Dame Donna Kinnair can draw on a wealth of experience in her new role as head of nursing at the Royal College of Nursing, from health visiting to government adviser, but her early training as a retail management trainee also gave her some invaluable insights into how to commission what people need and want. She spoke to Jennifer Trueland

AS A manager with Marks & Spencer, one of Dame Donna Kinnair’s tasks was to organise bra testing. The job required tact, an eye for what was needed and the ability to negotiate with manufacturers to ensure the end product was something that the customer would love: all at the right price.