Emis chief executive Chris Spencer to retire

Chris Spencer, the long-serving chief executive of leading UK clinical software firm Emis Health, has announced his plans to retire next year.

Spencer, who has been at the head of Emis since 2013, will retire towards the end of next year.  A search has begun to find his successor.

Originally an intellectual property lawyer, Spencer has been a key member of company’s leadership team since joining the company in 1999 ahead of the company’s 2010 AIM flotation.

When the company floated it was valued at about £200m. As of December 2016 its market capitalisation is £590m.

Spencer served as chief administrative officer, including roles as group counsel and company secretary prior to being appointed chief executive in 2013, taking over from Sean Riddell.

Mike O'Leary, Chairman of EMIS Group, said: "Chris has given outstanding service to Emis for over seventeen years, including as chief executive since 2013, and we respect his decision to put a timeframe around his well-earned retirement, while ensuring a smooth handover and allowing the board ample time to find a successor of the highest calibre."

Emis Group also announced the unrelated appointment of former Cerner UK managing director David Sides as an additional independent non-executive director from 1 January, 2017.

Sides is the current chief executive of Streamline Health, former head of iMDSoft, which was acquired earlier this month by Harris Computer Corporation.

He was a senior Cerner executive for 17 years, including four years as managing director of the UK and Ireland business.

O'Leary commented: "We are delighted to welcome David to the board, where his broad experience of the healthcare technology sector will strengthen the board's existing skillsets.

Emis was set up in 1987 by two GPs based in North Yorkshire,  Dr David Stables and Dr Peter Sowerby.