Asthma UK has appointed Kay Boycott as chief executive replacing Neil Churchill who has joined the NHS Commissioning Board as national director of patient experience.

Previously Shelter’s director of campaigns, policy and communications, Boycott started her new role today. Between 2004 and 2009 she was a non-executive director and chair of the audit committee at Hammersmith and Fulham Primary Care Trust.

Rob Wilson, chairman of Asthma UK, said: “As we focus on our new strategic goal of preventing asthma attacks that lead to hospitalisation and death, Kay’s leadership skills and impressive marketing and influencing experience will be invaluable.”

Before joining Shelter in 2009, Boycott was a director at Oxford Strategic Marketing for ten years and previously held marketing roles at Johnson & Johnson and Nestlé Rowntree.

She said: “Asthma UK has big, challenging ambitions for people with asthma that attracted me to the exciting role of chief executive. With my passion for healthcare, I’m delighted to be joining the talented team at Asthma UK as we work towards our vision of a world free from asthma.”

Over at Shelter, Roger Harding has been promoted to director of policy and communications. He had been head of policy, research and public affairs since September 2010.