Macmillan Cancer Support has announced that Gemma Peters is to join the cancer charity as chief executive.
Peters is currently chief executive of Blood Cancer UK, and will move into her new role in January.
She will take over from Macmillan’s current chief executive, Lynda Thomas, whose decision to step down from the charity at the end of 2022 and move into non-executive roles was announced in the spring. Thomas has worked at the cancer support charity for 20 years, having joined as joint head of media.
Peters said: “I am delighted to be joining the brilliant Macmillan team, having long admired and personally seen Macmillan’s impact for families affected by cancer.
“Building a strong organisation that ensures the voices of people living with cancer are heard has been central to my time at Blood Cancer UK and I feel very lucky and proud to be able to build on that at Macmillan, whose mission has never been more important.”
Peters joins Macmillan following almost 20 years of experience in health and cancer care in leadership, advocacy and fundraising roles. Besides Blood Cancer UK, she has held roles at King’s Health Partners, King’s College London and Mencap.
Richard Murley, Macmillan’s chair, said: “We are excited by the leadership Gemma will bring to take Macmillan forward at this critical time for cancer treatment and care.
“During the recruitment process, trustees, colleagues and people living with cancer were impressed by Gemma’s passion, her deep knowledge of cancer care, her strategic insight and track record leading effective and inclusive organisations.”
'She has been a brilliant colleague and we will miss her'
Blood Cancer UK said a new chief executive is not expected to be in post by the time she leaves, and so Helen Rowntree, current director of research, services & engagement, will become interim chief executive until the role is filled.
John Ormerod, chair of Blood Cancer UK, said: “On behalf of the whole blood cancer community, I want to say how grateful we all are for Gemma’s contribution to our mission over the last few years. She has brought to the job a combination of determination, compassion, and a relentless focus on what is in the best interests of people affected by blood cancer. As well as a great leader, she has been a brilliant colleague and we will miss her.
“But Gemma’s greatest achievement at Blood Cancer UK lies in the role she played in helping build the strong team and culture that are now among our greatest assets. It is these two things that mean we go forward confident that over the next few years we will have an even greater positive impact for people with blood cancer, and move even more quickly towards the day when blood cancer is finally beaten.”
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