Beat appoints new Trustees and Chair

Beat has appointed Chris Martin as its new Chair of Trustees and three new Trustees to its Board. The current Chair, Mike Cooke, will be stepping down after eight years in the role.

As Chair, Mike has overseen significant growth in Beat’s impact with many more people supported through its Helpline and support programmes each year, guided the charity through a rapid increase in demand during the pandemic and established Beat as a respected voice in policy circles. He leaves the charity in a strong position, offering a broad range of support for its diverse community of beneficiaries including people with lesser-known eating disorders.

Chris is the former Chief Executive of the digital advice and support charity, YouthNet, that he merged with the Get Connected helpline to form The Mix in 2016. With a new focus on positive wellbeing, Chris led The Mix’s growth, reaching 5 million young people across the UK annually while championing innovation and youth voice. In 2024, he drove the merger of The Mix with Mental Health Innovations to create the UK’s largest online, early intervention service for mental health. He also serves on the board of the Mental Health Foundation and his local youth club, the Harrow Club W10.

Beat has also appointed three new Trustees: Angela Hind, Danielle Glennon and Malika Bouazzaoui.

Angela is the CEO of the Medical Research Foundation and an experienced charity trustee. She is passionate about increasing research into eating disorders.

Danielle is a clinical consultant psychological therapist and mental health nurse. She is co-founder and head of FREED (First Episode Early Intervention for Eating Disorders) and national deputy curriculum lead for the NHS-E commissioned whole team training for community adult eating disorders.

Malika is a digital health strategy consultant. She has spent the past decade working in digital health and medtech, with a particular focus on digital mental health.

Mike Cooke, outgoing Chair, said:

“It has been an honour to serve as Chair over the past eight years and I am very proud of what we have achieved together. While I will miss the role and my fellow Trustees immensely, I know that I'm leaving the Board in very capable hands. Chris's expertise and fresh perspective will be a real asset, and I look forward to seeing what's next for Beat.”

Chris Martin, incoming Chair, said:

“I am delighted to become Chair of Beat and to join an incredible board of new and old Trustees, who offer a wealth of experience and expertise. I look forward to working with the brilliant Beat team as we embark on the next stage of our charity’s development, tackling the urgent and growing need for support for those living with eating disorders, their carers and their families. I would particularly like to thank Mike for his warm and generous leadership that has done so much to contribute to the life-changing impact of Beat’s work.”