Marimouttou Coumarassamy (Coumar) is the Deputy Chief Operating Officer & Accountable Emergency Officer at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. He is also the Founder & Chairman of the British Indian Nurses Association (BINA).

Coumar began his nursing career in Pondicherry, India, in 1994. After moving to the UK in 2003, he enhanced his clinical and leadership expertise with an MSc in Forensic Mental Health Care from the University of Birmingham and an MBA in Health Executive Leadership from Keele University.

With extensive experience leading mental health services across the Midlands, Northwest, and Southeast of England, Coumar has consistently delivered transformational change. He is known for redesigning care pathways, reshaping organisational culture, and driving performance improvement through value-based, patient-centred care. His leadership has earned national recognition from the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Care Quality Commission.

A passionate advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion, Coumar has been instrumental in advancing workforce equality—particularly around race and disability—across NHS systems. As the founder of BINA, he continues to elevate the voices of internationally educated nurses and the Indian nursing community across the UK.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to nursing, Coumar was awarded an MBE in the 2025 New Year’s Honours. He has been named one of the Health Service Journal’s Top BAME Leaders in Health (2022–2024) and is a recipient of multiple accolades, including the Inclusive Leadership Award (BSMHFT, 2022) and Nurse of the Year (BAPIO, UK, 2021).

Through bold leadership and an unwavering commitment to compassionate care, Coumar is shaping a more inclusive, innovative, and equitable healthcare system for all.