NICE appoints two new directors to key new positions

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has announced the appointment of two new directors to key positions in newly formed directorates.

Jennifer Howells has been appointed as director of finance, strategy and transformation and Dr Felix Greaves will serve as the director of science, evidence and analytics.

Both will start serving the agency from September 1.

Howells is currently working for Deloitte as an independent healthcare consultant. She has 16 years of experience in the NHS, most recently as a regional director for NHS England and Improvement after working as regional finance director for NHS England.

Howells also has experience as a chief executive and as finance director for several commissioning and provider trusts.

She will work as the chief finance officer for NICE, taking over from Catherine Wilkinson, acting director and succeeding Ben Bennet, who left the NICE earlier this year after 13 years in the post.

Greaves was appointed in March to the new role of director of science, evidence and analytics.

He is currently working as the deputy director of science and strategic information and the head of science and engineering at the Public Health England.

With 16 years’ experience in the health service, he has worked as a senior clinical lecturer and a registrar, as well as clinical advisor to the Chief Medical Officer and governor of an NHS foundation trust.

Prof Gillian Leng, NICE chief executive, said: “We’re looking forward to implementing changes and developing a new strategy at NICE, and the knowledge and skills that Jennifer and Felix will bring are important in maintaining our position as a global leader in health technology evaluation.”