ZPB Associates, the healthcare insight and communications consultancy, has appointed Janine Hawkins as interim chairman.

Hawkins has been a board advisor at ZPB since 2016, and in her new role will help the business to plan its growth and development within the UK health market.

She was formerly global chief executive at marketing consultancy Added Value, and a board member at sister company Kantar.

ZPB also recently appointed Trudie McNicholl as chief financial officer.

Company founder Zoe Bedford remains as chief executive, with Alex Kafetz as managing director. Original ZPB advisors Pam Garside and Jake Arnold-Forster, who have been involved in the company since it was founded in 2009, will also now take on more involved board roles in shaping the business.

Bedford commented: "Janine is an exciting appointment for ZPB and the continued commitment of our original board members really signals our intention to develop and grow the business. We have shown consistent growth in our key markets over the last seven years, working with top-flight organisations such as HCA, Healthcare at Home, Allocate and the Huntercombe Group, as well as public bodies such as NHS England and the Office for Statistics Regulation.”

Hawkins said it was an exciting time to be joining the business.

"As health and care systems – including the NHS – continually evolve, the insight ZPB provides and the role it plays in building evidence bases and connections where the NHS and independent sector can have productive partnerships is invaluable,” she said.