We are delighted to announce the appointment of Colette Marshall as our new Chief Executive, who is replacing our departing CEO Chris Askew.
Ms Marshall brings outstanding insight and vast experience from both inside and beyond Diabetes UK. She has been our Director of Services, Volunteering and Local Impact since 2013, having previously held senior operational roles at MEND, which provided programmes for families living with overweight, and Save the Children.
She is also a Trustee at the Bat Conservation Trust and was formerly Co-Chair of the End Child Poverty Coalition.
She will begin her new role on 21 September 2023, replacing our departing chair Chris Askew OBE, who is stepping down after eight years with Diabetes UK to take on the role of Chief Executive at the Royal College of General Practitioners.
On accepting the role Ms Marshall said:
“This is a pivotal time in the future of the UK’s health. This year Diabetes UK calculated that more than 5 million people in the UK are living with diabetes – a number that is rapidly growing, and a crisis that must be addressed head-on.
“At the same time, we are seeing worrying inequalities in the health and care of people living with and at risk of diabetes, depending on their income, where they live, and their ethnicity.
“While we are in no doubt over the scale of the challenges we face, we are a charity brimming with ambition. Ambition for equality, better care and understanding of diabetes. Ambition for more breakthroughs in treatments and progress towards a cure.
“I am excited to take the helm at this time for Diabetes UK, and I look forward to working with the diabetes community, colleagues and partners to meet the challenges ahead.”
Dr Carol Homden CBE, Chair of Trustees for Diabetes UK, said:
“The board of trustees of Diabetes UK is delighted to announce the appointment Colette to the role of Chief Executive as we start the next chapter of our momentus journey towards a world in which diabetes can do no harm.
"Colette is a highly strategic leader, with a wealth of experience from both the commercial and charity sector and a track record of ambitious campaigning and influencing.
"With her strong commitment to tackling the challenges of health inequalities and passion for the power of partnership working, we look forward to the growth and development of Diabetes UK under her leadership.”
