The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has announced plans for changes to its leadership team as part of its journey to becoming a royal college.
The changes are announced as the organisation navigates the transformation that its members voted in favour of in March 2025. This historic member vote mandated changes to the RPS’ Royal Charter, and set the intention to register as a charity and to become a royal college – the Royal College of Pharmacy. In addition a wholly owned (limited) subsidiary will be created for publishing activities delivered by the RPS’ knowledge business Pharmaceutical Press (PhP).
The leadership announcement is made as the RPS begins engagement with members and pharmacy professionals to inform the development of a new five-year strategy for the royal college, and continues to develop and establish the governance processes that will enable the royal college to prosper. Key to this is ongoing liaison with the Privy Council, Charity Commission, and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR).
Now as part of a carefully planned and managed process, and so that the new leadership team is in place as the organisation transitions to become a royal college, RPS will be recruiting for several key leadership roles including a Chair of Trustees for the new charity Trustee Board:
- Director of Finance and Technology
- Director of Pharmacy
- Director of Education
- Chair of Trustees for the new charity
The new royal college Executive team will include a new role of Director of Finance and Technology, with specialist charity experience, while the publishing company leadership team will include financial expertise focussed on commercial outcomes. In future the organisation will no longer require the existing Chief Officer roles outside of that of a Chief Executive Officer.
RPS Chief Executive Paul Bennett will continue to lead the organisation to ensure a successful transition to royal college, which is expected to be complete by mid-April 2026. As part of the changes Paul Bennett has announced he will step down from his role following the transition, at which point RPS Deputy CEO Karen Baxter will become interim CEO of the royal college and will take the leadership body forward, including implementing the new strategy with the new Executive team.
RPS CEO Paul Bennett, said:
“These appointments will ensure the organisation has the right skills, capabilities and structure in place to ensure the Royal College of Pharmacy can flourish and deliver its future strategy.
“Our current leadership team have guided the organisation to this point, and established the strong and sustainable financial and technological foundations the new royal college and publishing subsidiary will build on. I would like to thank Chief Operating Officer, Rick Russell, Chief Technology Officer, Avril Chester and Deputy Chief Executive, Karen Baxter, for their invaluable help and support on our journey so far.
“Now, at this pivotal moment it is important that we establish a future leadership team with charity and royal college experience that is the right one to take forward our ambitions.”
RPS President Professor Claire Anderson, said:
“Establishing the right leadership for the royal college of the future is vital as we navigate this complex transition, and I applaud the collaborative, strategic and planned approach of the current Executive team under Paul’s leadership, and supported by my colleagues on the Chairs and Officers Group. I am confident these plans will ensure that both the royal college and publishing subsidiary will have the strong, effective leadership in place at transition that enable them to thrive.
“The new Royal College of Pharmacy will start out in April 2026 invested with the hopes of all in pharmacy and an ambitious new strategy to put into action. We must all stand ready to support the royal college as it sets out to deliver the strong and collaborative professional leadership body that pharmacy deserves.”
Find out more about our journey to becoming a royal college.
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