Former Chief Medical Officer and leader in public sector finance appointed as new Non-Executive Directors at gesh
Two new Non-Executive Directors (NEDS) have been appointed to our Board of Directors at St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group (gesh)
Dr Leonie Penna was the Chief Medical Officer at Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust for 5 years and has over 20 years’ clinical experience working at King’s as a consultant in high-risk obstetrics and fetal medicine. Prior to that Leonie worked as a consultant in Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust and St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Leonie is an Non-Executive Director at St George’s University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and an Associate Non-Executive Director at Epsom and St Helier University Hospital NHS Trust.
Bidesh Sarkar has joined the Board as Non-Executive Director in October 2025. He brings more than two decades of board experience as an executive director in government, private, public and non-profit organisations. He has a wealth of experience leading finance and a wide range of corporate functions, in national and international settings. Most recently he was the Chief Financial Officer at the Department for Business & Trade.
Bidesh is Chair of the Finance and Performance Committee at both Epsom and St Helier University Hospital NHS Trust and St George’s University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Meanwhile, existing Non-Executive Director, Pankaj Davé who is a member of the and St George’s University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Board has also joined the Board at Epsom and St Helier University Hospital NHS Trust.
Sir Mark Lowcock KCB, Group Chair, said of the appointments: “Leonie and Bidesh are the perfect fit to the Board to strengthen our focus and oversight of patient care and support for staff, while making sure our communities get the very best value for money out of their NHS.”
“I also want to take this opportunity to thank Ann Beasley CBE and Peter Kane who have stepped down after almost a decade of serving their communities on the Boards of our trusts.”
Dr Leonie Penna and Bidesh Sarkar joined the Board this October.
