Tamara Ingram takes up the mantle from chair Baroness Tessa Blackstone and will use her extensive experience in governance and leadership to help Asthma + Lung UK drive forward its ambitious new strategy.
Asthma + Lung UK, the country’s leading lung charity, has appointed Tamara Ingram OBE as its new chair of trustees, to help the charity in its mission to transform the nation’s lung health by challenging misconceptions about lung conditions, driving greater investment in respiratory research, and campaigning for cleaner air and better care for people with lung conditions such as asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
The charity supports the 12 million people in the UK who will have a lung condition in their lifetime through its helpline, support groups, tailored website health advice and campaigning and research work. Tamara Ingram brings with her a wealth of experience. The experienced businesswoman is currently the chair at global communications agency Wunderman Thompson and serves on boards for organisations including Save the Children International, Marks and Spencer and Marsh McLennan. Tamara Ingram has previously held CEO positions at companies including J. Walter Thompson, Global Horizontal Clients and Team P&G (Procter & Gamble).
Tamara Ingram will take up her position with the charity this autumn, replacing chair Baroness Tessa Blackstone, whose tenure ends after five years on the Asthma + Lung UK board.
Tamara Ingram joins Asthma + Lung UK, formerly known as Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation, to support the charity in delivering its new ambitious strategy, and embed its brand following the launch in February this year.
Asthma + Lung UK’s ambition is to transform the nation’s lung health, which the charity says is currently ‘shameful’. Lung disease is the third biggest cause of death in the UK and yet less than 2% of publicly funded research is spent on lung research. There are still misconceptions about lung disease which stop people from being able to protect themselves and prevent them from coming forward for diagnosis and treatment.
Sarah Woolnough, CEO of Asthma + Lung UK, said:
“I’m delighted to announce the appointment of Tamara Ingram as our new chair. Tamara joins at a pivotal time for the charity, as we work together to embed our new strategy to challenge misconceptions about lung health, improve diagnosis and care for people with lung conditions and drive much-needed investment in research and innovation.
“I am very grateful to Baroness Tessa Blackstone for all that she has achieved as chair of trustees since 2017, including overseeing our recent merger, and our successful rebrand and strategy launch. I’m confident Tamara will be a great successor – with a strong track record of leading and serving on the boards of a variety of organisations, from international charities to global marketing agencies. I am looking forward to welcoming her to our organisation as we strive to transform the nation’s lung health.”
Tamara Ingram, new chair of the board of trustees at Asthma + Lung UK, said:
“Lung disease is the third biggest killer in the UK, yet damaging misconceptions, dismal rates of basic care and a chronic lack of research funding mean people with lung conditions are drawing the short straw and not getting the help they need. It’s a privilege to join Asthma + Lung UK just months after it has launched its ambitious new strategy and I’m delighted to use my skills and experience to help the charity continue to campaign for and support the millions of people in the UK with a lung condition. I’m excited and honoured to take up this important position and look forward to bringing my leadership skills, governance experience and passion to the Asthma + Lung UK board.”
Notes to Editors:
For more information, please contact the press team on 0207 786 4949 or press@asthmaandlung.org.uk.
Asthma + Lung UK
Asthma + Lung UK is the only charity in the UK fighting for everyone with a lung condition, aiming for a world where everyone can breathe with healthy lungs. We fund research. We provide advice and support for the 12 million people who will get a lung condition during their lifetime. We campaign for clean air and we campaign for better NHS diagnosis and treatment. For further information visit asthmaandlung.org.uk