Dr David Montgomery FFPM to be the next Responsible Officer
Posted on: Friday 1 August 2025
After almost 13 years of dedicated service, Dr Susan Bews’ FFPM term as the Responsible Officer will shortly come to an end. We warmly thank Susan for her outstanding contribution in this role. Her leadership has been instrumental in maintaining high standards of professional regulation, supporting our connected doctors through the revalidation process, and helping to uphold the reputation of our profession.
As we bid farewell and express our deep gratitude to Susan, we are delighted to welcome Dr David Montgomery FFPM as FPM’s new Responsible Officer. David brings a wealth of experience in pharmaceutical Medicine and shares FPM’s commitment to excellence in pharmaceutical medicine and professional development.
During the transition period, Susan and David will work together to ensure a smooth and seamless handover.
The appointment of David means that as well as meeting our obligations as a Designated Body, we continue to uphold FPM’s Values: Professional, Innovative, Caring, Collaborative, Credible and Learned.
Susan commented:
“Looking back at my time as Responsible Office for FPM since revalidation was introduced in 2013, I remain very aware of the privilege of that role and the support of so many during that time. It was that support and friendship that has inspired me and together enabled us to build a sound and welcoming revalidation process underpinned by good practice.
We have a fantastic group of hard working, committed appraisers providing the cornerstone of revalidation – thank you. But thank you too to all the doctors who have connected to us over that period, for your encouragement and questioning, all of which has helped us improve our processes. Thank you too to all the staff over those years. We could not have succeeded without everyone’s commitment to ensuring high standards.
The most rewarding part of that privilege has been sharing the ups and downs, joys, challenges and sadnesses that our doctors have faced – the very many varied personal and professional challenges. The opportunities to provide guidance, reassurance and other support to help our connected doctors, whatever the stage of their career, stands out for me. Many have come directly from the NHS having experienced the intense and continuing pressures there. The mental health challenges, including in pharma, should not be underestimated but I do think that for many, the FPM Designated Body has been able to restore confidence by demonstrating how they can maintain their licence to practice alongside their clinical peers.
Thank you to everyone I have known from this role and I am sure your next RO will value that support as much as I have.”
Dr Susan Bews FFPM
Outgoing Responsible Officer
David Commented:
“I’m honoured to take on the role of Responsible Officer for Revalidation at FPM. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Dr Susan Bews, who has served in this role with distinction for the past decade. Her leadership and commitment to professional standards have made a lasting impact on the Faculty and on pharmaceutical physicians more broadly.
This is a pivotal time for the Faculty, the profession and the Life Sciences sector. As the Faculty undergoes strategic and governance reviews under the leadership of our new President, we have an opportunity to reimagine revalidation – not as a regulatory burden, but as a supportive process focused on wellbeing and development.
The government’s Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England calls for a shift towards real-time feedback, continuous learning, and modernised professional development. My ambition is to align revalidation with that vision: combining accountability with meaningful support to ensure our members thrive in an evolving healthcare and scientific environment.”
Dr David Montgomery FFPM
Incoming Responsible Officer
About David
Dr David Montgomery is a pharmaceutical physician and surgeon with over two decades of experience spanning clinical medicine, pharmaceutical industry leadership, and third sector and political roles.
David is the current UK and Ireland Medical Director at Ipsen, where he leads a cross-functional team spanning medical affairs, pharmacovigilance, medical information, and clinical operations.
He recently celebrated his tenth anniversary as a Fellow of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine (FFPM) and has played an active role in shaping UK medical affairs and life sciences policy. David has served on numerous national panels and committees, including the FPM’s Policy and Communications Committee and representing the FPM on the BMA medical Academic Staff Committee. He has served terms on the Scottish Medicines Consortium and the National Cancer Drugs Fund on behalf of the ABPI and sits on the ABPI Medical Directors Committee. With a particular interest in responsible innovation and access to medicines, David is a regular contributor to thought leadership across journals, conferences, and expert forums.