Tony Cooke is Chief Officer, Health Partnerships at Leeds City Council and also works for one day a week as Chief Operating Officer of the Leeds Academic Health Partnership (LAHP) based in Leeds University. As Chief Officer, Tony leads a team responsible for working with local authority, NHS, university, community and third sector partners to help shape and deliver the Leeds Health and Wellbeing Strategy, the Leeds City Ambition and key projects like health integration, health and housing and healthy economies.

Tony has extensive experience across the NHS, public health and local government. He began his career working on homelessness and substance misuse in London, gradually moving into strategy and policy but never losing sight of his purpose: to drive greater equality of opportunity and healthy life experience for all people. After working for 15 years in London, he came back to his home turf and worked for NHS Kirklees as Assistant Director of Commissioning and Strategy (Adults) and Kirklees Council as Assistant Director for Public Health. Prior to this, Tony held senior roles in local government and the third sector covering community safety, housing and drugs and alcohol.

Tony is passionate about population health and has a clear ambition to combine the strategic levers of health and wellbeing and inclusive growth to tackle generational health inequalities and improve the health of the poorest the fastest.

Tony is also a trustee of the Leeds Community Foundation and is a fan of Huddersfield Town and a proud father of four teenagers.