Who’s who

Chris Balch, South Hams

Chris joined us as a Non-Executive Director in April 2019 and took on the role of Chair in June 2024.

Chris is Emeritus Professor of Planning at Plymouth University and is a chartered town planner and surveyor. He has held senior executive positions with an international property advisory company, latterly as managing director of DTZ UK and Ireland, and has extensive experience of providing consultancy advice to public and private sector clients specialising in the planning and delivery of major regeneration projects and programmes.

He was chair of Basildon Renaissance Partnership, a member of the Council of Essex University, a director of Torbay Development Agency, a non-executive chairman of Hilson Moran (a consultancy specialising in the energy performance of complex buildings) and a member of the supervisory board of Ecorys BV (a European policy and research consultancy). He is a Board member of LiveWest housing association and is a trustee and vice-chair of South West Lakes Trust.

His interest lies in tackling the under-performance of places and managing positive change within professional organisations and communities.

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.

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 (1995-2000) 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 Chair of the Board’s Quality Assurance Committee and a member of the Audit and Risk Committee.

Liz Edwards-Smith, Plymouth

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

Liz is 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 underpinned by evidence-based interventions. She is a qualified coach and Master Strengthscope Practitioner.

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 providing step-up / step-down care as part of the city’s health and social care system.

Liz is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute with a position on the South West Regional Board, Co-Chair of the British Psychological Society South West Branch Committee 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 of care to co-create agency and wellbeing.

Liz is Chair of the Charity Committee and a member of People Committee.

Ashish Ghadiali, Totnes

Ashish joined us as an Associate Non-Executive Director in October 2024.

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.

His interest lies in nurturing a culture of cohesive community engagement across our catchment that puts clarity, integrity and care at the centre of the services we deliver.

Mark Greaves, Plymouth

Mark joined us as an Associate 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. He has advised on many high-profile deals such as the Management Buy Outs of Sutton Seeds and Dartington Crystal. He has a particular interest in media agencies and consumer branded businesses and advised on the sale of Dr Organic to Holland & Barrett.

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 jointly owned by Plymouth City Council and Devon ICB. He also hosts a podcast series called Business Noodles and is a governor at Arts University Plymouth.

Mark is a member of the Board’s Quality Assurance Committee.

Paul Richards, Teignbridge

Paul joined us as a Non-Executive Director in November 2017.

Paul’s early career was in the NHS level leading on resource management, informatics, health tech and digital. Paul went on to lead international businesses and consult in the technology and digital solutions space with a variety of well-known, international consulting, product and services businesses such as IBM, McKesson, Tata Consulting Services, Allscripts and iSOFT. As a senior Director and Vice President, he has led large teams, with business and people across several continents and extensive experience of a range of national health and care systems world-wide. He has led on the development, implementation, and support of clinical and EPR systems, as well as commercial aspects of the business with P&L responsibility and has led on a wide range of merger, acquisition, and divestment work. Paul continues to have a wide range of business and health and care interests.

Paul is our Senior Independent Director and is Chair of the Board’s Finance and Performance Committee, and a member of the Building a Brighter Future and Audit and Risk Committees. Paul is also a member of the EPR Programme Board at both ICS and organisation level.

Chris Saxby, Saltash

Chris joined us as a Non-Executive Director in October 2024. He has a wealth of engineering, leadership, governance, and executive experience.

Chris is a chartered marine engineer and served in the Royal Navy from teenage apprentice to Captain with numerous appointments at sea and ashore across a 34-year career. Senior appointments focused on the delivery of projects in both research and development, and engineering support.

He has held governance roles as Chairman of the Devon and Cornwall Joint Branch, Vice President of Council, and Vice Chairman of the Technical Leadership Board all within the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) and he is a former Chairman of Devonport Services RFC.

He joined Babcock in a strategy role before heading to New Zealand as the senior executive responsible for the company’s marine and land operations there. Within NZ, he was the Vice Chairman of the NZ Defence Industry Association.

On returning to the UK, he took the lead at CSW Group, a not-for-profit organisation focused on supporting less-advantaged young people across the south west region, especially those with special educational needs or disabilities, or with mental health issues. Maintaining his focus on and commitment to young people, he is a Governor at City College Plymouth.

Chris is a graduate of Common Purpose, a Fellow of the IMarEST, a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce and a Member of the Institute of Directors, where he holds a Certificate in Company Direction. Now, a more passionate armchair sportsman; he attempts to maintain his fitness through the more sedate pastimes of cycling and walking his Old English Sheepdog, having outgrown his youthful obsessions for rugby and rowing.

Chris is a member of the Building a Brighter Future, Finance and Performance and People Committees.

Robin Sutton, Teignbridge

Robin joined us as a Non-Executive Director in May 2016.

Robin is a chartered accountant with more than 30 years’ of financial experience gained at a senior level for both private and public enterprises in both executive and non-executive director roles, including at several multi-national organisations including Sifam, JDS Uniphase, CompAir Holman, Rolls-Royce PLC and Deloittes.

Robin’s interest in healthcare stems from a variety of different factors, ranging from consulting for Lowell General Hospital in Massachusetts to working with Novartis in developing ultrafast fibre laser technology for eye surgery. He has also been heavily involved with care services and social care covering a spectrum of services from meals on wheels, day care, supported living and residential care. Robin has local business interests in the care home industry and is the chair of Devon Care Homes Collaborative.

Robin has also enjoyed completing an innovating in healthcare program with Harvard University with a team of like-minded people looking at smart phone applications in the field of dementia. Robin was chair of Torbay Pharmaceuticals and is a director of our subsidiary SDH Developments Limited.

Robin is Chair of the Board’s Audit and Risk Committee and a member of the Finance and Performance Committee.

Siân Walker-McAllister, South Hams

Siân joined us as a Non-Executive Director in September 2022.

Siân is an independent social care consultant, a registered social worker, and an associate of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services. A former local authority director of health and social care, Siân has more than 40 years’ experience of working in social care in London, Wales and across the south west. As a former housing association director Siân was responsible for the delivery of a wide range of commissioned social care services as well as supported housing in London and the south east, as well as in Devon.

Alongside her role as a Non-Executive Director with us, Siân chairs two Safeguarding Boards in the south west and is an Executive Member and former co-chair of the National Safeguarding Adult Board Chairs’ Network. Siân concluded two terms of office as a Commissioner for the Jersey Care Commission in 2023, with responsibility for regulating and inspecting health and social care. Siân has a wealth of experience of Non-Executive Director roles across a local authority, the NHS, housing associations, and the voluntary sector.

Siân is driven by a passion for excellence, ensuring all services to vulnerable people are person-centred, easy to access and importantly promote independence, while ensuring people are safe.

Siân is Chair of the Board’s People Committee and a member of Charity and Quality Assurance Committees.

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 Building a Brighter Future Committee and a member of the Audit and Risk Committee, and the Charity Committee.

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.

Adel Jones

Chief Operating Officer / Deputy Chief Executive

Adel joined us in July 2019. As our Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer / Deputy Chief Executive she is responsible for our organisational strategy and the delivery of key strategic ambitions, including being the Senior Responsible Officer for our New Hospital Programme (Building a Brighter Future), the delivery of our digital transformation strategy and leading the improvement and innovation team to deliver large scale transformation programmes.

How we work collaboratively, in partnership with local health and care organisations, our local care partnerships, our staff and local people to deliver our new models of care is integral to this transformation and Adel leads the communications, engagement and partnerships portfolio and is responsible for developing strategic partnerships to ensure that we meet the needs of local people.

Adel has significant experience of large-scale transformational change across health and social care, developing new models of acute and emergency care, integrating health and care services in the community and driving operational efficiency through new ways of working. With extensive experience in strategic planning, workforce re-design, quality improvement and operational management, Adel has worked across many sectors over the last 32 years, including primary care, strategic health authority, acute and community health and care services.

In leading the digital portfolio, Adel has a keen interest in digital innovation and is joint chair of the NHS Providers Digital Boards Programme.

Adel was appointed as Deputy Chief Executive in 2023.

Mark Brice

Chief Finance Officer

Mark joined us as our interim Chief Finance Officer in July 2023 and was appointed to the substantive position in September 2024.

Mark is an incredibly experienced finance professional and has worked for the NHS at both a deputy and chief finance officer level and has a wealth of knowledge and expertise at both a regional and national level which is helping us take control of our finances and our future and deliver our ambitious regain and renew plan while we recruit a permanent replacement.

He has worked for the NHS in Devon and with several acute trusts in and around London including Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, working with them on its NHS oversight framework (NOF 4) and again at University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust (NOF 4).

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.

Anne Cholmondeley

Interim Chief People Officer

Anne joined us as our interim Chief People Officer in January 2025.

Anne is an experienced human resources and organisational development director with expertise in change management, improving performance and collaboration across organisations on shared programmes. Anne has worked in the NHS for more than twenty years, most recently at Dudley Integrated Health and Care NHS Trust.

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.