Sir William Castell LVO (Chairman)

Bill Castell became Chairman in May 2006, having joined the Board of Governors in January 2006.

He was previously President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Healthcare, and a Vice-Chairman and latterly non-executive director of the General Electric Company (GE). He served on the board of BP plc for six years and for the last two years, until April 2012, was the senior independent director. Before the acquisition by GE, Bill was Chief Executive of Amersham plc for 15 years. Earlier in his career, he held various positions with the Wellcome pharmaceutical company, which was then owned by the Wellcome Trust. He is also Chairman of Ondra Partners, Chairman of the board of Chichester Festival Theatre and Chairman of the High Street Fund.

Bill's previous not-for-profit roles include being a council member of the UK Medical Research Council (2001-2004) and Chairman of the Prince's Trust (1998-2003). He is an Honorary Fellow of Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, an Honorary Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, and a Trustee of the Education and Employers Taskforce.

Bill will step down as Chairman and a Governor on 30 April 2016.

LVO: Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order