Comms expert to take charge at health charity

Alex Holden, a former director of communications and currently deputy chief executive of the charity Target Ovarian Cancer, is to take charge at multiple sclerosis charity Overcoming MS.

She is taking up the role of CEO of Overcoming MS later this month, replacing interim chief executive Stephen Richards.

Holden’s has held a raft of senior communication roles across the charity and corporate sectors across the last two decades.

This includes nine years in charge of communications at Target Ovarian Cancer and more than four years at Mencap, where she was head of internal communications for more than two years, before becoming head of communications for a similar period.

She has also been communications manager at Britvic, head of channels and innovation at Virgin Media and senior internal communications manager at private healthcare firm Bupa.

“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,” said Holden.

“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.”

Overcoming MS chair Dowshan Humzah added: “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.”