About BHF
Professor Simon Ray appointed Deputy Chair and Professor Jane Armitage joins Board of Trustees
We’re delighted to welcome Professor Simon Ray, appointed as Deputy Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Professor Jane Armitage, who joins as a new Trustee, bringing exceptional leadership and clinical research expertise to British Heart Foundation (BHF).
Professor Simon Ray
Simon is a Consultant Cardiologist and Honorary Professor of Cardiology at Manchester University Hospitals. He was appointed National Clinical Director for Heart Disease in NHS England in 2024, following his role as Joint National Lead for Cardiology in the Getting it Right First-Time programme since 2017.
Simon has held senior leadership roles including Research and Development Director at University Hospitals of South Manchester and Lead for the cardiovascular theme at the Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre. He has served as President of the British Society for Echocardiography, the British Heart Valve Society, and the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS), where he was also Vice President for Clinical Standards.
Simon has a longstanding relationship with British Heart Foundation, having received a BHF project grant for his doctoral research over 35 years ago. He has served on several BHF committees, most recently as Chair of the Implementation Fund, and was previously a trustee from 2014–2018. He now returns to the Board as Deputy Chair.
Simon said: "It’s a privilege to rejoin British Heart Foundation’s Board and take on the role of Deputy Chair. BHF has played a formative role in my career and continues to lead the way in cardiovascular research and care. I’m honoured to support its mission at such a critical time."
Professor Jane Armitage
Jane is Emeritus Professor of Clinical Trials and Epidemiology at the University of Oxford and an Honorary Consultant in Public Health Medicine at Oxford University Hospitals. Over the past 35 years, she has led a series of landmark clinical trials in cardiovascular disease which have shaped global clinical practice and improved outcomes for people with or at risk of heart disease.
Jane also collaborates on genetic and risk factor studies and has a particular interest in the safety of statins and the epidemiology of chronic diseases. In 2020, she co-founded a new Masters’ course in Clinical Trials at Oxford to train the next generation of trialists. She currently chairs the BHF Clinical Studies Committee and the Expert Advisory Panel of the Global Cardiovascular Research Funders Forum.
Jane said: "I’m honoured to join BHF’s Board of Trustees. The charity plays a vital role in funding research that transforms care for people with cardiovascular disease. I’m excited to contribute to its future and help ensure its work continues to make a difference across the UK and beyond."
Simon and Jane join our Board of Trustees, chaired by Karen Frank, during a pivotal time for BHF as we accelerate our strategy to deliver more lifesaving breakthroughs.
Karen Frank, Chair of Trustees, said: "We’re thrilled and honoured to welcome Simon and Jane to the Board. Their deep expertise in cardiovascular medicine and research will be invaluable as we continue to drive forward our mission, and their longstanding service to the BHF will accelerate their important contributions.
"I’d also like to thank our outgoing members, Deputy Chair Dr Sarah Clark, and Trustee Professor Sadaf Farooqi for their outstanding service and dedication to BHF."
Thanking our outgoing trustees
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr Sarah Clarke, who has served as a trustee for seven years and as Deputy Chair since 2021. Her leadership and clinical insight have been instrumental in shaping our direction.
Also, Professor Sadaf Farooqi, who has served as a trustee for three years, contributing her expertise in genetic and physiological mechanisms to our research strategy.
Their contributions have helped BHF grow its impact and ambition, and we are deeply grateful for their service.
