Professor Rakesh Uppal appointed Chief Executive Officer of Barts Life Sciences

Barts Health NHS Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Rakesh Uppal as Chief Executive Officer of Barts Life Sciences. In this role, he will lead the programme that strengthens collaboration between industry and Barts Health NHS Trust and oversees the development of the Barts Life Sciences Cluster in East London, focused on driving innovation into healthcare.  

The programme is dedicated to developing cutting‑edge healthcare innovations and accelerating their adoption to transform patient care and improve outcomes. Working within the East London community, Barts Life Sciences also aims to reduce health inequalities and improve the health of one of the most diverse and disadvantaged populations in the UK. 

Professor Uppal brings decades of clinical, academic and translational research leadership to this role. A Consultant Cardiac Surgeon at the Barts Heart Centre and Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, he leads a renowned tertiary surgical service and serves as Research Lead for the Heart Centre. Over his career, he has held several senior roles across Barts Health, the NHS and the Royal Colleges, shaping national policy and advancing international standards in cardiac care. His exceptional contributions to surgery and translational science were recognised when he was awarded FRCS (ad hominem)– the College’s highest professional distinction in December 2024. 

Beyond his clinical and academic achievements, Professor Uppal has been a driving force behind Barts Health’s life sciences and innovation agenda, serving most recently as Medical Director of Barts Life Sciences. In this capacity, he has championed the creation of the Barts Life Sciences Cluster in East London — a thriving collaboration uniting industry, clinicians and researchers to accelerate discovery and deliver impact for patients. As a board member and advisor to several health‑tech, biotech and fintech companies, Professor Uppal has also helped connect NHS expertise with the UK’s growing technology and investment ecosystem. 

As CEO, Professor Uppal will now lead the next phase of Barts Life Sciences’ development — expanding national and international partnerships, building commercial and academic collaborations, and ensuring that data, digital platforms and new technologies are rapidly translated into better outcomes for patients in the NHS. 

Professor Uppal said: 

“It’s an honour to lead Barts Life Sciences at this pivotal moment. Our cluster brings together industry, world‑class clinical leadership and academia, strong NHS infrastructure and one of the most diverse patient populations in the world. For industry, we offer access to clinicians, real‑world evidence and a direct route to market. For patients, this means innovations shaped around genuine needs — improving outcomes, tackling health inequalities and strengthening the future of care. I look forward to working with our industry and academic partners to deliver this impact.” 

Shane DeGaris, group chief executive of Barts Health NHS Trust, said: 

“Having built his career in the NHS and abroad, Rakesh understands the strengths of our clinicians, our research community and our diverse population. His ability to bring industry, academia and the NHS together around real patient needs is precisely the leadership our growing innovation ecosystem requires.”