NICE chief executive Gillian Leng and chairman Sharmila Nebhrajani have thanked Professor Martin Cowie for his service to the NICE board after he announced his resignation.
Professor Cowie was appointed a non-executive director of the NICE board in November 2016 and leaves shortly before his four-year term of office was due to end.
He will join Astra Zeneca globally as chief physician scientist – heart failure.
Professor Leng said: “Martin has played a key role on the NICE board for nearly four years and I would like to publicly thank him for the enthusiasm and expertise he brought to this important position. We will miss his insightful challenge on the board.
“I know in his new role he will be heading up research in the area of heart failure and cardiology, which he is so passionate about.”
Ms Nebhrajani added: “In the short time Martin and I have worked together I have appreciated both his clinical wisdom and his understanding of the potential for new technologies to revolutionise medical practice. He has been a hugely valued board colleague and I wish him every success in his new role.”
In his resignation letter to chairman Ms Nebhrajani, Professor Cowie wrote: “It has been an enormous pleasure to work with NICE over the past 20 years (and the last four as a board member), and I know that it is safe in your and Gill's hands, with a very strong and competent senior management team, as it moved into all the challenges of the COVID-19 era and beyond.”
The NICE board meets monthly to set and review NICE’s strategic objectives, and is made up of non-executive directors, executive directors and directors.