News

Southern Cross Healthcare (SCHL) has announced changes to its Board table, welcoming three new Trustees – Chris Black, David Bridgman and Dr Dwayne Crombie – as of 1 January.

The appointments follow Keith Taylor’s retirement from the Southern Cross Healthcare Board on 31 December 2021. Mr Taylor served on both the SCHL and Southern Cross Health Society Boards for 11 years.

Southern Cross Healthcare is the largest independent private healthcare network in the country. In the 2021 financial year, it provided elective surgery, high-end diagnostics and cancer treatment to almost 100,000 patients at its wholly owned or joint venture hospitals and medical facilities. In addition, rehabilitation, community-based physiotherapy, mental health and corporate wellness services are provided to New Zealanders.

The SCHL Board undertook a robust and thorough search for candidates to replace Mr Taylor and to fill two additional Trustee vacancies.

“We believe Mr Bridgman, Mr Black and Dr Crombie will each make a significant contribution to the SCHL Board and complement the skill set of the other Trustees,” said Southern Cross Healthcare Chair, Greg Gent.

“On behalf of the Board, I would like to express my particular gratitude and appreciation to Mr Taylor for his leadership and considerable service in fulfilling the purpose of helping to make quality healthcare more affordable and accessible for all New Zealanders,” added Mr Gent.

Julia Raue also joined the Southern Cross Healthcare Board as Trustee in August 2021. Ms Raue is also a Director on the Southern Cross Health Society and Southern Cross Pet Insurance Boards, roles she has held since 2015 and 2020 respectively.

Chris Black (CA, DIP. ACC, B. SURV)

Mr Black has a wealth of experience in financial services, with particular expertise in corporate strategy, customer service, joint ventures, and financial and risk management. He

was Chief Executive of member-based FMG between 2008 and 2021 and was an independent Director of FMG prior to this.

Mr Black was previously a member of the Insurance Council of NZ (ICNZ), including a three-year appointment as the ICNZ President, and was a Commissioner of the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO) Scheme and Board member of BNZ Life Insurance. He also previously served as the vice-chair of the International Cooperative & Mutual Insurance Federation.

David Bridgman (MCOM, LLB, MINSTD, ACA)

Mr Bridgman is an experienced advisor in corporate finance and restructuring. He retired from PwC at the end of 2020 after 22 years as a partner. He has worked extensively with many of New Zealand’s leading cooperatives and mutual organisations and currently chairs several private companies and provides corporate finance and strategic advisory services on his own account.

Mr Bridgman has previously provided advisory services to Southern Cross Health Society and the Southern Cross Health Trust. He is a Chartered Accountant and a Member of the Institute of Directors.

Dr Dwayne Crombie (MB ChB, D Com H, FAFPHM, NZCPHM)

Dr Crombie has more than three decades of senior executive experience in both the public and private sectors, having worked on several large transformation projects including digital transformation, technology and property. He also has extensive public, academic and private governance experience.

Dr Crombie has worked for global healthcare organisation Bupa for 15 years in several Managing Director roles, and currently heads up Health Services within Bupa Asia Pacific. Prior to this, he was CEO for Waitemata Health and Waitemata DHB. He is currently the Chair for Repromed Auckland Ltd and is a Board member of Bupa Health Services, Bupa Innovation and George Health.

Julia Raue (CMinstD, GAICD)

Ms Raue has extensive digital, customer, data, information technology, strategy and business transformation experience across several sectors including airline, telecommunications, local government and not-for-profit in New Zealand and Australia.

She was previously Chief Information Officer of Air New Zealand (2007-2015) and was awarded the New Zealand CIO of the Year award in 2009. Ms Raue has been a professional director since 2014 and is currently a director of Z Energy, The Warehouse Group and Jade Software, and is the Chair of the NZ Rugby Appointments and Remuneration Committee.

ENDS