2021 Annual Review: governance

In 2021, we commissioned a full, independent, expert review of College’s governing structures and documents, which guide the way in which the College is led and managed, along with other important factors such as the powers and rights of the College’s Members and Fellows. The review, which reported to the Board of Trustees, was overseen by a steering group of trustees and senior staff and conducted by Wellspring Consulting Ltd, supported by the College’s legal advisors, Taylor Vinters LLP. 

The purpose of the review was to complete many of the updates to governing structures and documents that had been started in 2016 but paused in 2018 following the creation of the College’s Board of Trustees. In conducting this work, we set ourselves additional goals to ensure our governance aligns with best practice, supports improvements to decision-making, and underpins accountability, openness and transparency as a charity and membership organisation.  

The governance review is a complex and detailed piece of work and is expected to take time to complete. Once complete, the review will have to be approved by the membership at a General Meeting and will have further scrutiny by the Privy Council before the College can fully adopt its recommendations. 

Outside of the governance review, the College welcomed two new trustees to the Board, taking the total number of trustees to 29. Our trustees continued to receive training and awareness-raising on important parts of their roles, including on trustee responsibilities under charity law. Finance drop-in sessions and media training were also offered to trustees throughout the year.  

Governance is a vitally important in helping to support the College running well and in compliance with the standards and guidance set by its regulator, the Charity Commission. Good governance should also support the College’s determination to act at all times in the best interests of its members and the specialty. We look forward to completing this work in future. 

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees met four times.

• Professor Ravi Mahajan – Chair
• Dr Ros Bacon
• Dr Chris Carey
• Dr Fiona Donald
• Dr Mark Forrest
• Professor Mike Grocott
• Dr Sri Gummaraju
• Professor Judith Hall
• Professor William Harrop-Griffiths
• Dr John Hughes
• Ms Jane Ingham*
• Dr Helgi Johannsson
• Mr Craig Jones*
• Dr Ashwini Keshkamat, joined March 2021
• Dr Claire Mallinson
• Dr Kirstin May, demitted February 2021
• Mr Colin Millar*
• Dr Sarah Muldoon
• Professor Ellen O'Sullivan
• Dr Russell Perkins
• Professor Jaideep Pandit, demitted February 2021
• Dr Alison Pittard
• Dr Felicity Plaat
• Dr Krishna Ramachandran
• Dr Sarah Ramsay
• Dr Ramai Santhirapala, joined March 2021
• Dr Claire Shannon
• Dr Jamie Strachan
• Dr Michael Swart
• Professor Jonathan Thompson
• Dr Lucy Williams

*Lay trustees

College Council

College Council met six times and members participated in over 70 committees across all areas of the College’s work.

• Professor Ravi Mahajan, President
• Dr Fiona Donald, Vice President
• Professor Mike Grocott, Vice President (to Sept 2020)
• Professor William Harrop-Griffiths, Vice President (from Sept 2020)
• Dr Ros Bacon
• Dr Chris Carey
• Dr Mark Forrest
• Dr Sri Gummaraju
• Professor Judith Hall
• Dr Helgi Johannsson
• Dr Ashwini Keshkamat, joined March 2021
• Dr Claire Mallinson
• Dr Kirstin May, demitted February 2021
• Dr Sarah Muldoon
• Professor Ellen O'Sullivan
• Dr Russell Perkins
• Professor Jaideep Pandit, demitted February 2021
• Dr Felicity Plaat
• Dr Krishna Ramachandran
• Dr Sarah Ramsay
• Dr Ramai Santhirapala, joined March 2021
• Dr Claire Shannon
• Dr Jamie Strachan
• Dr Michael Swart
• Professor Jonathan Thompson
• Dr Lucy Williams

Senior Management Team

• Mr Jonathan Brüün, Chief Executive Officer
• Ms Sharon Drake, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Director of Clinical Quality and Research
• Mr Russell Ampofo, Director of Education, Training and Examinations
• Mr Mark Blaney, Director of Finance and Resources
• Mrs Judith Tidnam, Director of People and Operations
• Ms Kathryn Stillman, Director of Communications and External Affairs (until May 2021)