Cardiff and Vale University Health Board has named Chris Bown as its Interim Chief Executive Officer. He brings more than three decades of senior leadership experience in healthcare, including 25 years as an NHS Chief Executive. He will take up the role on Monday 3 August 2026.
Chris will oversee the next stage of the Health Board’s improvement and transformation work, with a focus on widening access to care, supporting staff, using resources effectively and ensuring services remain sustainable for communities across Cardiff and the Vale.
Across his career, Chris has led organisations through major operational and financial challenges, working closely with staff, patients and partners to improve services and drive change. His background spans acute, community and mental health care, and he has also advised health systems across the UK and internationally, including NHS England, the Government of Jersey and the Government of The Bahamas.
His appointment follows the announcement that current Chief Executive Suzanne Rankin will leave the Health Board to become Chief Executive of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Suzanne joined Cardiff and Vale UHB as it emerged from the COVID‑19 pandemic and has spent four years helping shape the organisation’s long‑term direction through the Shaping Our Future Wellbeing Strategy. Her tenure has seen strengthened partnership working and improvements in quality, innovation and patient care.
She has overseen sustained progress in urgent and emergency care, including expanded pathways that support more people to receive treatment closer to home. Maternity services have also seen improvements under her leadership, with a continued focus on tackling inequalities.
Suzanne has led the Precision Medicine Portfolio across Wales, including Genomics Partnership Wales, Advanced Therapies Wales and the National Pathology Programme. This work has supported Wales’ research and innovation capacity and helped lay the foundations for Cardiff Health Partners.
Throughout her time at the Health Board, Suzanne has championed collaboration, bringing together colleagues, partners and communities to strengthen relationships and support shared learning and improvement.
Chris Bown, Interim Chief Executive Officer, said “Throughout my career, the dedication and compassion of NHS staff has been something I have valued deeply. I know Cardiff and Vale UHB is home to many talented colleagues, and I am delighted to be joining the organisation. I look forward to listening to staff, understanding their experiences and working together on the opportunities and challenges ahead. Cardiff and Vale UHB has many strengths to build on, and I am committed to supporting its ongoing improvement and transformation. I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Suzanne for her contributions and wish her well in her new role.”
Kirsty Williams, Chair of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, said “Chris brings extensive leadership experience from across the NHS and wider healthcare system. His background in guiding organisations through change, combined with his collaborative approach, will be invaluable as we continue improving services and supporting our communities. I look forward to welcoming him and working together over the coming months. I would also like to thank Suzanne for her leadership and dedication over the last four years. Her values, shaped by her early nursing career, have ensured colleagues, patients and families remain central to decision‑making.”
Chris will work closely with colleagues, partners and Welsh Government to ensure a smooth transition and maintain momentum in the Health Board’s improvement work. Recruitment for a permanent Chief Executive will begin shortly, led by the Chair and Independent Members of the Board, with involvement from the Chief Executive of NHS Wales.
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