ASTHMA UK and the British Lung Foundation have appointed two new trustees to the board. The charities merged on 1 January 2020 and these are the first appointments since the merger.

Caroline Cartellieri and Mike O’Connor bring a wealth of experience to the leading lung health organisation and join at a critical time for Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation, which took more than 24,000 calls to their helplines last year and provided vital information on long covid to around 40,000 people during the peak of the pandemic.

Caroline Cartellieri has over 25 years’ experience in e-commerce, digital strategy and marketing. Her previous roles include that of Chief Commercial Officer of Ennismore, Chief Digital Officer at Sun European Partners and Director of Digital Transformation at glh Hotels.

Caroline also brings health expertise through her role as a Governor of the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust and as an Independent Member of the National Information Board. She also served as a trustee of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust from 2013 to 2019.

Mike O’Connor has held CEO posts since 1989 with his last full-time role at StepChange Debt Charity, the UK’s largest debt advice charity.

His early career was in the Department of Health, where he was the Private Secretary to two Ministers, and in HM Treasury and Cabinet Office. He was a Trustee of the Mental Health Foundation and Action on Smoking and Health. Mike received a CBE for public service in 2000 and is a member of the Council of Fellows of the University of Keele.

Asthma UK’s mission is to stop asthma attacks and, ultimately, cure asthma by funding world-leading research, campaigning for improved care and supporting people to reduce their risk of a potentially life-threatening asthma attack. The British Lung Foundation offers hope, help and a voice to the millions of people in the UK affected by lung disease by funding research and providing support and information to improve the everyday lives of people with lung disease. It is campaigning for better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Sarah Woolnough chief executive of Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation said: 

“We’re thrilled to welcome Caroline and Mike to the team in our fight against lung disease.  Our trustees play a key role in enabling us to support the millions of people in the UK affected by lung disease through our life-saving health advice and nurse-staffed helpline.

“With their support, we are determined to continue delivering world-leading research and to be a strong voice for change in respiratory health care services and policy across the UK. We look forward to working with Caroline and Mike as we support our beneficiaries through the pandemic and beyond – ensuring lung health remains a top priority.”

Caroline Cartellieri said:

“I am honoured to be appointed as a trustee of Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation. As 1 in 5 people will develop a lung condition during their lifetime it’s important, we do all we can to help and I look forward to supporting and changing the lives of everyone affected by lung disease.”

Mike O’Connor said:

“Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation appealed to me not only because of the excellence of their work but also because of the ambition they showed in combining forces.  Mergers are rarely easy but I have always believed that there is huge scope in the charitable sector for combining forces in the interests of those we are here to serve and I look forward to joining the team at this important time.”