Tina Swani

Chief executive, Birmingham St Mary's Hospice

Graduated in 1993

Tina Swani has developed a successful career in the charity sector, currently working as Chief Executive of Birmingham St Mary's Hospice. Before that, she worked for the British Red Cross, as Branch Director, then Regional Director. She studied a Diploma in Management Studies and a Masters of Business Administration at Birmingham City University, graduating in 1995.

Her time at Birmingham City University influenced her career direction post-graduation, giving her exposure to many different industries and sectors, equipping her with the skills to form the mix of business and community partnerships necessary to run a charity, raise funds and deliver services. 

Tina’s first career move after the MBA was into a commercial company, Blatchfords, manufacturers of prosthetic limbs, where she was inspired by the technological innovation on show, influencing her approach to technology and cutting edge solutions to day to day problems. 

After a series of swift promotions and career moves, culminating in her role as Regional Director for the Red Cross, she decided she wanted to have a lead role where she could shape the direction of a smaller organisation. The Trustees of Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice were seeking a Chief Executive to do just that, and she took up the role in 2001.

“My ambition now is to take local excellence to national level. At present I aim that Birmingham, as UK's second city has national recognition for addressing inequalities and difficulties experienced by people at the end of their lives and wanting the best of life when living with terminal illness. Approaching the 35th Anniversary of Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice, my team has established a Futures Forum Board for Palliative Care which engages leaders from different sectors to take the palliative care approach into all settings, working through what that means for our population's future, and finding new ways for organisations and sectors to achieve more together.”