Society Directors' Profiles
Members of the Southern Cross Medical Care Society's Board of Directors (updated 22 April 2013) are:
Graeme Hawkins
BSC, BCom, ACA, FlnstD
Chairman
Graeme Hawkins has been a professional director for 19 years. He was appointed to the Southern Cross Board in October 2008, and appointed Chairman on 1 July 2009. He is Chairman of Southern Cross Health Trust, Chairman of one of the Trust’s subsidiary companies and Director of another. He is a director of Cavalier Corporation Ltd and Ports of Auckland Ltd. From 2001 to 2007 he was an appointed director of Fonterra Co-operative Group and is a former chairman of Auckland Healthcare, now Auckland District Health Board. Earlier in his career he held a number of strategic and financial roles at Fletcher Challenge and is a former CEO of Dominion Breweries.
Dr Douglas Baird
MBChB, DipObst, FRNZCGP
Dr Douglas Baird was appointed to the Southern Cross Board in July 2007. He is managing director of Aotea Health Services, and a trustee of the Auckland Medical Benevolent Fund. Dr Baird is a Trustee of Southern Cross Health Trust and a Director of one subsidiary company of the Trust. Dr Baird is a past chairman of the Independent Practitioners Association Council (IPAC), was a founding director of ProCARE Health (which represents more than 500 GPs in Auckland) and of BPACnz (an organisation dedicated to effective use of resources by health providers). He has served in elected and advisory roles with the Auckland District Health Board, the ACC Medical Misadventure Unit and the Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner. Dr Baird has a Diploma of Obstetrics, is a Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practice and currently works as a primary care doctor in accident and medical clinics.
Carole Durbin
BCom, LLB(Hons), FInstD
Carole Durbin was appointed to the Southern Cross Board in August 2006 and has been a Society Trustee since 2007. She is also a Trustee of Southern Cross Health Trust and a Director of two of its subsidiary companies. Ms Durbin is a director of New Zealand-owned Fidelity Life. A part-time consultant to Simpson Grierson, one of New Zealand’s leading legal firms, Ms Durbin has also held a number of previous Board appointments including DamWatch Services Ltd, Simpson Grierson, Transpower NZ, software developer Synergy International (now Fronde), and was an Earthquake Commissioner. Until October 2009 she was chair of Mighty River Power, having been on that board since 1998. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors.
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Greg Gent
Greg Gent was elected to the Southern Cross Board in December 2011. He is a Northland dairy farmer with a wealth of governance experience. From 2001 to 2011 he was a director of New Zealand’s largest co-operative business, Fonterra. Prior to Fonterra’s formation he was chairman of Northland Dairy and Kiwi Co-op Dairies. He is chairman of Farmers Mutual Group – a mutual rural insurance company - and was appointed to the Northland District Health Board by the Minister of Health in 2010. Mr Gent is also a Trustee of Southern Cross Health Trust.
(Return to top)Elizabeth Hickey
MCom(Hons), FCA, MInstD, MNZM
Liz Hickey is a chartered accountant and member of the Institute of Directors who joined the Southern Cross Board in October 2009. Ms Hickey is President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (NZICA), a director of Diabetes New Zealand Inc., a co-opted member of the ASB Community Trust’s Audit and Risk Committee, and a Trustee of Southern Cross Health Trust. Her past governance experience includes being a director of Radio New Zealand, Genesis Power and Environmental Science and Research. She has served on both the New Zealand and international boards of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts. She is a Fellow of the NZICA.
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FAIM, FNZIM, AF Inst D, F Fin
Phillip Meyer is an experienced company director and investment banker who joined the Southern Cross Board in June 2002. He is also a Society Trustee and Chairman of its Investment Committee. He is chairman of Australian Financial Services Group and Institute of Directors (Wellington Branch) and a trustee of Young Enterprise Trust and Crimestoppers Trust. Mr Meyer is a Trustee of Southern Cross Health Trust, Chairman of the Trust’s Audit Committee and a Director of Trust subsidiary companies. He is a national councillor and Accredited Fellow of the Institute of Directors in NZ; and a member of the NZ Markets Disciplinary Tribunal and Financial Services Institute of Australasia. He is also national chairman of the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal Committee and a member of its Investment Committee.
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Keith Taylor
BSc, BCA, FIA, F Inst D
Keith Taylor was elected to the Southern Cross Board in November 2010 and has over 30 years experience in the insurance and financial services industries as a chief executive, chief financial officer and actuary. He is chair of the Government Superannuation Fund, Gough Gough & Hamer and Speirs Group, and deputy chair of the Earthquake Commission. He is a director of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Port Marlborough and Butland Holdings. He is a Trustee of the Southern Cross Health Trust and a member of the Carey Baptist College Board. He has previously been a director of property, insurance, trustee and investment companies in both New Zealand and Australia.