A new chief executive for Evelina London

Ms Gubby Ayida has taken up her role today as Chief Executive of Evelina London’s Women's and Children's Services, part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

A consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist for over 20 years, Gubby brings with her a strong background in medical management and leadership. She successfully led the Women and Children’s division at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust across their two acute hospital sites. Prior to taking up her role at Evelina London, she was Medical Director of The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Special Advisor to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s Board on diversity and inclusion. 

Gubby succeeds Dr Sara Hanna, who took up the role of interim Chief Executive in December 2022 following Marian Ridley’s departure. 

Gubby said: “I am very excited and honoured to have the opportunity to lead Evelina London and to help it continue to grow into a world-leading centre of life-changing care for even more children, young people, women and their families.

“As a proud graduate of Somerville College, Oxford and St Thomas’s Hospital Medical School, I’m delighted to be returning to a place where I have so many happy memories from my clinical training. I look forward to meeting the wonderfully diverse staff and patients, and am committed to equity and inclusion for all.”

Jon Findlay, Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive at Guy’s and St Thomas’, said: “I am delighted to welcome Gubby as Chief Executive of Evelina London. She brings a wealth of knowledge to the role with her clinical background and operational management experience.

“I would also like to thank Sara Hanna, Bidisha Lahoti, Narad Matharu and Stacy John-Legere for so adeptly taking on the roles of interim Chief Executive, interim Medical Director and joint interim clinical directors of our children’s community services respectively for the last 5 months.”

Children's services at Royal Brompton Hospital and Harefield Hospital are part of Evelina London Women’s and Children’s Services. Evelina London provides specialist children’s services for heart and lung conditions at Royal Brompton Hospital and children’s heart and lung outpatient services at Harefield Hospital.