Former chief crown prosecutor to chair biggest trust

A former chief crown prosecutor has been appointed to chair England’s largest trust.

Nazir Afzal will take up the role at Manchester University Foundation Trust on 4 January, succeeding Trevor Rees, who stepped in as acting chair after Kathy Cowell left to become regional chair for NHS England North West.

Mr Afzal was previously a director at the Crown Prosecution Service in London, and served as the chief crown prosecutor for North West England from 2011 to 2015. He is also chancellor of Manchester University.

He led an independent review into the Nursing and Midwifery Council in 2024, which found “dysfunctionality” “at virtually every level of the organisation, across all directorates”, alongside instances of bullying, racism, and discrimination.

Mr Afzal said: “I intend to listen, to challenge when necessary and, above all, to keep patients and communities at the heart of what we do.

“You cannot lead an organisation this important from a boardroom alone. I want to spend time with our teams, hear what is working and what isn’t, and make sure people feel able to speak openly. Good organisations are built on people who feel listened to and valued."

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Source: HSJ, 20 October 2026