News

Three of our Imperial people have been recognised for their achievements in the 2025 King’s birthday honours.

Professor Pankaj Sharma, consultant neurologist at the Trust, has been awarded an OBE For services to research in strokes in South Asian people. Professor Sharma is a Principal Clinical Teacher in the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial and the Director of the Institute of Cardiovascular Research at Royal Holloway, University of London.

Professor Sharma’s work has focused on identifying genes for stroke, particularly in people of South Asian heritage. His OBE has been awarded for two decades of research work on strokes in the British South Asian population – a population that is often understudied but has a high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality risk.

Professor Sharma said: “It is a privilege to be recognised for the quiet but dedicated work that my group and I have been undertaking for so many years in understanding and trying to improve the health of British South Asians.

“BRAINS, likely the world’s largest biobank for South Asian stroke involved recruiting patients from throughout the UK as well as India, Sri Lanka and the Middle East. My greatest thanks go to all those patients without whom this work would not have been possible.”

Bob Alexander, vice chair at the Trust, has been awarded an OBE for services to leadership in the NHS. Bob has over 30 years’ experience in finance and accounting at board level across the public sector, including the NHS, civil service, and Metropolitan Police. Bob retired as deputy chief executive of NHS Improvement in 2018 and now holds several non-executive roles. As well as vice chair at the Trust, Bob is also a non-executive director of London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust and a non-executive director at London Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

Professor Dafydd Thomas, retired consultant neurologist and President Professor emeritus of clinical neuroscience has been awarded an OBE for services to clinical neuroscience

Professor Thomas, who retired from the Trust in 2006, has been in numerous advisory and leadership roles, including secretary and chairman of the Royal College of Physicians' Special Advisory Committee on Neurology (1985–91). He was a long-standing member of national and international stroke associations and served on the boards of several neurological charities. He was President of the Medical Society of London (2019–20) and chairman of the St Mary’s Development Trust from 2016.

Professor Thomas said: “It is very gratifying to realise that my clinical and research efforts (always as part of a team) in improving the prevention of stroke and the treatment of acute stroke have been appreciated.

“I am so pleased that the Trust now offers one of the very best stroke services in the country with an increasing academic stroke research initiative, which I have been keen to support via the St Mary’s Development Trust. A big ‘thank you’ to all my ex-colleagues!”

Professor Tim Orchard, chief executive of Imperial College Healthcare, said: “I am incredibly proud to see our vice chair Bob Alexander, Professor Sharma and Professor Thomas recognised in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours. 

“From pioneering work in stroke research to decades of service in clinical neuroscience and national healthcare leadership, these honours celebrate not only individual achievement but also represent our passion and dedication to driving innovation and better care for our patients. On behalf of everyone in the organisation, congratulations to our Imperial people.”