.

Her interests lie in the value of partnership working for wider societal benefit and the use of strengths-based models to co-create agency and wellbeing.

Liz is Chair of the Board’s Quality and People Committee and a member of the Audit and Risk, Non-Executive Nominations and Remuneration, and Charity Committees.

Ashish Ghadiali, Totnes

Ashish joined us as an Associate Non-Executive Director in October 2024 and became a substantive Non-Executive Director in September 2025.

Ashish is a skilled builder of networks and partnerships who, over 20 years, has established a track record in developing innovative structures for change with social and environmental justice at their core.

He is the founder/director of Radical Ecology, Lead Governor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at Exeter College, Founder and Co-Chair of the Black Atlantic Innovation Network at University College, London and Steering Committee Chair for the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s programme, Early Career Research Fellowships in Cultural and Heritage Organisations.

He is active as a volunteer youth worker at the Mount Wise Neighbourhood Centre in Devonport and as lead organiser of Diversity in Gardens, a regional network supporting access to nature for refugees and asylum seekers across South Devon.

The strategic impact of his work addressing inequity and the global environmental crisis is internationally recognised. From 2020-2, he led on political strategy for the COP26 civil society coalition in the UK. Since 2022, as a Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Exeter, he has co-led the research and public engagement programme, Addressing the New Denialism and co-authored the 2023 study, Quantifying the human cost of global warming. He has curated public programmes and exhibitions for cultural institutions including Serpentine, the Southbank Centre and KARST. He has been a member of Devon County Council’s Climate Task Force since 2023.

A seasoned communicator, Ashish contributes regularly to The Guardian and The Observer newspapers. He has directed films for the BBC and the BFI and creates immersive film installations for public venues across South Devon including The Box in Plymouth, the Markethall in Devonport and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum in Exeter.

Ashish is a Chair of the Trust’s Charity Committee and member of the Board’s Quality and People Committee.

Mark Greaves, Plymouth

Mark joined us as a Non-Executive Director in January 2025.

Mark built a career as a Corporate Finance partner at PKF Francis Clark, where he was also responsible for developing their role in the international network PKF and leading an internal change programme based upon the digitalisation of the practice. His international duties included arranging trade visits to China and building closer links with Australian, European and American firms.

Mark has more than 20 years of dedicated transaction experience and is highly regarded for his commercial approach and negotiation skills.

Mark now chairs the PKF UK & Ireland network of independent accounting firms as well as chairing the board at Delt Shared Services, a back office shared services business owned by Plymouth City Council, North Somerset Council and Devon ICB. He also hosted a podcast series called Business Noodles and is a governor at Arts University Plymouth.

Mark is Chair of the Board’s Audit and Risk Committee and a member of the Finance and Operations Committee.

Paul Richards, Teignbridge

Paul Richards joined Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust as a Non-Executive Director in November 2017 and serves as the Trust’s Senior Independent Director.

Paul is a senior international healthcare leader with more than 30 years’ experience in driving commercial growth, digital innovation, and large-scale transformation across global health markets. He has held senior executive roles within leading digital and health technology organisations, where he has led complex product portfolios, international service operations, and major technology programmes that have strengthened organisational competitiveness and accelerated the adoption of digital and clinical systems worldwide.

He is recognised for bringing strong commercial discipline to innovation and for building high-impact partnerships across suppliers, governments, and healthcare systems. Paul has a particular interest in how advances in digital technology, health tech, and pharmaceuticals, combined with modern partnership models, can unlock value, support integrated care, reduce system friction, and improve patient outcomes.

Paul is committed to improving health outcomes for the population of Devon, with a focus on enabling more joined-up, person-centred care across organisational boundaries.

Alongside his Trust role, Paul serves as a Health Crown Representative, providing national commercial and strategic leadership across NHS England, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Cabinet Office. He also chairs the One Devon Electronic Patient Record (EPR) Implementation Board, supporting system-wide integration and the delivery of shared digital infrastructure across the Devon health and care system.

Paul chaired the Finance and Performance Committee until January 2026 and is now a member of the Board’s Finance and Operations and Non-Executive Nominations and Remuneration Committees. Paul is also chair of the One Devon EPR Board, a joint programme across the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust , University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, NHS Devon Integrated Care Board and Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust.

Chris Saxby, Saltash

Chris joined the Foundation Trust in October 2024, and is an experienced, executive and non-executive leader having undertaken senior roles within the defence, engineering, social support, and health sectors.

A varied public, private, and third sector executive career has seen him serve in the Royal Navy, enjoy secondments to the UK civil service, manage strategic national infrastructure in New Zealand, and lead support to vulnerable young people across the UK’s SW peninsula.

As a non-executive, he held several governance leadership roles for the IMarEST, he is a past Chair of Devonport Services RFC, a former non-executive director of Careers England, and in NZ, was Vice Chair of the Defence Industry Association. Committed to the community; he is a graduate of Common Purpose, and currently Vice Chair at City College Plymouth, where he also chairs the Audit & Risk Committee.

He has garnered a reputation for focussed delivery through compassionate leadership, transformational change with meaningful collaboration, and the consistent building of shareholder value. His principal skill sets revolve around strategic thinking, organisational planning, governance and assurance alignment, and promoting the voice of the people he serves.

Chris is a passionate learner, recently completing the Institute of Directors’ pathway to become a Chartered Director and Fellow of the IoD. Chris has also been a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the IMarEST, a Fellow of the RSA, and a Member of the APM. He is a graduate of the NHS Aspiring Chairs Talent Programme.

Chris is a member of the Finance and Operations, and Quality and People Committees and is the Trust’s Freedom to Speak Up Board Champion.

Robert Williams, Exeter

Robert joined us as an associate Non-Executive Director in November 2023 and became a substantive non-executive Director in June 2024.

Robert has spent most of his career in management consulting and advisory services to private and public sector organisations across the globe, specialising in business transformation and organisation change. His consulting experience fuelling his interest in healthcare and life sciences includes exposure to the UK NHS, US, Middle East and Australian healthcare systems. He continues to work with companies developing innovative, digitally-enabled capabilities that are transforming the way strategic change and transformation are delivered. A graduate in Occupational Psychology, Robert’s early career was in HR management in the technology sector.

Robert is Vice Chair of the Board of Trustee for Step One Charity supporting people across Devon facing challenges with their mental health, learning disabilities and neurodiversity. Robert is most proud of his work as former Chair of Governors for a large school for children with complex learning needs in Berkshire, during which time he led the funding, development and opening of a new, state-of-the-art school complex. He and his family support his son, a young adult with special needs.

Robert is Chair of the Board’s Finance and Operations Committee and a member of the Audit and Risk, and Charity Committees.

Joe Teape

Chief Executive

Joe joined us in March 2025 as our Chief Executive. Previously he was Chief Operating Officer at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust from December 2019 to February 2025.

Prior to 2019, he was Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Operations of a large health board in Wales which managed integrated services across three counties including four district general hospitals as well as mental health, learning disability and community services.

Joe has worked in the NHS since 2001 and has also worked in a number of director roles across finance and strategy within provider acute trusts across the south west of England.

Joe is passionate about providing leadership and support for all staff, whatever their profession, and contributing to excellent patient care.

He is committed to open and ongoing engagement with the general public and often uses social media to engage with colleagues and with those who have an interest in healthcare.

James Corrigan

Chief Finance Officer

James joined us in May 2024 as Interim Director of Operational Finance and stepped into the role of Interim Chief Finance Officer in August 2025. James was appointed as our Chief Finance Officer in December 2025.

A Chartered Management Accountant, James brings over 28 years of NHS experience, having held senior finance positions across acute, tertiary, ambulance and mental health trusts—including Cambridge University Hospitals, Great Ormond Street Hospital, and London Ambulance Service. He has led financial recovery programmes in large acute trusts, working closely with managers and clinicians to deliver improvements in quality, safety, productivity and efficiency.

Dr Catherine (“Kate”) Lissett

Chief Medical Officer

Kate was appointed as our Chief Medical Officer in January 2024 and is responsible for the provision of high-quality, safe and effective care and providing medical input into shaping strategy as well as the Responsible Officer for the organisation.

Kate joined us in 2006 as a Consultant in Diabetes and Endocrinology, having previously been Registrar in the Manchester region, working at a number of hospitals in Greater Manchester. During this time she also completed a qualification in Medical Education from Cardiff University. Prior to this, Kate completed a research Doctorate at the Christie Hospital in Manchester, and worked in Nottingham and Sheffield, having qualified in Medicine from Sheffield in 1993.

Kate’s leadership is motivated by a passion for equity and compassionate care and driven by this she has held a range of appointments in educational and leadership roles throughout her career.

Emily Long

Emily Long, Director of Corporate Governance and Trust Secretary (non-voting Board member)

Emily joined us as Director of Corporate Governance and Trust Secretary in November 2021.

Emily is a qualified Chartered Company Secretary and CILEX Lawyer (fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives), specialising in corporate law, corporate governance, sector regulation, organisational structure, stakeholder engagement and risk management. As an experienced dual qualified corporate services professional, Emily brings a wealth of experience having worked in this capacity since 2010 in a number of different sectors: including professional services, aerospace and defence, housing, marine and events.

Most recently working for Leonardo, a large international aerospace and defence and supporting the review of their corporate governance, implementing a revised Board and Committee framework, supported by a new delegations protocol and adoption of a new Code of Governance, the Wates Principles.

Nicola McMinn

Chief Nurse

Nicola was appointed as our interim Chief Nursing Officer in January 2024 and to the substantive position in September 2024.

Nicola joined us in June 2021 as our Head of Nursing Workforce and was appointed to the Deputy Chief Nurse role in January 2022.

Nicola is a Registered Nurse and Midwife and before joining us worked at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital as the Assistant Director of Nursing for Medicine and prior to that at the University Hospital Plymouth as the Head of Midwifery.

As the Chief Nursing Officer, Nicola is responsible for providing professional leadership to all nursing, midwifery, and allied health professionals across the organisation. She also leads on the social care agenda in partnership with the Director of Adult Social Care.

Nicola is the executive lead for ensuring CQC compliance and is responsible for the safety and quality of patient care ensuring patient experience is held at the forefront of care delivery.

Nicola is committed to ensuring we deliver our vision of safe, patient centred care. She has ensured that people’s experiences of care inform our work to improve services and provides compassionate clinical leadership in everything she does.

Jess Piper

Chief People Officer

Jess has spent her entire career working in health and care, beginning on the frontline in social care before moving into a range of roles across community and acute hospital services.

She joined us in 2005 and has since held a variety of senior operational and corporate roles. Over the past 15 years, Jess has worked at senior management and executive level across education, people services, quality and corporate services. Most recently, she served as Associate Director and then Deputy Director of People with responsibility for a broad portfolio of people services, including education, resourcing, culture, equality, diversity and inclusion, and workforce development.

After covering the Chief People Officer role on an interim basis from summer 2025, Jess was appointed to the substantive Chief People Officer position in February 2026.

Jess brings more than a decade of executive and senior leadership experience, with a particular specialism in people and human resources, multi professional education, workforce development, and system wide strategy. She has extensive experience of working across community and acute organisations at local, regional and national level, leading and influencing strategic change and transformation across NHS providers and integrated care systems.

Jess is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and holds postgraduate and master’s level qualifications in Business and Clinical Education. She is an experienced educator and has previously held Higher Education Academy accreditation, having designed, developed and approved academic curricula.

Simon Tapley

Chief Strategy and Planning Officer

Simon was appointed at Chief Strategy and Planning Officer in March 2025.

Born in Paignton, Simon joined the NHS in 1993 with one of our predecessor organisations, South Devon Healthcare Trust.

After spending 10 years working within Internal Audit he joined Teignbridge Primary Care Trust. He has a wealth of commissioning and operational experience and was a senior commissioner in Devon for 20 years, with 12 of those years as an Executive.

He was the Chief Executive Officer for Devon Clinical Commissioning Group throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Simon has commissioned all areas including adult social care. Simon joined us in January 2024 as the Associate Director for health and social care giving a valuable insight to operations.