She starts on 24 November and will be responsible for the ABPI’s engagement with all external stakeholders – government, NHS, media, patient groups and the wider healthcare community.
She will report directly to ABPI chief executive Stephen Whitehead and will advise the management board and senior leadership team on communication issues.
Thompson began her career working for a range of PR agencies including Burson-Marsteller and Weber Shandwick where her clients included leading pharmaceutical and health organisations.
Whitehead said: "Aileen’s vast communications and campaigning experience and her track record of successfully tackling difficult and sensitive issues across a range of industries will be hugely beneficial to the ABPI at a time when there are many issues and challenges on the table for our industry and I very much look forward to working with her."
Thompson said: "The health of the UK's population touches all of our lives in one way or another. With the opportunities and challenges ahead, this is an exciting time to join the ABPI to represent and champion an industry that is central to the future shape of healthcare."
Aileen Thompson to lead comms for pharma industry body
Aileen Thompson, the former corporate comms director at Vodafone UK, is joining the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) as director of comms.
