NHS London Procurement Partnership (LLP) has appointed Keith Mahoney and Hari Sundaresan as non-executive directors to its steering board; and Lorraine Bewes, chief financial officer at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, has taken over from David Sloman, chief executive of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, as steering board chair.
Bewes joined the steering board in 2012 and has been at Chelsea and Westminster since 2003. Prior to that she was director of performance at UCLH, and deputy director of finance at Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust. She joined the NHS in 1991 following a successful commercial accountancy career which included working at ITN. She takes over the reins from David Sloman, who has been LPP chairman since 2011, and who will continue to be a member of the steering board.
Mahoney has 30 years’ experience with major retail organisations and in his role as head of logistics (food) for Marks and Spencer, he managed a budget of £200m. He is also an NED at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRT), having been appointed to the BHRT board in December 2008. In addition, he volunteers for many charities and is an unremunerated member of the NHS Supply Chain Customer Board.
Sundaresan has been chief procurement officer for BT Group since 2010, and his responsibilities cover the global third party spend across BT Group – some £9billion annual spend with thousands of suppliers. Prior to his appointment as CPO, he had a range of procurement, purchasing and operational positions with BT, having originally joined in 1987 as a research scientist. He registered two patents as part of that research.
Speaking of the appointments, Mario Varela, managing director of LPP, said “We’re delighted that Keith and Hari have agreed to bring their very extensive and varied experience to the LPP steering board. Their work with major global organisations managing multiple suppliers complements our work to get maximum value for the NHS and patients from its procurement activities. We will value Hari and Keith’s alternative perspectives on the issues facing the NHS and the potential solutions procurement can provide.
“I’m also delighted that Lorraine has taken over the mantle from David Sloman, and thank both David and Lorraine for their support in getting procurement to become – as it should be – a board level matter for all NHS organisations.”
