The National Institute for Care and Excellence (NICE) announced on 16 December 2025 that Professor Jonathan Benger CBE will be the organisation’s next Chief Executive, from Friday 19 December 2025. Professor Benger replaces Dr Samantha Jones, who has held the post since 2021.
Professor Benger joined NICE in January 2023 as Chief Medical Officer and has since held the roles of Interim Director of the Centre for Guidelines and Deputy Chief Executive. He brings extensive health policy experience from senior national roles, including Interim Chief Clinical Information Officer at NHS England and Chief Medical Officer of NHS Digital.
As well as his leadership work, Professor Benger continues to practice as a consultant in emergency medicine at the Bristol Royal Infirmary and works shifts with the Great Western Air Ambulance, a charity he helped to establish.
Professor Benger takes up his new role at a pivotal moment, as NICE plays a central part in delivering the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan for the NHS. According to NICE, from April 2026:
- NICE will evaluate some high-impact health-tech that meets the NHS’s most urgent needs, and this will be reimbursed and made available across the NHS.
- NICE will work closely with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to speed up patient access to new medicines.
- NICE will continually re-evaluate clinical pathways to ensure best value from existing treatments and technologies.
What do stakeholders think?
Sharmila Nebhrajani OBE, Chairman of NICE, said:
“I’m delighted to announce Jonathan’s appointment. He has been a key member of the NICE leadership team, responsible for some critical elements of our transformation over the last three years.”
MHRA Chief Executive Lawrence Tallon said:
“Collaboration between the MHRA and NICE has never been more important as we work to accelerate innovation while maintaining the highest standards of safety and effectiveness. His experience and clinical insight will help us deliver on this together.”
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