David Pearson MBE

Chair

David is Chair of the board of trustees. He has a professional background spanning 53 years' in the NHS where he has held clinical, managerial and executive roles.  During his career, he has led major transformation and capital redevelopment programmes enabling improved access and opportunity to patients and communities.

David is an experienced chair having chaired a large Community NHS Trust and, until October 2025, he was chair of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care board.

In recognition of his work across the NHS, David was appointed Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Doctor of Science at Keele University and an Honorary Visiting Fellow at Staffordshire University. 

He was made an MBE in 2010 for services to Mental Health Services.

David has also been active outside of the NHS as a Non Executive Director and Chair of Reaseheath land based college in Cheshire and Chair of his local Parish Council.  Between 1993 and 1997, he was engaged by the Charities Aid Foundation to jointly lead a review of mental health services between Moscow and Volgograd in Russia.

Outside of work David is married with three daughters and has a passion for cricket and motorsport.

Dr Gis Robinson

Trustee (Nominated)

Dr Gis Robinson, Trustee (Nominated)

Dr Robinson is the Executive Chief Medical Officer for UHDB NHS FT and is one of our Trustees nominated by the Trust to sit on our Board of Trustees.

Dr Robinson is a Paediatric Emergency Consultant by background who joined the Trust in 2009, just as the new Paediatric Emergency Department opened.  Dr Robinson holds a wealth of clinical knowledge and experience both in and outside the organisation, and joined the Board as Chief Medical Officer in April 2024, following a period as Interim Executive Medical Director since September 2023.

Sarah Hollidge

Trustee

Sarah serves as a Trustee for Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity, bringing extensive experience in strategy, governance, transformation and financial leadership. She is passionate about helping organisations turn ambitious plans into practical action and ensuring that decisions are informed by evidence, strong governance and the needs of the communities they serve.

Sarah’s career spans more than 30 years, including 14 years with PepsiCo in senior UK, European and global leadership roles. As Global Operational Excellence Director, she led strategy and transformation across more than 200 manufacturing sites, supporting improvements in performance, capability and the use of digital technology. Her wider experience includes leading a major UK manufacturing operation, developing international Lean Six Sigma programmes and overseeing significant budgets and productivity initiatives. Throughout her career, Sarah has focused on engaging people in change and creating sustainable improvements rather than short-term fixes.

Today, Sarah leads a Vistage peer advisory group for CEOs and Managing Directors across the East Midlands and works as an executive coach, helping senior leaders think differently, make better decisions and grow both personally and professionally. She also serves on the East Midlands Netball Regional Board, where she has held responsibility for governance and finance, and is now Vice Chair

Outside work, she enjoys spending time with her family, walking her dogs, cycling and reading—and has been known to take on the occasional long-distance charity challenge.