Appointment strengthens CF’s expertise in healthcare transformation across the UK, Europe and the Middle East.
Stephen Donnelly who served as Ireland’s Minister for Health from 2020 to 2025, has joined CF as Partner. Stephen brings extensive experience in public sector transformation and will contribute to CF’s engagements with clients both in the United Kingdom and across the EU. He offers comprehensive insight into the health sector, encompassing government, health systems, life sciences, private healthcare, and health investment.
Stephen designed and led the most comprehensive programme of investment and reform in Ireland’s public health service in decades. Including elements of Sláintecare, this plan for universal healthcare has delivered between 2020 and 2025 a 50% reduction in patient waiting time, vital new patient services and better patient outcomes. The approach includes addressing productivity, shifting care to the community, focusing on prevention, rolling out eHealth and improving cost effectiveness. Many of these reforms mirror the goals of governments in UK and indeed across Europe and the Middle East to reduce hospital-centric spending and invest in improving population health with community-based care, providing CF with unique insights directly applicable to any health system transformation.
Stephen led Ireland’s health response to Covid-19 and its drive for vaccination and immunisation. Stephen also led Ireland’s roll out of the RSV vaccines for infants in the winter of 2024 which resulted in 94% reduction in severe RSV-related illness. And he led the roll out of the HPV vaccine catch-up programme which was recognised with the Laura Brennan award in 2024.
Prior to entering politics, Stephen worked at McKinsey for five years as a consultant, working across Ireland, the UK and the Middle East. Stephen holds a mechanical engineering degree from University College Dublin, a master’s in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School and studied complex systems design at M.I.T. His extensive European networks and policy experience will also support CF’s expansion across the UK, Europe and the Middle East. During his political career, Stephen demonstrated exceptional analytical capabilities and strategic thinking. He was recognised as The Irish Times’ Politician of the Year in 2012 for his contributions on Ireland’s banking crisis.
Hannah Farrar, Chief Executive Officer of CF, stated, “Stephen brings something truly unique to our UK transformation work – direct experience designing and implementing the exact type of comprehensive national health system reform that the UK government is now prioritising. Stephen’s time in office saw him deliver major improvements across waiting times, productivity, and patient outcomes, bringing with him invaluable strategic and operational insights and learnings.”
Catherine Skilton, Health Systems Partner at CF, stated, “Stephen’s experience of implementing community focused healthcare reforms in his time as Irish Health Minister, will provide unique insights to our work supporting the NHS as it embarks on an ambitious 10-year transformation plan – and in particular its emphasis on neighbourhood health as the key to achieve the shift to prevention, digital and community based care. His understanding of how to redesign incentive structures, improve productivity and integrate care between settings addresses exactly the challenges our UK NHS clients face. I am really excited to have him join the team.”
Ben Richardson, Life Sciences and Health Investing Parter at CF, stated, “Stephen’s leadership experience, track record of delivery in health systems and in partnership with life sciences industry, combined with his experience in EU policymaking, will bring valuable insights to clients across the whole health sector. I’m delighted to be welcoming a former colleague to CF.”
Stephen Donnelly
Commenting on his appointment, Stephen said “As Minister for Health I had the honour of designing and leading a comprehensive healthcare transformation plan that moved beyond policy aspirations to deliver real results for patients, healthcare workers and taxpayers. I’m excited to be joining the CF team and to continue working to improve health services in the UK, Europe and the Middle East.”
CF is a leading consultancy dedicated to making an enduring impact on health and healthcare. We work with leaders and frontline teams to improve health, transform healthcare, embed life science innovation and boost growth through investment.
Our consultancy serves the entire healthcare sector, from payors and providers of care, to life science companies, health tech and sector suppliers. CF’s multi-disciplinary team provides end-to-end services, spanning strategy, finance, performance, organisational improvement, data, digital and AI. We also create optimal policy conditions for healthcare advancements through evidence-based thought leadership, taking a proactive stance on key issues.
As an inclusive and values-driven organisation, we are committed to excellence and are honoured to have received multiple industry awards. With unmatched access to UK healthcare data and specialist data science expertise, our consultants are a driving force for delivering positive and meaningful change.
CF headquarters are in London with Middle East headquarters in Riyadh and an office in Dubai. It serves clients in the UK and across Europe and the Middle East.
