Lesley Regan elected president of Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Professor Lesley Regan will become the first female President of the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 64 years

Professor Regan is currently Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Director of People and Culture within the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London.

Professor Regan’s main clinical and research interests are in recurrent miscarriage and the development of non-invasive fertility sparing therapies for uterine fibroids.

She is only the second woman President in the College's history and the first who is also a mother.

She will take up her three year appointment following the Fellowship Admissions Ceremony on Friday, 23 September 2016.  

Professor Regan has been Vice President for Strategic Development at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists since January 2014. She has expanded the external affairs remit of the College, hosted three International Women’s Day events on child marriage, domestic violence and maternal mental health. She has secured new funding streams to undertake transformational projects, including the Leading Safe Choices programme which is helping to raise the standing of family planning professionals in South Africa and Tanzania.

She has also published two successful books on miscarriage and pregnancy for the public and presented a series of BBC Horizon documentaries.

Commenting on her appointment, Professor Lesley Regan, said: “It is a great honour to be elected President and I am excited to be given the opportunity to lead my colleagues over the next three years.

"I look forward to working with the current President during the next few months before taking on this important role in September. With the wealth of expertise available within our membership, I am confident we will build on our work to improve safety and quality in women’s healthcare, provide excellence in training and education and be powerful advocates for women and their families, both in the UK and globally."

Welcoming the appointment, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Dr David Richmond, said: “I am delighted that Professor Regan has been elected as the next President.

"Her wide-ranging experience as a clinician and clinical leader will be invaluable in the role. Throughout her whole career, Lesley has demonstrated her commitment to improving women’s healthcare in the UK and worldwide, and her knowledge and experience will be immensely valuable as the College seeks to raise standards and advocate for women’s health in a time of unprecedented funding challenges for the NHS.”