Autistica, the UK’s largest autism medical research charity, has announced the appointment of Christine Swabey as its new chief executive with effect from October 1.

Swabey will succeed Hilary Gilfoy, who has held the post for five years, and is reducing her workload for health reasons.

Christine Swabey has enjoyed a highly successful career in both the private and public sectors.

After leaving university she held director-level roles in the financial sector before taking on a portfolio of non-executive posts in the public sector.

She is particularly well-qualified to take Autistica forward, having had previous experience as a trustee of TreeHouse, the national charity for autism education, as well as having had extensive experience of the healthcare sector, including eight years as Chair of Kingston Hospital NHS Trust.

Having successfully built the charity from a standing start in 2005 to its present position as the leading UK charity funder of autism research, Hilary Gilfoy will continue to support Autistica over the nine months from October as a part-time consultant, completing several major projects with which she has been closely involved.

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