London Health and Social Care Industry Dinner

Lord Nick Markham CBE

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care

Nick Markham was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care on 22 September 2022.
He has extensive experience across the public, private and voluntary sectors. Previously he was Lead NED at DWP, Lead NED for MHCLG and Deputy Leader of Westminster Council.
Nick is also a founder of Safe Haven, a social enterprise charity that provides homes for the homeless in London after raising £33 million through an innovative funding model which effectively “securitises housing benefit” thereby requiring no government grants or donations.
Nick has extensive private sector experience with roles including ITV Strategy Director, where he developed the concept of Freeview with the BBC and was in charge of the Carlton and Granada merger. Previously he was CFO of Laura Ashley and CEO of Top Up TV which was the World’s first successful Digital Terrestrial pay TV company which he established on the back of venture capital.
Nick has also served as the Chair of LCR, the part of DfT that specialises in driving regeneration around railways such as Kings Cross and Manchester Mayfield. Under Nick’s leadership, LCR majored on provisioning railway land for housing, making it equivalent to a UK top 10 housebuilder.
 

Sonia Patel

Interim Government Chief Technology Officer, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Sonia joined as interim Government Chief Technology Officer on 1st April 2026 following her role as CTO at NHS England.
 
With more than 20 years’ experience in the healthcare sector, Sonia is widely recognised as an influential digital leader with a strong track record of delivering innovation in complex and challenging environments. Her leadership is grounded in a deep commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion. 
 
She is an active advocate of the Shuri Network, BCS and APHA, and she dedicates significant time to mentoring emerging digital talent, reflecting her passion for developing the next generation of health tech leaders.