Executive Directors

Paul joined the Royal Devon as interim Chief Executive in September 2023 having served over 28 years as a CEO in various NHS organisations in England and Wales.

Paul joined the NHS as a national management trainee in 1987 having graduated from Oxford University. He has worked in the East Midlands, Wales and the South West of England leading acute, community and mental health organisations. Most recently Paul was CEO of Gloucestershire Health and Care NHSFT which was created after a trust merger which he led. He has also previously led acute and community and mental health services in Plymouth over a 14 year period.

As well as leading NHS organisations Paul has served as vice-chair of the University Hospital Association (UK) and also of the Welsh NHS Confederation.

Paul has lived, with his wife, Isabel, in Devon for over 25 years.

Chris joined the former Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust as Chief Financial Officer in September 2017, having worked in a number of senior NHS roles in the West Midlands across Acute, Mental Health and Commissioning sectors and as Director of Delivery and Improvement for NHS Improvement. Chris was appointed Deputy Chief Executive for the Royal Devon in January 2021. After graduating in 1991, Chris took his first CFO position in 2005 at South Birmingham Primary Care Trust before joining Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust as Director of Resources and leading them to FT status in 2008. Chris joined Worcestershire Acute in 2011 as Director of Resources / Deputy CEO. Chris has taken on strategic change projects, including major PFI hospital moves, EPR and IT change programmes and developing strategic clinical partnerships with neighbouring providers. Chris has been part of the NHS Top Leaders programme and was also HFMA Chair for the West Midlands in 2015.

Hannah joined us in August 2019, coming to the NHS from Flybe, the Exeter-based airline, where she was Director of People. Prior to her Flybe role, Hannah also held top strategic posts for the Church of England and global educational provider Pearson, helping both organisations develop key culture and organisational growth programmes. As well as strategic and business acumen, Hannah brings a strong voluntary and charitable ethos to the Royal Devon.

Adrian has been the Chief Medical Officer since April 2015. Prior to his appointment, Adrian served as Associate Medical Director for the Surgical Services Division and previously held the role of Director of the Emergency Department, spanning 12 years. Adrian has seen healthcare from both a primary and secondary care perspective, having trained as a GP before joining us as a Consultant Emergency Physician in 1996. He is an Honorary Associate Professor in Healthcare Leadership and Management at the University of Exeter Medical School. In his spare time, Adrian is a practising sports physician and is the Head of Sports Medicine for the Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club and intermittently works for the English Rugby Football Union (RFU).

Angela joined the NHS in 2003 following a number of years in the private sector.  Angela has held a variety of accounting roles across provider, commissioner and regulator organisations gaining a wealth of experience across the sector and qualifying as a Chartered Management Accountant along the way. Angela moved to the former Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust as Director of Finance in 2018 and was appointed as Chief Finance Officer for the Royal Devon in January 2021.

Carolyn joined us as joint Chief Nursing Officer in January 2021. Carolyn is an experienced nurse whose career in the NHS spans over 30 years, including working in the acute, community and academic sectors. Previous to joining the Royal Devon, Carolyn worked for Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Trust, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Assistant Chief Nurse positions and was Director of Nursing at the former Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust between 2005-2014. From 2014 to 2021, Carolyn was Chief Nurse at University Hospitals Bristol & Weston NHS Foundation Trust, where she had experience of merging together University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and Weston Area HealthTrust.

John’s extensive public sector career spans nearly 25 years and includes executive roles in healthcare, local government, the senior civil service and management consultancy. Before being appointed Deputy Group Chief Executive and Site Chief Executive (Denmark Hill) at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, John was the Chief Operating Officer of Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, overseeing the delivery of primary, community, hospital and mental health services to 450,000 people across the South Wales Valleys. Prior to this, John worked in a series of national roles in the Cabinet Office, Welsh Government and NHS Wales, having started his career in the Royal Brompton Hospital and then local government in Hertfordshire and Monmouthshire. Most recently, John has been the Silver Commander for North West Anglia Foundation Trust through the COVID-19 second wave. John joined the Royal Devon as interim Chief Operating Officer in April 2021, before being appointed as Chief Operating Officer in July 2021.