LONDON—The British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) has appointed Cheryl Donnelly to the new role of chief executive officer (CEO), according to an announcement from the association. Donnelly will officially begin her new role on Jan. 6, 2014.

A qualified contact lens optician and former president of the BCLA, Donnelly joins the Association from Bausch + Lomb where she held the position of director, Medical Affairs, Vision Care for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), providing the clinical lead for the region.

In the newly created role of BCLA CEO, Donnelly will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the Association; she will also support the BCLA Council and staff in driving development, delivering on the Association's investment and business plans, and increasing membership and conference delegate numbers.

BCLA president Andy Yorke said, "We are delighted that Cheryl has accepted the appointment of CEO and I am looking forward to working with her closely in the coming months. She joins the BCLA at a time of significant change and her in-depth knowledge of the contact lens market, both in the U.K. and overseas, will be of immense importance in continuing the many changes that are still planned across the next few years."

Donnelly joined the BCLA Council as Dispensing Section Chair in 1997, was elected BCLA president in 2000 and awarded BCLA Fellowship in 2007. She was a Clinical Demonstrator at Aston University for the final year contact lens clinics, and was a part-time lecturer and course leader in Contact Lens Practice at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge.