In the medical world we are very familiar with the term locum. However, I see the Interim Executive Dean role as akin to being the custodian of an important and precious entity which is rightly seen as a jewel in King’s College London’s crown. I hope to maintain the sterling progress IoPPN is making in research and education; also in culture, diversity and inclusion, which I have seen transform the Institute I have worked at for 35 years. It’s a cliché I know, but there is no denying that this is a journey we have yet to complete.
Professor Sir Simon Wessely
14 April 2022
New Interim Executive Dean for the IoPPN
Professor Sir Simon Wessely has been appointed Interim Executive Dean for the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN)
The IoPPN is pleased to announce that Professor Sir Simon Wessely has been appointed Interim Executive Dean.
Professor Sir Simon Wessely is a world-renowned academic psychiatrist who trained at the Maudsley and has been with IoPPN and King’s for over 35 years. His appointment follows the successful tenure of Professor Ian Everall, who recently stepped down after five years as IoPPN Executive Dean.
Professor Sir Simon Wessely is a Fellow of the Royal Society and Academy of Medical Sciences, and past president of both the Royal Society of Medicine and the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He formed the King’s Centre for Military Health Research in 1996 and in 2013 he was appointed to the first ever Regius Chair of Psychiatry.
Since 2013 Sir Simon has been the Co-Director of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Unit for Emergency Preparedness and Response at King’s, which has been very active during the COVID-19 crisis. Between 2017-19 he led the Independent Review of the Mental Health Act, which paved the way for new legislation in 2022.
Simon takes on the Interim Executive Dean role at an important time. King’s and IoPPN are global leaders in mental health research, education and training, which is a key priority for society, particularly following the pandemic. Simon is a strong advocate for science, education, public engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration, and I am confident the IoPPN is in good hands over the next year as we continue our international search for the new Executive Dean.
Professor Shitij Kapur, President & Principal King's College London
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Regius Professor of Psychiatry