CEO Today United Kingdom Awards

www.ceotodaymagazine.com 36 CEO Today United Kingdom Awards 2018 CHARITY SIMON GILLESPIE Chief Executive of British Heart Foundation ABOUT SIMON GILLESPIE Simon joined the British Heart Foundation (BHF) in 2013, following seven years as Chief Executive of the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society. He has a family connection to heart disease, and fundraises and volunteers for the BHF. His early career was in the Royal Navy, including command of HMS Sheffield and advising government ministers. From 2000 to 2004, he was Director of Operations at the Charity Commission. He then moved to become Head of Operations at the Healthcare Commission, where he was responsible for the inspection of NHS and independent healthcare facilities in England. Simon has extensive national and international experience of charity and non-profit governance as a non-executive director, advisor and trustee and is currently President of the European Heart Network. Under Simon’s leadership, the BHF has grown to become one of the largest charities in the UK. It funds more than half the research at UK universities into heart disease and circulatory diseases such as stroke and vascular dementia, together with risk factors like diabetes. As the world’s largest non-profit funder of heart and circulatory disease research, the BHF has a global profile, and its work saves and improves lives across the world. At any time, the BHF funds over 1,000 projects with an annual investment of over £100M: from PhD students to professors; from basic science to clinical studies; from molecular biology to data science and artificial intelligence; from multi-national collaborations to smaller local studies. Simon has driven a BHF strategy to save and improve lives through research and discovery, seeking to gain more widespread support to undertake more research. Since it was formed in 1961, research funded by the BHF has been at the world’s forefront in areas such as organ transplantation, genetics, prevention, treatments and aftercare. For example, key discoveries funded by the BHF have helped to halve the death rate from heart attack. Today, in the UK alone, hundreds of people will survive a heart attack who would previously have died. And to help those whose heart is damaged by a heart attack, the BHF is funding transformational international and national programmes of research in regenerative medicine. But the task remains huge: there are over 7 million people in the UK with heart and circulatory disease; nearly 1,000 people each day will have a heart attack or stroke; 12 babies are born each day with a congenital heart defect; and there are over 600,000 people in the UK with a potentially life-threatening inherited heart condition. Seeking to turn scientific discovery from research into outcomes that benefit patients, Simon has ensured that the BHF promotes innovation and transformation in healthcare by working closely with the NHS across the UK. From the application of emerging technologies to assisting re-design of services, the BHF focuses on the needs of patients through engagement and involvement in all areas of its work. Simon has put people at the heart of the BHF. The charity relies on the support of individuals, communities and companies to thrive and develop its life-saving work. The BHF has over 4,000 paid staff and about 20,000 volunteers, and is the largest charity retailer in the world, with over 740 shops and stores, and a rapidly developing online sales presence. The charity’s retail operation offers companies mutually beneficial opportunities to manage unwanted stock, reduce dumped waste and fund lifesaving research, allowing donations to be claimed against tax and enhance reputations. The BHF is a dynamic, innovative, inspiring and inclusive organisation, led by values - Brave; Informed; Compassionate; Driven - and striving to be Fearless in a quest to Beat Heartbreak Forever. “Under Simon’s leadership, the BHF has grown to become one of the largest charities in the UK. It funds more than half the research at UK universities into heart disease and circulatory diseases such as stroke and vascular dementia, together with risk factors like diabetes.” Contact W: gillespies@bhf.org.uk Weblink: www.bhf.org.uk Twitter: @simonmgillespie