Mountbatten Isle of Wight and Mountbatten Hampshire welcome Charles Alexander, CBE, as the new chair of the Board of Trustees.
He will take up the role from 1st December, 2026. Meanwhile, the organisations thank outgoing chair, Sir Ian Cheshire, who is leaving after his six-year term to take up a prestigious role as Chair of Ofcom.
About Charles Alexander, CBE
Prominent international business leader, Charles Alexander, CBE, brings his experience from his long and distinguished career in finance, healthcare, housing and the arts. He was appointed CBE in 2022, for services to culture and health.
Charles currently chairs the Guy’s and St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust. His other prominent leadership roles have included The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and the King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. He previously served as lead non-executive director at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and currently chairs leading social housing provider of 38,000 Hampshire homes, VIVID Housing.
Charles is passionate about healthcare and supporting local communities and volunteered for six years as a community visitor at Royal Trinity Hospice in London, before taking up his NHS chairing roles.
Charles lives on the Isle of Wight and has strong connections in Hampshire.
‘Delighted’
Charles said,
“I am delighted to be taking on the role of chair of the Board of Trustees for Mountbatten Isle of Wight and Mountbatten Hampshire.
“Everyone facing the experience of managed and palliative care deserves the best possible 24/7 support. I am very much looking forward to contributing to the future of this leading organisation which I have admired for some years now and which is rooted in our communities.”
CEO of Mountbatten Isle of Wight and Mountbatten Hampshire, Becky McGregor, said,
“On behalf of our trustees and everyone at Mountbatten, I am delighted to welcome Charles Alexander, CBE, to this vital and supportive role. He brings vast experience to Mountbatten Isle of Wight and Mountbatten Hampshire, at a time when hospices are negotiating extreme financial challenges. We are looking forward to Charles joining us, and a seamless transition between our outgoing and incoming chairs.”
Thank you, Sir Ian Cheshire
Charles’s appointment means Mountbatten will say goodbye and thank you to Sir Ian Cheshire, who has headed up the Board of Trustees since 2020. Sir Ian’s expert leadership was honed at companies including Barclays UK, Kingfisher, Screwfix and BT.
Becky McGregor said,
“We are, of course, sad to say goodbye to Sir Ian Cheshire. His commitment, advice, support and guidance have played a major role in the success of Mountbatten Isle of Wight and Mountbatten Hampshire, through COVID-19, financial uncertainty, the departure of former CEO, Nigel Hartley, MBE and during my first year as CEO.
“Thank you so much, Ian, for your unwavering and incredible support for Mountbatten – we wish you well for the future.”
Sir Ian Cheshire, outgoing chair of the Board of Trustees, said,
“Mountbatten has a fantastic reputation, not just locally but across the country. It really is a national asset and it has been an honour to be its chair for the last six years. Charles Alexander, CBE, is hugely capable and, together with a fabulous team of trustees, staff and volunteers, he will help shape Mountbatten Isle of Wight and Mountbatten Hampshire and support them well into the future.”
The changes were announced at Mountbatten Isle of Wight and Mountbatten Hampshire’s Annual General Meeting, on Friday, 25th September 2026.
Charles Alexander, CBE, will formally take up his new role on Tuesday, 1st December 2026.
News shared by Lucy on behalf of Mounbatten. Ed
