CMF launches search for new CEO

CMF’s Chief Executive, Peter Saunders, has accepted an offer to become CEO of the International Christian Medical and Dental Association (ICMDA), so will be stepping down from his CMF role at the end of this year.

The new role is a logical next step for Peter who has served on the ICMDA board for 16 years and already visited over 50 countries, ministering on behalf of ICMDA in many of them.

He takes over from Vinod Shah, who has held the post for the last eight years, and walks in the footsteps of four other members of CMF UK who have led ICMDA in the past – Keith Sanders, John and Thea Reader and Peter Pattisson.

CMF Chairman Ken Toop writes, ‘Peter has been on our staff for 26 years, first as Student Secretary, and for 18 years as CEO. He has served with exceptional drive, courage and godliness, and much of the strength of our present Fellowship is due to his gifts and abilities. We are deeply grateful to him.’

The CMF Board met just before the AGM on 30 June, where the news was made public, and appointed a search committee to lay out plans for finding Peter’s successor.

The team will be chaired by Professor Sam Leinster, and consists of the following, who are also members of the board: Maggy Spence (incoming board chair), Kevin Vaughan, Matt Davis, Howard Lyons, and Ken Toop.

Although Peter has given us a lot of notice, we anticipate there may be a period of interregnum while we find the right person to succeed him. We will be formally advertising, and would also value your input as members.

We need a godly person, who is and will be a servant leader, with medical qualifications, or a very strong association with the NHS. A full person specification along with a job description are available on request.

We want to cast our net widely, to find God’s person for this important position. If you know of someone who you think might be suitable for this role, or if you are interested yourself, please e-mail Sam Leinster at CEOsearch@cmf.org.uk

While no leadership change is straightforward, CMF is, by God’s grace, in a strong position with a clear ministry direction, strong staff team and sound finances and we have every confidence that it will continue to go from strength to strength under the Lord’s leading.

Our five-year 2020 ACTIVE plan – Connect, Grow, Speak and Serve – is now in its third year allowing a new CEO to take time to settle in well and become familiar with all the Fellowship’s existing staff and ministries.

CMF is a founder member of ICMDA, and has been active in supporting its ministry for many years. In particular CMF has been active in supporting the Christian medical movements in Europe, the former Soviet Union and the Middle East.

ICMDA’s aim is ‘to start and strengthen national movements of Christian doctors and dentists’ to live and speak for Jesus Christ. Its vision is ‘a Christian medical and dental witness in every community in every nation’.

ICMDA currently has member movements in over 80 countries of which CMF and CMDA US are the largest. Another twelve national bodies are due to join at this year’s World Congress in Hyderabad, India on 21-26 August.

The ICMDA Office will move to the UK from India in February next year when Peter formally takes up the new post.

Please pray for the staff at this time of uncertainty and change, and for Peter and his wife Kirsty, also a CMF member, as they manage this time of transition. And, as always, please continue to pray for the work of CMF in this country and around the world and support it in every way you can.

Peter says, ‘It has been an immense privilege working with CMF these last 26 years during an exciting time of growth and change and my hope is to make the transition and handover as smooth as possible’.