Francesca Okosi is joining the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) as its new director of organisational development and equality, diversity and inclusion. Reporting to Duncan Rudkin, chief executive of the GPhC, she will take up the post from 5 June 2017.

Okosi brings a breadth and depth of experience to the GPhC. Her career to date has included serving on the Management Board of DEFRA, as Director of People and Performance; Director of Support Operations at the East Thames Group (a large housing and regeneration organisation in East London and Essex), and Director of Corporate Resources in the British Transport Police. Most recently she has been part of the transformation team within South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, as Director of Workforce Transformation.

Duncan Rudkin, commented: "Francesca will be a welcome addition to our senior leadership team. Her experience in staff development, EDI and organisational governance will be an asset to GPhC as we work to ensure that we foster a culture of continuous improvement in performance, effectiveness and professionalism."