An Executive Director’s perspective on power, systems, conflict & intimacy

Hendrika Santer Bream, Senior OD Consultant at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS* Foundation Trust introduces our guest at ODNE 2024 Barbara Kasumu, Executive Director of Charities of the Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation.

“I am always interested in how people develop and use their presence and in how their personal experiences inform their professional lives. Before I met Barbara Kasumu I was slightly in awe of her current role and her career path. Then when I did meet her a few weeks ago, I was blown away by her energy, her engaging personality, her insightful questions and her interest in OD and what we do.
A leader’s journey will inevitably involve grappling with the themes of our conference: power, systems, conflict and intimacy. Speaking from both professional and personal perspectives, Barbara will give us her take on these four themes.
I work for Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust. The Foundation that Barbara leads is independent of the NHS but our two organisations have a lot of shared history and a have had a close partnership over many years: I am really looking forward to what Barbara will share with us!”
Hendrika
(*The NHS is the UK’s National Health Service)

Book Now for the ODN Europe Annual Congress

Barbara Kasumu
Barbara has over 15 years senior leadership experience drawn from across higher education and the charity sector. Prior to joining the team at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Barbara was Director of Membership, Programmes and Business Development at the Association of Commonwealth Universities and Executive Director at the National Union of Students. In both roles she was instrumental in delivering key organisation reforms, leading on income generation, innovation, and strategy.
Barbara currently sits on the board of the Youth Hostel Association, as a non-executive director.
Once named as Red’s Magazine ‘Woman to Watch’, Barbara was appointed to the Diversity and Inclusion board for the London 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games and has previously sat on the charity boards of Foyer Federation and The Kids Network.
Barbara is a Clore Social Fellow and has represented the UK on international platforms including at the G8 and G20 summits.