Non-executive directors and non-executive director designates

Chair: Ingrid Barker

A qualified social worker, Ingrid has over 25 years of NHS board level experience. This has included roles as chair at Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, joint chair of Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust and ²gether NHS Foundation Trust and as a non-executive director of NHS Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust. She is an active governor at the University of Gloucestershire.

Ingrid’s drive and commitment to the provision of high-quality services, accessible to all, is evidenced in her national policy and service redevelopment roles, notably leading on the transformation of mental health services community provision. She was also a trustee and board member of NHS Providers between 2013 and 2021, elected to represent community trusts across England.

Ingrid started in her role as group chair on 1 June 2024.

Professor Sarah Purdy

Sarah is vice-chair of North Bristol Trust and is a GP and clinical academic by background. Until 2022 Sarah was pro vice-chancellor of student experience at the University of Bristol, and previously, she led Bristol Medical School. Sarah has held leadership positions including as a non-executive director and trustee in a number of organisations across the wider NHS, charities, and a multi-academy trust. She is a trustee of the Barts Charity. Sarah practiced as a GP from 1991 to 2022 and was awarded an OBE for services to general practice in the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours.

Martin Sykes

Martin studied chemistry at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, where he obtained a PhD and spent a number of years working in post-doctoral research. He later qualified as an accountant and joined the NHS in 1995. Martin worked most recently at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust as finance director and deputy chief executive. Within the NHS Martin has also held executive responsibility for procurement; information management and technology; information governance; contracting; and strategy. Martin is vice-chair of University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW), having been a non-executive director at UHBW since 2017, chairing the finance and digital committee and serving as vice chair of the UHBW board.

Marc Griffiths

Marc is the pro-vice chancellor (PVC) for regional partnerships, engagement and innovation at the University of the West of England, Bristol. He is responsible for leading and developing the regional partnerships across all sectors, focusing on skills, education, innovation, enterprise and applied research opportunities.  As part of Marc’s PVC role, he leads the integrated care academy at the University of the West of England, Bristol. Prior to joining the Bristol NHS Group board, Marc was a non-executive director at UHBW.

Marc is a principal fellow within Advance HE, a fellow of the Leadership Foundation in Higher Education, a fellow of the College of Radiographers, and also the co-founder of the Let's Talk Health and Care podcast series.

In terms of wider civic facing roles, Marc is the vice-chair of the board of governors at the City of Bristol College, an appointed trustee at the Council of Deans of Health, a member of the Futures West Advisory Board, and works closely with a number of partner organisations such as NHS England, Avon and Somerset Police and Bristol City Council.

Linda Kennedy

Linda has over 40 years of HR experience, working internationally across various geographies and covering many sectors. During her executive career, she has successfully led business change programmes delivering growth and improving performance. Roles of note include VP people and chief change officer for EE during the merger of Orange and T Mobile, and delivering transformation when group HR director of SIG plc, a FTSE 250 business, for 5 years. 

As well an established skillset in organisation design and employee engagement, Linda brings strong experience in ESG, specifically diversity, equality, and inclusion; wellbeing; and communications. Linda speaks several languages including French, German and Spanish and is a master of the Institute of Linguists and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Linda is currently also a non-executive director/trustee of NEBOSH (the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health). She is passionate about the NHS and the service it provides.

Richard Gaunt

Richard is an experienced board member and audit and risk committee chair (most recently with Alliance Homes). Previous appointments as a non-executive director or governor include a further education college, multi-academy trust and a charity. He brings a broad range of skills including significant strength in finance, strategy, and treasury. Prior to his retirement in 2009, Richard was an audit partner at KPMG, and he remains a fellow of the Society of Chartered Accountants England and Wales.

Roy Shubhabrata

Roy has spent the last two decades focused on digital transformation in healthcare across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. His interest lies is in the collaboration of government, academia, charities and providers in the adoption of innovative technologies in health and care settings. Roy is the chief executive of Healthinnova, an international health technology solutions company based in Bath. He is a trustee of Age UK, the country's leading charity focused on older people, as well as HelpAge International UK, which focuses on ageing issues in low and middle-income countries. He is also a member of the Public Health Research funding committee at the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Roy was previously a non-executive director at UHBW, joining the board in 2022.

Sue Balcombe (Designate position)

Sue is a registered nurse and experienced NHS executive having worked at board level as chief nurse, chief operating officer and deputy chief executive in both provider and commissioning organisations. She has significant experience in leading service integration and the clinical redesign of services with a focus on care closer to home and patient safety.

Since retiring, Sue has been a non-executive director at Weston Area Health NHS Trust before joining University Hospitals Bristol and Weston Foundation Trust following the merger of the two trusts in 2020.

Poku Pipim Osei

Poku has a strong business background and is a recognised leader in social impact, innovation, and system change. His previous board experience includes local government and higher education as well as the healthcare sector. Poku has a master’s degree in Business Management and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Poku moved to Bristol in 2009, and founded the social enterprise company Babbasa in 2010. In 2020, they were awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Promoting Opportunity for their work supporting young people in Bristol from disadvantaged backgrounds gaining training and employment. Poku remains the director of Babbasa, and is the founder and principal consultant for Merop Consulting. Poku became a Bristol NHS Group non-executive director in December 2025.