Barrister from GMC to become chief executive of SRA

Paul Philip, currently deputy chief executive of the General Medical Council (GMC), has been appointed as chief executive of the SRA, to start work on 1 February 2014. He will take over from Antony Townsend.

In a statement, the SRA said Philip had “radically reformed the GMC’s disciplinary work”, ensuring the organisation met “challenging operational targets” as well as introducing “wide-ranging cultural change”.

The statement went on: “He also led the development of the GMC’s in-house legal team, delivering multiple six figure savings for the organization.

“The team now deals with all investigation and litigation work on behalf of the council, with over one hundred staff.”
Philip, who is also chief operating officer of the GMC, is responsible for over 1,000 staff and an operating budget of £96m.

Earlier in his career he held roles in both the Legal Services Commission and the NHS. He has both a first degree in law and a masters in law and was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn.

Charles Plant, chairman of the SRA, said: “Paul has a wealth of experience in public interest regulation relating to the provision of professional services, which will be brought to bear on the opportunities and challenges facing the SRA as it moves to the next stage in our development.”