Assura chairman Simon Laffin to retire at AGM

Assura chairman Simon Laffin will retire in July and will be replaced by fellow board member Ed Smith.

Laffin will step down at the primary care property investor’s annual general meeting on 10 July after seven years in the job.

Assura said Laffin told the board last year he was thinking of retiring, leading to Smith’s appointment as a non-executive director in October. Smith will take over as non-executive chairman at the AGM.

David Richardson, Assura’s senior independent director, said Laffin guided the company out of severe financial trouble and into the ranks of the FTSE 250.

“Simon leaves a strong management team and board in place. He retires with our thanks and best wishes for the future. I'm delighted that Ed has agreed to take on the role of chairman,” Richardson said.

Smith was a partner at the accountancy firm PwC for 30 years before retiring in 2007. Since then his jobs have included chairman of NHS Improvement, which oversees NHS trusts in England, and deputy chairman of NHS England.