NHS pharmaceuticals negotiator to join Newmarket Strategy

Health and life sciences consultancy, Newmarket Strategy, has added another NHS and government leader to its top team. Robert Kettell, currently the NHS’s Director of Medicines Negotiation, will join Newmarket as a Partner in January. He is one of the UK’s leading experts in pharmaceutical pricing and market access, having held senior positions in this field within HM Treasury, the Department for Health and Social Care, and most recently NHS England.

Robert was the lead negotiator for the UK Government on the last two voluntary scheme deals for medicines pricing and access (the 2019 VPAS and 2024 VPAG) and spent over four years leading the operation of the scheme. These voluntary deals are the agreements governing how companies get paid for innovative medicines. There has been significant additional interest in VPAG, and its successor, given political interest in the UK and US over drug prices. The new deal for UK pharmaceuticals and medicines access was announced by Government on 1 December 2025.

In his current role at NHS England, Robert has recently led a series of sensitive and technical negotiations across many innovations including ATMPs, multi-indication oncology medicines, and population-health interventions for obesity and CVD. He delivered the first successful combination therapy deals, a groundbreaking outcome-based pricing agreement in haemophilia B, and the implementation of a revolutionary gene therapy for thalassaemia and sickle cell disease via the Innovative Medicines Fund. Robert also spent three years as the lead negotiator for the NHS on the GP Contract, including on the establishment of new financial incentives for GPs through QOF and Primary Care Networks (PCNs).

Newmarket Strategy’s Chief Executive Officer, Ed Jones, commented:

“Rob has made an immense impact on UK policy in medicines access and reimbursement over the last fifteen years. From leading government negotiations over the Voluntary Scheme, to completing deals across therapy areas, he brings unrivalled knowledge to Newmarket’s mission – helping our clients unlock quicker access for patients to the best innovation. I know from my own previous work alongside Rob, that he is an exceptional individual who brings outstanding insight and dedication to his work.”

Robert Kettell commented:

“It has never been more critical that healthcare systems work collaboratively with the life sciences industry to ensure rapid patient access to the innovations which can transform disease and care pathways. I’m looking forward to joining the phenomenal Newmarket team and using my experience as a national leader in Government and NHS England to drive this partnership.”

Notes

• A market access and health policy consultancy, Newmarket Strategy was founded in 2021 by former Health Minister, Lord O’Shaughnessy, former Government adviser, Ed Jones, and pharma industry expert, Berkeley Greenwood.
• The business was joined in 2023 by former NHS England Commercial Medicines Director and Interim Chief Commercial Officer, Blake Dark, who leads its Value & Access practice.
• Today, its Chief Clinical Officer is Professor Peter Clark, former NHS oncologist and Head of the NHS Cancer Drugs Fund, while its Strategic Government Affairs practice is led by former No10 Downing Street adviser, Bill Morgan.
• Newmarket is backed by US Private Equity firm, Baird Capital, who took a minority stake in the business in January 2025.

Robert Kettell biography

Robert is one of the UK’s leading experts in pharmaceutical pricing and market access, having held senior positions within HM Treasury, the Department for Health and Social Care, and NHS England on life sciences policy and negotiation.

Most recently, Robert was Director of Medicines Negotiation and Managed Access at NHS England where he led a series of sensitive and technical negotiations across many innovations including ATMPs, multi-indication oncology medicines, and population-health interventions for obesity and CVD. He delivered the first successful combination therapy deals, a groundbreaking outcome-based pricing agreement in haemophilia B, and the implementation of a revolutionary gene therapy for thalassaemia and sickle cell disease via the Innovative Medicines Fund.

Robert was the lead negotiator for the UK Government on the last two voluntary scheme deals – the 2019 VPAS and 2024 VPAG – and spent over four years leading the operation of the scheme. He also spent three years as the lead negotiator for the NHS on the GP Contract, including the establishment of new financial incentives for GPs through QOF and Primary Care Networks.