Overcoming MS, the world’s leading multiple sclerosis healthy lifestyle charity, announce the appointment of Alex Holden as Chief Executive Officer, effective 20th March 2023.
Alex comes to Overcoming MS from Target Ovarian Cancer where she is currently Deputy CEO. She takes over from Stephen Richards who has served as interim CEO, Overcoming MS since April 2022.
With over 20 years’ experience across the voluntary and corporate sector and a background in communications, strategy and business transformation in the UK, Scandinavia and Australia, Alex will help lead Overcoming MS – founded in 2012 – into its second decade. Alex’s previous corporate sector experience includes roles with Bupa, Virgin Media, Mencap, Westpac Bank and GE, while, on the voluntary side, she has been a trustee for the Twins Trust, a director of Conewood Children’s Centre, a member of NCT’s Voluntary Income Advisory Group, and is currently a trustee for Hitchin Girls’ School.
Dowshan Humzah, Chair of Overcoming MS said: “I am excited to welcome Alex to Overcoming MS. The charity’s core purpose is to enable everyone with MS to achieve optimal wellness by being able to take control of their health and wellbeing through making informed lifestyle choices. Alex brings considerable transferable experience from a range of corporate and voluntary roles that will be invaluable in helping us more effectively drive that purpose.”
“Overcoming MS has made an extraordinary difference to thousands of people worldwide over the past 10 years and continues to do so as we look to further improve our services to the MS community, to expand our partnerships with other related support organisations, and to better inform and influence the wider MS landscape.”
“I would like to thank Stephen Richards for the significant contribution he has made to Overcoming MS as interim CEO during our tenth anniversary year, helping strengthen our position as we move forward into our second decade of service to the MS community.”
Overcoming MS focuses upon the growing scientific evidence that people can take daily practical steps to help improve their MS, offering greater hope and optimism. Over its tenth anniversary, Overcoming MS plans to launch an advocacy campaign, unveil a new brand and pilot a new scalable support programme.
Commenting on her appointment Alex Holden said: “I was drawn to Overcoming MS and its success in providing greater hope and optimism to those affected by MS – and I look forward to helping build on that success. Globally, overburdened healthcare systems are in crisis, especially since the pandemic, and people with MS need lifestyle intervention programmes like Overcoming MS now more than ever before. Alongside existing clinical good practice and recommended medication, lifestyle interventions are increasingly available in clinical practice for other serious auto-immune and lifestyle-driven conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It’s time the same happened for multiple sclerosis.”
