14th Jul 2016
CEO, Graham Hodgkin, will be retiring from his position with the Charity to pursue an exciting opportunity with world-class leadership consultancy firm, Wavelength. Graham has had a transformational impact on the Charity since his appointment as CEO in November 2012.
Graham has been passionately committed to the Charity, and quickly set about investing in our people — our employees and volunteers — to create a team which is today a key part of the engine room of the Charity's success. Working with the senior management team, Graham has attracted and developed some top talent, building a sense of values based on teamwork, professionalism, excellence, passion, resilience and transparency.
Under his leadership, the Charity has achieved transformational change, including:
- acquiring a second helicopter for London, which became operational in January this year;
- extending the operational hours of the helicopter during the summer months (which together with the second helicopter enables us to reach more critically injured people by air);
- establishing the world’s first Institute of Pre-Hospital Care to educate future generations of trauma specialists and to proliferate the unique medical knowhow derived from the service's operational activities with trauma patients;
- working strategically with our key partners, Barts Health NHS Trust and the London Ambulance Service to deliver advanced pre-hospital procedures and pathways;
- expanding the success of the role of the Patient Liaison Nurse;
- engaging with a broad range of stakeholders including corporate supporters, trusts, foundations and livery companies, and countless individuals across London. The 'Your London, Your Helicopter' was hugely successful in helping to raise £4.1m for the acquisition and ongoing funding of the second helicopter and extended daylight operations.;
- working with London Freemasons to raise £2 million for the second helicopter;
- liaising with HM Treasury to secure funding of £1.25 million from the Libor fund;
- during his tenure as CEO, the revenues of the Charity have more than doubled, and the strength of the Charity's balance sheet has more than trebled;
Alongside this, Graham has supported the air ambulance sector overall by being a director of the Association of Air Ambulances (AAA) and as a trustee for the AAA Charity, which he also helped to shape and implement.
Mark Vickers, Chairman of London's Air Ambulance comments: "Graham's contribution to the Charity has been absolutely outstanding. Through his unbelievable commitment, stand out leadership, and relentless drive and energy, Graham has done so much to enable the people of London to benefit from the best pre-hospital emergency service anywhere in the world. His legacy is immense.
“We owe him a huge debt of gratitude, and we wish him every success in his new venture with Wavelength."
Graham Hodgkin commented: “I look back on my tenure as CEO of London’s Air Ambulance with a great deal of pride and satisfaction and I firmly believe that the Charity is a very different organisation to that which I inherited in late 2012.
“I have been privileged to lead such an inspirational charity and have learned much about myself, both as a leader and as a member of this amazing team. I am highly satisfied with all that we have achieved together and I will remain a friend and supporter of the Charity for life. I will watch the development and evolution of London’s Air Ambulance with a real sense of pride.
“I am genuinely excited about the opportunities that lay ahead for me but I would like to thank the Board of Trustees once again for allowing me the opportunity to lead London’s Air Ambulance and for all the incredible support I have received along the way, from so many of the Charity’s stakeholders.
Graham will remain in his post until September. London’s Air Ambulance is commencing its search for the Charity’s next CEO.