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UCL’s Global Business School for Health today announced the appointment of Professor Ian Abbs, outgoing Chief Executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, as the Chair of its External Advisory Board.
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Professor Abbs will bring a wealth of knowledge from his career leading one of the UK’s largest NHS Foundation Trusts, where he has worked for the last 38 years.
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Abbs will lead the External Advisory board as the school launches the UK’s first ever undergraduate degree focused on leadership and management in healthcare.
(London, 8 September, 2025) The world’s first business school dedicated to health, UCL’s Global Business School for Health, has announced the appointment of Professor Ian Abbs, outgoing Chief Executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, as Chair of its External Advisory Board.
Professor Abbs has led one of the UK’s largest NHS Foundation Trusts for over six years, and spent more than 37 years working in senior positions across Guy’s and St Thomas’. A highly respected clinician, academic, and healthcare leader, he held a range of senior leadership positions, including Medical Director and Chief Medical Officer, before being appointed CEO in 2019 – 2025. During his time at the Trust, he led the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and employed more than 23,600 staff across five hospital campuses with an annual turnover of £3.2 billion..
In addition to his role at Guy’s and St Thomas’, Professor Abbs is Chair of the South East GMS Partnership Board, a member of NHS England’s Genomics Board, and sits on the NHS London Digital Transformation Board. He is also a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at King’s College London and a Fellow of both the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal Society of Arts.
Professor Abbs succeeds in taking on the Advisory Board Chair role at a pivotal moment in GBSH’s journey. As the world’s first business school dedicated to health and healthcare management, GBSH has quickly established itself as a centre of excellence in health leadership, education and research. The Advisory Board plays a vital role in shaping the School’s strategy and ensuring its work remains aligned with the evolving needs of global health systems.
Professor Ibrahim Abubakar, Vice Provost Health at UCL, commented:
“I am delighted that Professor Ian Abbs has agreed to Chair the Advisory Board of the UCL Global Business School for Health. His exceptional leadership of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and his deep commitment to innovation, research and education make him uniquely positioned to guide the School through its next phase of growth. Ian’s vision and experience will be invaluable as we strengthen our role in shaping global healthcare leadership and policy.”
Professor Nora Colton, Director of the UCL Global Business School for Health, added:
“We are honoured to welcome Professor Ian Abbs as Chair of our Advisory Board. Ian brings unparalleled experience having led one of the world’s most respected healthcare organisations, coupled with a profound understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing modern healthcare systems. His guidance will be central to ensuring that the School continues to build a world-class education, research and innovation ecosystem that equips leaders to transform health and healthcare globally.”
Speaking on his appointment, Professor Ian Abbs said:
“I am delighted to have the privilege to join the UCL Global Business School for Health. This is an important moment in the evolution of global healthcare as systems worldwide face common issues. In particular, the capacity for health systems to meet growth in demand is increasingly challenged. Overcoming the challenges of the future will be achieved by the creativity, intellect and purpose of the business school, part of UCL, a world-renowned academic organisation..”
This appointment comes as UCL GBSH launches its first ever undergraduate degree focused on leadership and management in healthcare this September. This offers the unique opportunity for students to take on a four-year integrated masters — with nearly 1 in 5 opting for this pathway. The BSc in Business and Health has generated interest from young people across the UK, and internationally, who want to pursue careers helping to run the NHS and health systems around the world.
The first year will see more than 256 students enrolled in the highly competitive course. Students will learn about everything from managing hospitals, healthcare and finances, and how different healthcare systems around the world operate.
The undergraduate Business and Health BSc programme represents a major milestone for the school, and Abbs will now be involved in how GBSH trains the next generation of healthcare leaders in the UK and around the world.
