News and events

13 October 2021

On 31 October Dr Liz Mear, Managing Director of Leeds Academic Health Partnership is retiring from a long executive-level career, which has covered local government, health, academia and consultancy at Chief Executive and Director Level.

This is semi-retirement and early retirement for Liz, who will continue with her work as a Non-Executive Director at Health Education England, where she starts a further three-year term on 1 November 2021.  She also hopes to work as a consultant and coach as part of a portfolio career alongside caring responsibilities.

Liz has made a big difference to Leeds Academic Health Partnership during her tenure with it.  She has expanded the partnership so that we have the potential to improve more lives through our work, established the HealthTech Catalyst, which has already supported 60 business, and she has established new roles, which are supporting the region to apply research into practice and increase economic growth.

Liz has also fulfilled the role of Senior Responsible Officer for Digital for the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership supporting equal access to services across West Yorkshire.

This quote from one of our external partners, who has worked with Liz for the last eight years, sums up our experience of her:

“Liz has been the very embodiment of collaborative working. She has always gone out of her way to involve a wide range of stakeholders, take on board suggestions and new ways of working, all of which is underpinned by enormous energy and a can do attitude.”

Liz outlined to me how “When you’re working with really good people, that brings the best out in you.  My experience in this role has been of working with excellent colleagues who are committed to improving lives of our residents.  I look forward to hearing about the progress of the work to improve lives and grow the economy, and wish all my colleagues the best for the future.”

In the short term, interim support to cover the Managing Director vacancy will be provided by secondees from partner organisations, with strategic support provided by Jo-Anne Wass, director of health partnerships at the University of Leeds.

Tom Riordan

Chief Executive, Leeds City Council

Chair, Leeds Academic Health Partnership

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