Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Catherine Wills

Chief People Officer

Catherine brings over 15 years of experience in workforce policy and strategy in the public sector. This includes working on the people agenda at senior levels across local authorities, NHS commissioners, NHS national bodies and within provider Trusts. Her most recent position was at University Hospitals of Northamptonshire where she initially held the role of Deputy Director of People before becoming Director of People in 2022. Catherine is a chartered fellow of CIPD (FCIPD) and holds a level 7 post graduate qualification in Human Resource Management as well as a Level 7 post graduate diploma in Strategic Workforce Planning from the University of West London. Her portfolio will be across the People directorate ensuring #TeamMKUH attracts, develops and retains the right people to meet the health needs of all who use our services.

Dr Ian Reckless

Chief Medical Officer/Deputy Chief Executive

Dr Reckless qualified from St George’s Hospital Medical School, London and undertook postgraduate training in the Oxford region. His clinical expertise is in general medicine and stroke. He previously worked as Special Adviser to the Healthcare Commission (a forerunner to the CQC) and subsequently as Special Assistant to the then Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Liam Donaldson, at the Department of Health. He was appointed Consultant Physician and Senior NIHR Research Fellow at Oxford University Hospitals in 2007. In Oxford, he held the roles of Associate Medical Director (Quality) and Clinical Director, Neurosciences. Dr Reckless has a good understanding of commissioning having worked with the Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (as secondary care doctor on the Governing Body) for several years. Dr Reckless took up post as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) at Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in April 2016, also taking on the role of Deputy Chief Executive in 2020. Dr Reckless has a particular interest in postgraduate education, having previously served as Training Programme Director, and has authored books on general medicine, and the interface between medicine and the law. In 2024/25, Dr Reckless held the role of CMO for the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (ICB) alongside his duties in the Trust. Dr Reckless is also a Non-Executive Director at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Birmingham, where he chairs the Quality Committee.

Fiona Hoskins

Chief Nursing Officer

Fiona is a Florence Nightingale Scholar and is passionate about the delivery of high quality, evidenced based, personalised patient care through co-design with patients, users, and partners.

James Biggin-Lamming

Chief Operating Officer

James joined Milton Keynes University Hospital in June 2026 from London North-West University Healthcare NHS Trust. In London, he has held senior NHS board-level roles since 2020, most recently as Director of Strategy and Transformation. Prior to joining the NHS, James worked at ChenMed, a world leading integrated care organisation based in Florida, and McKinsey & Company where he led large-scale transformation projects in the UK, US, Middle East and Asia. As Chief Operating Officer, James is responsible for the day‑to‑day delivery of high‑quality, safe and effective services across the organisation, ensuring performance against national standards, financial sustainability and operational excellence. James is passionate about improving care quality through supporting staff and leadership development, transformation, digital and data, and integrated care.

John Blakesley

Chief Strategic Development Officer

John has over 30 years’ experience in the NHS. His career started in pathology, before moving into general management. He has undertaken a range of executive director roles as director of performance and delivery as well as deputy chief executive and director of market management (commissioning for a large PCT). In addition, John has experience of the commercial sector with a specialised surgical company. He has a particular interest in using information systems to improve patient care and decision-making.

Jonathan Dunk

Chief Finance Officer

Jonathan joined Milton Keynes University Hospital in February 2024 from Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust. In his Essex role as Chief Commercial Officer, Jonathan led the merger transaction that created one of the biggest NHS provider organisations in the country, along with being responsible for a wide range of major strategic and commercial programmes of work. More broadly, Jonathan has significant NHS experience across both acute and system organisations, and previously served as Director of Finance at MKUH between 2012-2016. Jonathan is a CIPFA qualified accountant and a graduate from the NHS Leadership Academy Nye Bevan programme. In his remit as Chief Finance Officer, Jonathan’s portfolio includes finance, procurement and transformation. He is also the executive lead for the Trust’s sustainability agenda. Jonathan has a strong focus on ensuring that the organisation has the right corporate infrastructure to optimise decision making and maximise the resources that can be invested in delivering improvement in patient care outcomes.

Kate Jarman

Chief Patient and Public Services Officer

Kate has substantial experience as a communications professional and company secretary. She has worked on and with boards in the acute health sector and police and criminal justice agencies. Before joining MKUH as director of corporate affairs, Kate spent a number of years at Bedford Hospital. At Bedford she held a number of posts including associate director of corporate affairs and communications as well as company secretary. Kate is passionate about staff and patient engagement, leadership and culture. She is also interested in developing integrated governance systems to support the delivery of safe, effective, high quality care.

Ganesh Baliah

Non-Executive Director (Chair, Quality & Clinical Risk Committee)

Ganesh joined the Trust as an Associate Non-Executive Director in January 2023 and became a full Non-Executive Director in November 2024. Ganesh graduated in Podiatric Medicine over 20 years ago and has worked in the NHS since that time. He has previously held consultant privileges at the local private hospitals and continues to practice privately in Bedfordshire. His clinical interests are sports medicine, musculoskeletal medicine, foot and ankle surgery and paediatrics. Ganesh was also a key contributor to the landmark Sak’s Report commissioned and published by the Royal College of Podiatrists in 2021. Having previously held the Chief of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) for the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care System, he is now the Deputy Director of AHPs at Kettering General Hospital (Part of the UHN Group of Hospitals). Prior to these roles he was the Regional Head of Allied Health Professionals for NHS Health Education England (Midlands & East). In this time Ganesh was the national lead for Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging for the HEE AHP programme and also provided strategic leadership for the SNEE ICS in this field, working in partnership across the system with provider EDI & B leads. Outside of work, he was a school board governor at his children’s primary school and is also a Board Trustee. He is also a non-voting member of the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery (RCPod). He is keen to ensure that all patients and staff have equitable access to services, treatment as well as training and development.

Gary Marven

Senior Independent Non-Executive Director (Chair, Finance & Investment Committee)

Gary joined the Trust as a Non-Executive Director in April 2022. Gary is an accomplished senior executive with over 20 years’ leadership experience, the majority of which he operated at board level, spanning both private and public sector organisations, from SMEs to globally-recognised brands. Gary commenced his career as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young and progressed through various financial director roles in a major retail company, before moving into general management at the BBC where he ultimately led a major technology project, before becoming CEO of MLL Telecoms. Gary retired as CEO in 2020 and has continued to work with MLL Telecom as a Non-Executive Director. Gary also provides free consultancy to charities supported by The Cranfield University Trust.

Manjeet Aujla

Associate Non-Executive Director

Manjeet joined the Trust in August 2026. He brings over 25 years of executive experience across the pharmaceutical and life sciences sectors, including leading complex global transformation programmes, implementing enterprise resource planning systems, and managing global teams across multiple markets. Most recently, he has led strategic initiatives to enhance organisational capability and drive operational efficiency. Manjeet began his career as a commissioned officer in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and holds postgraduate qualifications in Accounting and Finance (ACCA), as well as a BEng in Production Engineering.

Mark Versallion

Non-Executive Director (Chair, Charitable Funds Committee)

Mark joined the Trust as a Non-Executive Director in January 2023, previously serving on the boards of Luton & Dunstable NHS Hospital from 2013-20, and NW London NHS Hospitals Trust from 2008-13. He brings experience from the commercial sector with BAE Systems plc, Capgemini plc, and ten years as director of a London marketing agency. He has worked for a US Senator and for a UK Government Minister and has held a number of national and local government roles, as well as directorships in the public and private sectors. He was a Royal Navy officer for 14 years in the Reserves, and was a London Councillor for nine years. Since 2011, he has been a Central Bedfordshire Councillor, holding senior positions in schools, social services, housing and healthcare. Mark is married with four sons and lives in Heath and Reach, Bedfordshire.

Piers Ricketts

Non-Executive Director (Chair, Audit & Risk Committee)

Piers qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG in 1997 and spent 24 years with the firm, including nearly eight years as a Partner providing Board-level advice and guidance to NHS organisations and the wider public sector. He has subsequently been CEO of Health Innovation East for six years. From 2016 to 2019, he served as Treasurer and Trustee of The Silver Line, a national charity set up by Dame Esther Rantzen to support elderly and vulnerable people, where he chaired the Finance and Risk Committee. Piers joined the Trust in December 2024.

Precious Zumbika

Non-Executive Director (Chair, People & Culture Committee)

Precious joined the Trust as an Associate Non-Executive Director in January 2023 Precious is an experienced Executive, Chartered QS, Cost & Commercial Expert and Strategic Advisor who commands over 20 years’ experience in the construction industry. Precious is the founder of Carus Advisory Services, a boutique construction and management consultancy. She is an advocate of diversity equity and inclusion and a strategic change expert drawing from her own professional and personal experiences. She has extensive experience facilitating leadership team (SLT & Board level) conversations and is a Cranfield University Executive Development Associate/ Facilitator where she curates and develops leadership modules on inclusive leadership and how to develop high performing teams. She is current Chair and founding committee member for the Milton Keynes Ethnic Business Community whose purpose is to connect business owners and professionals from black, asian and other minority ethnic backgrounds with the wider Milton Keynes business community. She was named one of the NatWest Top 100 most inspirational women in 2021 in the Oxford Cambridge Arc and is a passionate speaker on leadership, inclusion and sustainable procurement. Precious was made a full Non-Executive at MKUH in November 2024.

Sarah Whiteman

Non-Executive Director (Chair, Maternity Assurance Group)

Sarah is a local Milton Keynes GP and recently retired as the Chief Medical Officer of our Integrated Care Board. She has always enjoyed a portfolio career with a breadth of senior roles with the General Medical Council, Health Education England and the wider NHS. Latterly she was the interim joint Group Medical Director for Jersey before returning to Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes as Medical Director and then Chair of the Clinical Commissioning Group. In her retirement Sarah will be undertaking several non-executive director roles with other trusts, is an active member of a local gym and is also enjoying grandmotherhood!

Sian Llewellyn

Associate Non-Executive Director

Sian is a CIMA-qualified senior finance and operations executive who brings over 20 years of Board-level leadership experience, including roles as CFO and Managing Director in complex, multi-site organisations. She has established a reputation for excellence in financial strategy, governance, risk management, and performance improvement, consistently delivering sustainable growth, enhancing controls, and supporting robust Board decision-making. Her background spans leading large P&Ls, overseeing transformation programmes, and integrating mergers and acquisitions. Sian is highly experienced in regulated, stakeholder-rich environments, where she offers independent challenge and balanced judgement, always maintaining a collaborative, values-driven approach. Sian was appointed as Associate Non-Executive Director to the MKUH Board by the Council of Governors in January 2026, with her term commencing from 1 March 2026.