Mr Macdonald, who has held senior positions at the Healthcare Commission, Imperial College Healthcare, and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trusts, said he had been “struck by the warmth of everyone I’ve met and look forward to serving our staff and communities, and making Devon my home”.
Trust Chairman James Brent cited Mr Macdonald’s strong leadership and experience in driving cultural and operational improvements.
“Neil’s track record will be invaluable as we continue our journey of performance and cultural transformation,” he said.
Mr Brent also thanked interim chief executive Mark Hackett for his leadership over the past year, during which the trust achieved significant improvements in emergency care, planned services, theatre utilisation, and research.