Philips appoints Mark Leftwich as Managing Director for United Kingdom and Ireland
Newly created role will oversee commercial operations across UK and Ireland, with Neil Mesher taking up an expanded role as Senior Vice President, Western Europe (North) which encompasses the UK, Ireland, Benelux and the Nordic region.
- Mar 8, 2022
- 3 minute read
Farnborough, United Kingdom – Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced the appointment of Mark Leftwich as Managing Director for Philips UK and Ireland, effective 1st April 2022.
In his role, Mark will oversee operations and build on the company’s commitment to help people live longer, healthier lives in the UK and Ireland, and support the NHS and other customers in their bold transformation into resilient healthcare systems that are fit for the needs of the future population.
Mark has been with Philips for nearly two decades and holds a formidable track record in accelerating the growth strategy across the business and contributing to the company’s role as a responsible UK business, from taking steps to combat the systemic health inequalities faced across the UK, to working with schools to improve the quality of the air our children breathe and in the face of national crisis, supporting our National Health System’s resilience in delivering life-saving care throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the Philips Foundation lead for UK and Ireland, Mark plays a key role in delivering projects focused on improving the lives of the communities, and was instrumental in the implementation of the Clean Air for Schools Framework, in partnership with Global Action Plan, which sets out interventions that will reduce air pollution in schools and make a significant difference to children’s health and attainment.
As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, our purpose and strategy to improve people’s lives and reduce inequalities through innovation is more pertinent than ever. We are seeing greater opportunities to strengthen Philips’ leadership in health technology every day - care delivery is increasingly accelerating towards the community, while advancements in telehealth, virtual and remote services are bringing care directly to patients at home. Meanwhile, our organisation is continuing to invest in and support our biggest asset, our people. Having a vibrant and diverse workforce is the key to our success, and we work hard to recruit and retain the best and the brightest people which make Philips an incredible place to work. One of my key priorities from day one is to further accelerate progress in this space, celebrating diversity and inclusion across our workforce, while also introducing new platforms that build mental health and resilience. These are progressive programmes that I can’t wait to work with our teams to deliver.
Mark Leftwich
In his role leading the UK and Ireland Market, Neil has achieved considerable progress for the business, including overseeing its transition to one of the leading health technology companies committed to improve lives for the 77million people living in the UK and Ireland, demonstrating leadership in the industry’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and championing the digitisation of the NHS through innovative solutions such as Philips’ Radiology Operations Command Centres, and the roll out of Community Diagnostic Centres to help alleviate the backlog of patients waiting for diagnosis and treatment.
Neil Mesher, Philips Senior Vice President, Western Europe (North), said of the appointment:
“I’m pleased to welcome Mark into his new role as Managing Director for the UK and Ireland. This is a transformational time for healthcare and as a driving force of the leadership team, Mark will accelerate our growth and our commitment to the market. He will continue to ensure that we are operating sustainably, helping our customers live their values through an accountable commitment to the circular economy and giving back to communities through improving access to care for the underserved.
“Western Europe is a significant International market for Philips and I’m looking forward to building on our collective success, working closely with Mark and other teams to drive growth and support health systems across the region.”
