The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has hired an interim chief executive and registrar just weeks after it announced it was seeking a new CEO for an “initial” four-year term.
The regulator said today (September 23) that Chris Askew OBE, chief executive of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), will step into the role on October 1.
Read more: GPhC hiring new chief executive for ‘initial’ four-year term
Prior to his time at the RCGP, Askew held CEO roles at Diabetes UK and at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, before its merger to form Breast Cancer Now, the GPhC said.
He began working in the not-for-profit sector after “some years working as a shipbroker in the international freight markets” and “held senior fundraising positions at the charities Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Crisis and Action for Children”, it added.
The regulator also said that Askew received an OBE in 2020 for “services to people with diabetes”.
Read more: IN FULL: GPhC chief executive steps down after 15 years
Askew commented that he is “greatly looking forward” to “supporting the GPhC to achieve its strategic aims at this crucial time of transition”.
“Through my previous roles at the RCGP and in health charities, I have seen first-hand the vital role that pharmacy plays in improving people’s health,” he added.
“A wealth of experience”
GPhC chair Gisela Abbam said that Askew “brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the organisation from his previous roles”.
“The recruitment process for the new permanent chief executive and registrar is ongoing, and we will announce that appointment once it is confirmed,” she added.
Read more: CPE appoints Professor Dame Jenny Harries as new chair
It comes after the GPhC announced earlier this month that it was looking for an “outstanding individual” to fill its top job following current chief Duncan Rudkin’s departure at the end of the year.
The regulator said at the time that it was recruiting for a new chief executive and registrar to serve an “initial” four-year term.
Back in July, the GPhC revealed that Rudkin, who has led the organisation for 15 years, will step down from his role on December 31.
