James Robinson, PhD, is the Leonard D. Schaeffer Professor of Health Economics and the Director of the Berkeley Center for Health Technology, which supports research projects for innovative technologies including biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, and diagnostics.

Dr. Robinson spends 30 minutes talking with Dr. Penny Dash, who is Chair of North West London Integrated Care System (ICS) – responsible for improving the health of ~2.4 million people, reducing inequalities in health and ensuring high quality and efficient services within a ~£6bn budget. The ICS brings together all health and care providers in the area (GPs, social care, mental health and community providers,hospitals) as well as local authorities, the voluntary sector, research partners, the wider life sciences industry and communities to achieve its aspirations.   It also has a remit to work with partners to drive wider economic and social impact.  

Penny is co-Chair of the Cambridge Health Network, which brings together leaders from across the healthcare industry for discussion and debate.   She sits on the Advisory Boards for Brunel University Medical School and the Dementia Research Institute at Imperial.   She is a member of the NHS Assembly (a group of around 40 people who advise the government and NHS on health policy) and the London Life Sciences Advisory Board.

Penny has focused her career on improving the quality and efficiency of health and care services in order to improve life expectancy and quality of life in multiple countries across the world.   

Penny has worked as a practicing doctor, a senior manager and as an advisor/consultant to a wide range of organisations across the healthcare industry, from health systems, payors and providers to pharmaceutical and med tech companies to investors.   

She spent the last 20 years at McKinsey where, as a Senior Partner, she led McKinsey’s healthcare practice across Europe and delivered improvements in health and care in Africa, Australia, Asia and North America. 

Prior to joining McKinsey, Penny was Head of Strategy at the UK Department of Health. Penny was Vice Chairman of the King’s Fund from 2006-2015 and a Non-Executive Director on the board of Monitor, the Regulator of Foundation Trusts, from 2004-2006.

Penny originally trained as a Doctor in Cambridge and London and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London. She has an MSc in Public Health Medicine and a MBA from Stanford Business School where she was a Fulbright Scholar. In 2011, Penny was voted “Advisor of the Year” from Health Investor Magazine.