MFT Chair Kathy Cowell appointed Regional Chair for NHS England North West

We are delighted to confirm that our Chair, Kathy Cowell CBE, has been appointed as the new Regional Chair for NHS England North West, following a national recruitment process. She will take up her role on 1 May 2026.

Kathy’s appointment recognises her extensive experience across the NHS and wider public sector, including nine years of leadership at MFT. During her tenure, she helped steer the organisation through the merger that created MFT and strengthened our reputation for research, innovation and high‑quality patient care.

n her new role, Kathy will provide visible, independent leadership across the region, supporting the delivery of the NHS 10‑Year Plan and working with provider and system Chairs to drive improvement, strengthen governance and help reduce health inequalities across the North West.

Kathy said: “It is a genuine honour to be appointed to this role at such a defining moment for the NHS. The North West has an extraordinary range of talent, commitment and ambition across its organisations and systems, and I cannot wait to get started. I look forward to building strong relationships with Chairs, leaders and partners across the region, working together to strengthen governance, drive improvement, and make a real difference to the lives of the people and communities we are here to serve.”

MFT Vice-Chair Trevor Rees will become Acting Chair while the Trust begins the process of appointing a permanent successor. Trevor has more than 20 years’ NHS experience and has been a valued Non‑Executive Director on the MFT Board.

Chief Executive Mark Cubbon will also return to MFT full‑time in the summer following completion of his interim national role.