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Kenny goes from regulating lawyers to defending doctors and dentists

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Kenny: next phase of development

Chris Kenny, outgoing chief executive of the Legal Services Board (LSB), is to join the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS), it has emerged.

Mr Kenny will take over as chief executive in January from Professor Gordon Dickson, who was in the post for more than a decade. He will give one of his last public addresses at November’s Legal Futures Annual Conference [2].

During the last 10 years, the MDDUS has grown to a fund of over half a billion pounds now being managed for the benefit of 40,000 members throughout the UK.

The MDDUS is an independent mutual organisation providing medico-legal advice, dento-legal advice and professional indemnity for doctors, dentists and other healthcare professionals across the UK.

Mr Kenny’s replacement has yet to be named, but his departure is part of a major changing of the guard at the top of legal regulators that has already seen a new chairs for the LSB and Legal Ombudsman, together with a new chief executive for the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). January will bring new chairs for the SRA and Bar Standards Board, and new chief executives for the Law Society and Chartered Institute of Legal Executives.

Mr Kenny has been the LSB’s chief executive since it was set up in January 2009. His early career was in the civil service, in part at the Department of Health, before taking on senior roles at Oftel and the Association of British Insurers. From 2007 to 2008, he managed the detailed work on Lord Hunt of Wirral’s independent review of the Financial Ombudsman Service.

He has also held non-executive posts in a major learning disability organisation, an NHS primary care trust and ombudsman services which deals with disputes in the telecoms and energy sectors.

Mr Kenny said: “Under Gordon’s leadership, MDDUS’ reputation for service and value for its members has grown markedly and led to significant expansion for the company. I’m looking forward to building on that excellent record as the company moves to the next phase of its development.”

MDDUS chairman Dr Benny Sweeny said: “The ten years that Professor Dickson has been CEO has seen a complete transformation of MDDUS into a modern, vibrant and successful company with a growing membership, sound finances and an excellent corporate governance infrastructure…

“The board of directors is confident that it has identified a suitable successor to Gordon, and we look forward to welcoming Chris Kenny to the company in the New Year.”