Non-executive directors

Ian was appointed chair of Barts Health in March 2025. Ian will also take on the role of chair of the acute provider collaborative with our partners at Homerton Healthcare, Barking, Havering, and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, and the North East London (NEL) integrated care board (ICB).

Born in East London, Prof Jacobs worked here at all grades - from house officer and research fellow to consultant and professor - between 1984 and 2004.

During that time he completed specialist training in gynaecological oncology at St Bartholomew’s, and was then a consultant at Barts and the London, and professor of gynaecological cancer at Queen Mary University of London.

While working at the London hospital in 1985 he founded the Eve Appeal to support research into women’s cancer. He later led a series of major studies into ovarian cancer screening and prevention, and was director of the Barts Cancer Institute.

Ian moved to University College London in 2004 to run a new Institute for Women’s Health, later becoming dean of biomedical sciences. In 2011 he was appointed vice-president and dean of health sciences at the University of Manchester, where he also led the academic health science centre.

From 2015-2022 Ian relocated to Australia to serve as president and vice chancellor of the University of New South Wales in Sydney. He led initiatives in research, education and diversity which took it to 19^th place in the global university rankings.