Governance

join our team

Our work is positively life-changing. We’re compassionate, rigorous and detailed in our approach and determined to accelerate progress.

Our Trustees contribute their time and experience to the Board on a voluntary basis and are responsible for the governance of the charity, whilst helping lead Leukaemia UK’s work to stop leukaemia devastating lives.

Our Board’s expertise and their range of professional and personal experiences, help us to progress our ambitious priorities. Many of our Board members have lived experience of blood cancers, helping the charity’s leadership to focus on what matters most to those whose lives have been impacted by a diagnosis.

Leukaemia UK’s Board of Trustees

Ian McCafferty CBE

Chair of Trustees

Ian McCafferty was a member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England from 2012 to 2018. Prior to his appointment, he had been Chief Economic Adviser to the CBI since 2001, following a career as an economist in senior roles in BP and the City. He joined the CBI from BP, where he was Head of Macroeconomics. Previously, he spent ten years in the city, as Chief International Economist for both NatWest Markets and Baring Securities. Earlier in his career, he had worked for the CBI as Head of Economic Trends, following spells at The Economist newspaper and the International Chamber of Commerce, in Paris.

He is currently a member of the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB), which provides independent advice to the Prime Minister and senior ministers on the pay of many of the nation’s top public servants. He is also a senior adviser to London Wall Partners, a firm of independent financial advisors, a senior adviser to Oxford Economics, and a Visiting Professor at King’s College, London. Ian has a personal connection to blood cancer, losing his wife to lymphoma a few years ago.

Amanda Stewart

Leukaemia UK Vice Chair

Amanda is a solicitor by training and has spent most of her career working for blue-chip multinational companies and as a FTSE company secretary.

She is a passionate supporter of Leukaemia UK, having seen friends and family affected by blood cancer.

Chris Corbin OBE

Leukaemia UK Trustee

Chris is co-founder and host of Leukaemia UK’s flagship fundraising event, ‘Who’s Cooking Dinner?’ A Director of Corbin & King, he was awarded an OBE in 2014 for services to the hospitality industry and his work with Leuka.

Chris is also a leukaemia survivor – he was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) in 1990 and underwent a bone marrow transplant in 1994. A Trustee since 2009, Chris became Chair in 2013, after the death of Professor Goldman.

Caroline Evans

Leukaemia UK Trustee

Caroline worked for Derek and Isobel Mitchell, in whose memory our charity was founded. Her dad, David, was a founder trustee and she joined the board of what was then the Elimination of Leukaemia Fund (ELF) to continue the family connection.

Caroline is a communications professional with a background in STEM publishing and more than 20 years’ experience of strategic leadership in the third sector as a CEO and Trustee for charities including the Royal Academy of Engineering and The Pearson Teaching Awards. She chairs the Leukaemia UK Nominations and Remuneration committee.

Professor Alejandro Madrigal OBE – MD, PhD, FRCPath, DSc (UCL), FRCP, HonDSci, Drhc, FMedSci.is, Professor of Haematology

Leukaemia UK Trustee

Professor Alejandro Madrigal OBE (MD, PhD, FRCPath, DSc (UCL), FRCP, HonDSci, Drhc, FMedSci.is, Professor of Haematology) is Former President of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Founder, first Scientific Director of the Anthony Nolan Research Institute, Former Pro-Vice Provost for America for University College London (UCL) and Country Ambassador for Mexico.

Professor Madrigal’s ground-breaking contributions to the field of blood and marrow transplantation, one of only a few curative therapies for patients with blood cancer, has resulted in saving the lives of countless patients worldwide. As Director and Founder of the Anthony Nolan Research Institute, he has led pioneering research to improve our understanding of the genetic factors which lead to successful transplant by inventing and patenting innovative methodologies. Importantly, his creative research has been the basis for a recent sharp and notable improvement in transplant outcomes and in some diseases has doubled survival rates. He was given a UK Gold Award by the Advisory Committee on Clinical Excellence Awards in 2018. He is passionate about helping young people to achieve their potential by teaching mobilisation and education nationally and internationally and improving the chance of saving the lives of BAME patients, by leading and contributing to the establishment of various cord blood initiatives across the UK.

Jo Reynolds – PhD, FRSC, FRSA

Leukaemia UK Trustee

Jo is a senior leader specialising in scientific research, engagement, and communications. Currently Director of Science & Communities at The Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) and before that Director of Research Communications & Engagement at Cancer Research UK (CRUK), Jo is a long-term thinker, with proven ability to create vision, develop strategy and successfully implement change. With over 17 years’ experience in senior leadership roles in major scientific charities, including thirteen as a director of multiple teams, she most recently co-developed the RSC’s Strategy and Roadmap 2021-25 and worked with the chemical sciences community to deliver systemic change in areas such as inclusion and diversity and sustainability.

With the CEO of CRUK, she developed the organisation’s first five-year strategy, in consultation with the research community and Council; and ensured its subsequent implementation and evaluation, covering more than 90% of charitable expenditure – a total investment of £1.5bn. Whilst also at CRUK, she transformed the charity’s brand and engagement with the external research community through a compelling new research brand, international events portfolio, inspiring new publications, brand film, multi-channel marketing and communications and digital innovation. She is also an experienced coach with ILM Level 7 Certificate in Executive Coaching and Mentoring.

Karen Cracknell

Leukaemia UK Trustee

Karen is a highly accomplished senior executive with extensive experience operating in large complex regulated companies, latterly as Head of Learning & Talent Development at Aviva Plc, previously leading Brand, Marketing, and Communications functions. Karen has a personal connection to leukaemia having lost her father to CML last year and her mother was successfully treated for MDS over 20 years ago.

An insightful leader with excellent communication, influencing and change management skills, she has an exceptional track record of leading businesses through critical transformational change programmes. A skilled influencer, with the ability to engage at all levels, her collaborative leadership style inspires people to deliver outstanding results whilst developing a culture based on strong personal values of honesty, trust, and integrity.

Miriam Jordan Keane

Leukaemia UK Trustee

Miriam is a is a strategic and inspirational leader, with a proven track record of delivering transformation and driving growth, as a marketer and communications expert with over 30 years’ experience in the UK and international markets. She was the New York-based Chief Brand Officer of Weight Watchers and has held senior positions at Saatchi & Saatchi and British Gas.

Having spent the last 4 years as first Chief Marketing and Sales Officer and then Chief Brand Officer at NCS Trust, she is now Public Affairs Advisor to the Chief Executive and the Board, as well as managing the Board of Patrons. Miriam sits on the Board of Trustees for Target Ovarian Cancer and Voice 21, the national oracy education charity, and has a Master’s in English from Trinity College, Dublin.

Alastair Adam

Leukaemia UK Trustee

Alastair is an accountant, running his own practice and specialising in the outsourcing of the finance function and the supply of part-time Finance Directors to SME.

Alastair was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in June 2004 and became a Trustee of our charity at the end of 2005 after attending a golf day at Shooters Hill. Since 2007, Alastair has organised an annual ELF/Leukaemia UK Golf Day. Alastair was Chair of Leukaemia UK until its merge with Leuka in November 2019.

Luke Cripps

Leukaemia UK Trustee

Luke was part of the pro bono work that led the Elimination of Leukaemia Fund (ELF) to be rebranded as Leukaemia UK and joined the board shortly afterwards.

Luke is a healthcare marketing and communications professional with a focus on strategy and planning in multichannel marketing and brand awareness.

James Fairclough

Leukaemia UK Trustee

James is CEO of AA Cars, having spent most of his career in marketing and commercial roles at leading consumer companies, including P&G, Virgin Media and Sky. James is also an advisor and Non-Executive Director to digital start-up companies.

His passion for Leukaemia UK stems from seeing a close family member’s life saved as a direct result of cancer research.

Ellen Broomé

Leukaemia UK Trustee

Ellen is a senior leader with extensive experience of strategic leadership, influential research programmes, high level advocacy, income generation and service delivery. Currently Managing Director of Coram BAAF, the UK’s largest membership organisation for agencies and professionals involved with children and young people in their journey through the care system and Coram Family and Childcare, England’s leading childcare charity. Ellen has a personal connection to leukaemia, having lost her grandmother to chronic leukaemia.

She is an effective influencer, powerful communicator, and collaborative leader with a background of successfully managing staff and volunteers, large scale projects and achieving significant legislative and policy reforms. Ellen has a strong track record of developing services and designing and implementing organisational change, including leading restructures, governance reviews and mergers.

James Barlow

Leukaemia UK Trustee

James is a CIMA qualified Accountant with 26 years international experience living and working in Belgium and the USA in various roles including commercial sales, strategic planning, credit management, finance positions including CFO of global businesses. Held a number of board positions including voluntary role as Treasurer, Chair Finance Sub-Committee and Governor at the British School of Brussels. James is also a Financial Times Certified Non-Executive Director. Following retirement in February 2023, took up a part-time position as Bursar and the Dulwich School Cranbrook. Hobbies include gardening, DIY, hiking and in particular cycling, lots of cycling!

Emma McKinley

Leukaemia UK Trustee

Emma is a senior commercial and strategic finance leader with significant experience working in large FTSE listed businesses across a number of sectors. She is currently a Finance Director at Haleon plc, a company committed to delivering better everyday health for all. Emma has a personal connection with leukaemia, having been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) at the age of 18. She joined Leukaemia UK with the aim of giving something back to the community that had rallied around her during her own battle with the disease.

Scientific and Medical Panel

Our Scientific and Medical Panel members provide expert advice to the Board of Trustees and our senior management, in relation to the granting of Leukaemia UK charitable funds for the purposes of medical and scientific research.

Prof. Nick Cross, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton (Chair)

Prof. Mark Cragg, University of Southampton

Dr Amir Enshaei, Newcastle University

Prof. Francesco Forconi, University of Southampton

Prof. Olaf Heidenreich, Newcastle University

Prof. Vignir Helgason, University of Glasgow

Dr Karen Keeshan, University of Glasgow

Prof. Ulf Klein, University of Leeds

Prof. Cristina Lo Celso, Imperial College London

Dr Sharon McKenna, University College Cork, Ireland

Prof. Alison Michie, University of Glasgow

Prof. Ken Mills, Queen’s University Belfast

Prof. Katrin Ottersbach, University of Edinburgh

Dr Kim Orchard, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

Prof. Chris Pepper, University of Sussex, Brighton and Sussex Medical School

Dr Lisa Russell, Newcastle University

Dr Satyajit Sahu, University Hospital Lewisham, London

Dr Claire Seedhouse, University of Nottingham

Prof. John A Snowden, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Prof. Alex Tonks, Cardiff University

Prof. Owen Williams, University College London, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health