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50 Hospital Leaders Across Australia and New Zealand

  • Writer: Jonno White
    Jonno White
  • 5 days ago
  • 12 min read

Last updated: 11 August 2026

 

Hospital leadership across Australia and New Zealand is shaped by scale, geography and the needs of the communities each service supports. This list brings together 50 current hospital chief executives, managing directors and senior health system executives, with a short note on the leadership context around each role.

 

It includes public health services, private hospital groups and private hospitals. Four New Zealand entries are regional Health New Zealand executives rather than hospital CEOs, and that distinction is shown clearly in their role line. The list is arranged alphabetically by surname for easy navigation, not as a measure of importance.

 

These roles are not interchangeable. A metropolitan hospital group may be managing a large workforce and complex referral pathways, while a regional service may be balancing distance, workforce scarcity and access to care. Looking at the people leading both settings makes the work of hospital leadership more visible.

 

Why hospital leadership matters

 

A hospital chief executive sits where clinical quality, workforce, capital, public accountability and community expectations meet. The job is not only to keep the organisation running today. It is also to help people see what the organisation is becoming, and to make the trade-offs clear when every priority cannot be funded or delivered at once.

 

Jonno White’s principle of practical leadership is useful here: practical beats performative. In a hospital, the test of a leadership idea is whether it helps people make a better decision on a busy Monday, not whether it sounds impressive in a strategy document.

 

50 hospital leaders across Australia and New Zealand

 

1. Alison Zecchin

 

 

Alison Zecchin is chief executive at Western Sydney Local Health District in Australia. She commenced as Western Sydney LHD chief executive in June 2026 after eight years as General Manager of Royal North Shore Hospital and more than 35 years in NSW Health.

 

2. Andrew Stripp

 

Group Chief Executive, Epworth HealthCare

 

Andrew Stripp is group chief executive at Epworth HealthCare in Australia. He leads one of Australia’s largest not-for-profit private hospital groups, with a career spanning clinical, operational and health system leadership.

 

3. Annette Scott

 

Chief Executive, Darling Downs Health

 

Annette Scott is chief executive at Darling Downs Health in Australia. She is listed as the current chief executive for Darling Downs Health, a role shaped by the needs of a large regional and rural service area.

 

4. Anthony Brown

 

 

Anthony Brown is chief executive at South West Hospital and Health Service in Australia. He leads the South West HHS, where hospital and community care must work across a wide regional footprint.

 

5. Anthony Schembri

 

 

Anthony Schembri is chief executive at Northern Sydney Local Health District in Australia. He leads a district serving nearly one million people, with a workforce of about 12,000 and a budget of more than $2.3 billion.

 

6. Blair Roxborough

 

 

Blair Roxborough is chief executive at St George’s Hospital Christchurch in New Zealand. He leads St George’s Hospital in Christchurch and also serves as President of the New Zealand Private Surgical Hospitals Association.

 

7. Cath Cronin

 

Executive Regional Director, Midland and Te Manawa Taki, Health New Zealand

 

Cath Cronin is executive regional director, midland and te manawa taki at Health New Zealand in New Zealand. She is one of Health New Zealand’s regional executive directors, working across two regions in a national hospital system.

 

8. Chris Blake

 

Group Chief Executive Officer, St Vincent’s Health Australia

 

Chris Blake is group chief executive officer at St Vincent’s Health Australia in Australia. He leads St Vincent’s Health Australia, a national health and aged care organisation with hospitals across several Australian states.

 

9. Chris Lowry

 

Executive Regional Director, Central and Te Ikaroa, Health New Zealand

 

Chris Lowry is executive regional director, central and te ikaroa at Health New Zealand in New Zealand. He is one of Health New Zealand’s regional executive directors, with responsibility across the Central and Te Ikaroa regions.

 

10. Dale Bramley

 

Chief Executive, Health New Zealand

 

Dale Bramley is chief executive at Health New Zealand in New Zealand. He leads the national health system after more than a decade as a district health board chief executive and senior leadership roles in New Zealand healthcare.

 

11. Damien Bruce

 

Chief Executive Officer, Calvary Health Care

 

Damien Bruce is chief executive officer at Calvary Health Care in Australia. He leads strategy and service development across Calvary’s hospitals, aged care, community and virtual care services.

 

12. Deb Willcox

 

 

Deb Willcox is chief executive at Sydney Local Health District in Australia. She leads Sydney LHD after earlier chief executive experience in Northern Sydney and operational leadership at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

 

13. Deborah Carroll

 

 

Deborah Carroll is chief executive at Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service in Australia. She has led Wide Bay since May 2020 and brings long public sector experience to a service investing in hospital infrastructure and models of care.

 

14. Emma Field

 

 

Emma Field is chief executive at Murrumbidgee Local Health District in Australia. She became chief executive in 2026 after serving as the district’s Executive Director Service Delivery and now leads more than 5,000 staff across a large network of hospitals and community services.

 

15. Eugine Yafele

 

Chief Executive Officer, Monash Health

 

Eugine Yafele is chief executive officer at Monash Health in Australia. He has led Monash Health since 2024 after chief executive roles in the United Kingdom, bringing an international view to a major Victorian health service.

 

16. Fiona Michel

 

Chief Executive Officer, Braemar Hospital

 

Fiona Michel is chief executive officer at Braemar Hospital in New Zealand. She leads Braemar Hospital in Hamilton and brings executive and governance experience across private healthcare and wider business settings.

 

17. Frank Tracey

 

 

Frank Tracey is chief executive at Children’s Health Queensland in Australia. He leads the specialist children’s health service listed in Queensland’s current HHS executive directory.

 

18. Graham Dyer

 

Chief Executive Officer, Boulcott Hospital

 

Graham Dyer is chief executive officer at Boulcott Hospital in New Zealand. He became chief executive of Boulcott Hospital in 2025 after senior leadership roles across private health and accident compensation services.

 

19. Hannah Bloch

 

Chief Executive, West Moreton Health

 

Hannah Bloch is chief executive at West Moreton Health in Australia. She leads West Moreton Health, a fast-growing health service west of Brisbane with hospital, community and mental health responsibilities.

 

20. Ian England

 

Chief Executive Officer, Allevia Hospitals

 

Ian England is chief executive officer at Allevia Hospitals in New Zealand. He leads Allevia Hospitals across its Auckland facilities and brings previous hospital group and Australian hospital leadership experience.

 

21. Joel Gurr

 

 

Joel Gurr is chief executive at East Metropolitan Health Service in Australia. He leads East Metropolitan Health Service, which includes major hospital and community services in Perth’s eastern metropolitan area.

 

22. Jodie Geissler

 

Chief Executive Officer, Austin Health

 

Jodie Geissler is chief executive officer at Austin Health in Australia. She leads Austin Health after more than two decades in Victorian health, including senior roles in hospitals and the Victorian health department.

 

23. Julia Strickland-Bellamy

 

Group Chief Executive Officer, Mater

 

Julia Strickland-Bellamy is group chief executive officer at Mater in Australia. She became Mater Group CEO in 2025 after leading Aurora Healthcare, bringing nursing and multi-hospital experience to one of Queensland’s major health organisations.

 

24. Karen Puvogel

 

 

Karen Puvogel is chief executive officer at Northern Adelaide Local Health Network in Australia. She leads the Northern Adelaide LHN, which includes Lyell McEwin and Modbury Hospitals.

 

25. Kieran Keyes

 

 

Kieran Keyes is chief executive at Townsville Hospital and Health Service in Australia. He leads Townsville HHS, a major North Queensland service with a strong regional and referral role.

 

26. Leena Singh

 

 

Leena Singh is chief executive at Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service in Australia. She leads Cairns and Hinterland HHS, where hospital and community services support a geographically broad Far North Queensland population.

 

27. Leisa Rathborne

 

 

Leisa Rathborne is chief executive at South Eastern Sydney Local Health District in Australia. She became chief executive in January 2026 after leading Health Infrastructure and its large state capital programme, and after earlier roles at St George Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Women.

 

28. Lisa Blackler

 

 

Lisa Blackler is chief executive at Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service in Australia. She became Central Queensland HHS chief executive in 2024 after senior operational roles in New Zealand and Australia, with a background in nursing and midwifery.

 

29. Margaret Bennett

 

 

Margaret Bennett is chief executive at Southern NSW Local Health District in Australia. She leads Southern NSW LHD and previously spent nine years as CEO of Northeast Health Wangaratta, with experience uniting hospitals and community services across regional areas.

 

30. Margot Mains

 

 

Margot Mains is chief executive at Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District in Australia. She leads the Illawarra Shoalhaven district across hospitals, community services and a large coastal regional population.

 

31. Michael Woodhouse

 

Chief Executive Officer, Forté Health

 

Michael Woodhouse is chief executive officer at Forté Health in New Zealand. He leads Forté Health in Christchurch after earlier chief executive roles in private hospitals and a term as President of the private hospital association.

 

32. Natalie Davis

 

Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Ramsay Health Care

 

Natalie Davis is group chief executive officer and managing director at Ramsay Health Care in Australia. She became Ramsay Health Care Group CEO and Managing Director in 2024, leading a large hospital network across Australia and international markets.

 

33. Neil Doverty

 

 

Neil Doverty is chief executive at South Metropolitan Health Service in Australia. He leads South Metropolitan Health Service, covering Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospitals and other services in Perth’s south.

 

34. Nick Chamberlain

 

National Director, National Public Health Service, Health New Zealand

 

Nick Chamberlain is national director, national public health service at Health New Zealand in New Zealand. He is a national senior health executive with previous district health board chief executive experience and current responsibility for the public health service.

 

35. Nick Steele

 

Chief Executive, Metro North Health

 

Nick Steele is chief executive at Metro North Health in Australia. He leads Metro North Health, one of Queensland’s largest and most complex hospital and health services.

 

36. Nicole Tweddle

 

Chief Executive Officer, Victoria, St Vincent’s Health Australia

 

Nicole Tweddle is chief executive officer, victoria at St Vincent’s Health Australia in Australia. She leads St Vincent’s Victorian health operations and is part of the group executive team for a major not-for-profit health provider.

 

37. Noelle Cridland

 

Chief Executive, Metro South Health

 

Noelle Cridland is chief executive at Metro South Health in Australia. She leads more than 21,500 staff and a health service with an annual budget of more than $4 billion.

 

38. Peter Gillies

 

Chief Executive, Sunshine Coast Health

 

Peter Gillies is chief executive at Sunshine Coast Health in Australia. He became Sunshine Coast Health chief executive in 2021 after senior hospital leadership in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

 

39. Peter Steer

 

 

Peter Steer is chief executive officer at The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne in Australia. He became Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne CEO in 2025 after chief executive roles at Great Ormond Street Hospital and Children’s Health Queensland.

 

40. Pete Watson

 

Executive Regional Director, South Island and Te Waipounamu, Health New Zealand

 

Pete Watson is executive regional director, south island and te waipounamu at Health New Zealand in New Zealand. He is one of Health New Zealand’s regional executive directors, leading the South Island and Te Waipounamu region.

 

41. Richard Ryan

 

Chief Executive Officer, St Vincent’s Private Hospitals

 

Richard Ryan is chief executive officer at St Vincent’s Private Hospitals in Australia. He leads St Vincent’s private hospital operations within the group’s national executive structure.

 

42. Richard Whitney

 

Chief Executive Officer, Mercy Hospital Dunedin

 

Richard Whitney is chief executive officer at Mercy Hospital Dunedin in New Zealand. He leads Mercy Hospital Dunedin and brings almost four decades of health sector experience to the role.

 

43. Robert Toms

 

 

Robert Toms is chief executive at North Metropolitan Health Service in Australia. He leads North Metropolitan Health Service after earlier chief executive experience at Health Support Services and other complex health organisations.

 

44. Rex O’Rourke

 

 

Rex O’Rourke is chief executive at Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service in Australia. He leads Torres and Cape HHS, where distance, cultural context and remote service delivery are central leadership realities.

 

45. Ron Calvert

 

Chief Executive, Gold Coast Health

 

Ron Calvert is chief executive at Gold Coast Health in Australia. He leads Gold Coast Health, a fast-growing service with major hospitals and a large community health footprint.

 

46. Scott McLachlan

 

 

Scott McLachlan is chief executive at Central Coast Local Health District in Australia. He leads Central Coast LHD after senior public and private health leadership across metropolitan and regional New South Wales.

 

47. Sean Birgan

 

 

Sean Birgan is acting chief executive at North West Hospital and Health Service in Australia. He is listed as an acting HHS chief executive in Queensland’s current executive information, with leadership across regional and remote services.

 

48. Sue Williams

 

Chief Executive, Cabrini Health

 

Sue Williams is chief executive at Cabrini Health in Australia. She has led Cabrini Health since 2019 after senior roles including Peninsula Health CEO and Healthscope COO.

 

49. Tracey Maisey

 

 

Tracey Maisey is chief executive at Northern NSW Local Health District in Australia. She leads a district delivering care through hospitals, multipurpose services and community health centres across northern New South Wales.

 

50. Angela Shaw

 

Chief Executive Officer, Ormiston Hospital

 

Angela Shaw is chief executive officer at Ormiston Hospital in New Zealand. She became Ormiston Hospital chief executive in late 2025 after senior private hospital leadership roles in New Zealand and Australia.

 

What these leaders show us

 

The first pattern is that hospital leadership is inseparable from context. A metropolitan service such as Metro North, Northern Sydney or Monash Health works at a different operating scale from Torres and Cape, South West Health or a regional New Zealand hospital. The title may be similar, but the leadership problem is not.

 

The second pattern is the value of leaders who can move between clinical, operational and community perspectives. Several profiles here began in nursing, medicine or other frontline health roles before moving into executive work. That background does not remove the need for commercial or organisational judgement, but it can keep decisions connected to the reality of care.

 

The third pattern is that leadership visibility matters. A clear public executive page helps staff, patients, partners and prospective employees understand who is accountable for the service. It also gives the public a sensible starting point when a question is about the organisation rather than one individual clinician.

 

The practical lesson is simple. Leaders in complex health settings need to make priorities visible, build trust across professional groups and give people a clear reason to believe that the work can improve. That is what makes an organisation worth choosing, for patients and for the people who work there.

 

How to use this list

 

Use the list as a starting point for research, not as a complete directory. If you are preparing an introduction, read the organisation’s current leadership page first, then tailor your message to the service’s geography, patient population and current public priorities.

 

If you are comparing leadership roles, compare like with like. A group CEO, a local health district chief executive, an acting executive and a regional director may all influence hospital care, but they hold different responsibilities and different kinds of authority.

 

If you are writing about one of these organisations, check the official page again before publication. Health leadership changes through appointments, acting arrangements and restructures, and a current page is stronger evidence than an old profile or an undated directory.

 

Frequently asked questions

 

Are all 50 people hospital CEOs?

 

No. Most are hospital or health service CEOs, group CEOs or managing directors. Four New Zealand entries are current regional Health New Zealand executives, and their titles are labelled so readers can see the difference.

 

Does the list include both public and private hospitals?

 

Yes. It includes public health services, private hospital groups and private hospitals across Australia and New Zealand. The aim is to show the range of leadership settings rather than suggest that one model is better than another.

 

Is this an order of merit?

 

No. The names are in alphabetical order by surname for navigation. The list is a directory, not a comparison of the people on it.

 

How current is the information?

 

The role checks were made against first-party organisation or government pages on 11 August 2026. Roles can change, so the official page should be checked again before any public tagging, outreach or publication.

 

Can Jonno White help a hospital leadership team?

 

Yes. Jonno works with leadership teams on practical alignment, culture and decision-making. If your team is working through a leadership challenge, email jonno@consultclarity.org with a short written brief and he will reply with a useful next step.

 

Conclusion

 

Hospital leadership is a public responsibility and a deeply human job. The people in this directory lead organisations where the quality of decisions affects patients, families, staff and communities every day.

 

The useful question is not which leader is most impressive. It is what the organisation needs from its leadership right now: clearer priorities, better coordination, a stronger workforce, a more trusted culture or a more connected service. That is where practical leadership starts.

 

For a current decision, use this page as a map, then go to the organisation’s own leadership page before you act.

 

Related Reading

 

For a wider leadership lens, read the Working Genius FAQ. For practical strategy support, see strategy and leadership consultant and the team offsite enquiry page.

 

Topic-matched call to action

 

Leading a hospital or health service means holding a clear purpose while safety, workforce, operations and community expectations all pull at once. That is the kind of practical leadership work Jonno White enjoys helping teams work through.

 

If your leadership team is working through culture, alignment or decision-making challenges, email jonno@consultclarity.org with a short written brief. Jonno will send a written reply with a useful next step.

 

About the Author

 

Jonno White is a Brisbane-based leadership consultant, keynote speaker and Certified Working Genius Facilitator, and the author of Step Up or Step Out. He works with schools, corporates and nonprofits around the world. To enquire about a keynote, workshop or facilitated leadership session, email jonno@consultclarity.org.

 
 
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