John Newton was appointed on 12 October 2012.

Career highlights:

• led England’s contribution to the Global Burden of Disease project
• Chairman of the WHO European Burden of Disease Network
• Honorary Professor of Public Health and Epidemiology at the University of Manchester and University of Exeter
• academic epidemiologist in the University of Oxford
• Director of Research and Development in two large NHS teaching hospitals (Southampton and Oxford)
• first Director and Chief Executive Officer of UK Biobank
• Regional Director of Public Health for NHS South Central