News

Southern Cross Healthcare has appointed Monica Goldwater as Chief Nursing Officer and Joanne (Jo) Fair as Chief of People and Culture.

Chris White CEO said of the appointments, “As we look to embark on an ambitious new strategic direction, it’s more important than ever that our executive capability strongly aligns to and supports our future aspiration and business needs.

“These appointments reflect individuals who are best-in-class in their respective professions and who have deep strategic experience and business acumen. We are very excited to welcome Monica and Jo to the team – they understand and firmly embrace the Southern Cross vision to help more New Zealanders live healthier lives.”

Currently based in Vermont, USA, Monica Goldwater is relocating permanently to Auckland, with her Kiwi husband and their family.

Monica is a registered nurse in New Zealand and the US and holds an MBA from Massey University (2011).

Over her impressive nursing career, she has worked in public and private care, and inpatient and outpatient healthcare settings across the US and New Zealand. She has extensive experience gathered across a range of roles including Director of Nursing, Clinical Director and Director of Perioperative and Cardiovascular Services for large complex and multi-site healthcare organisations.

Her most recent role as Director of Perioperative Services for the University of Vermont Medical Centre, saw her lead team in a single facility with the same capacity and revenue as the whole Southern Cross wholly owned hospital network.

White said, “As we develop and enhance our services we’re excited to have Monica on board as a strong and active advocate for both nurses (career and professional development) and the delivery of world class nursing services. Earlier in her career, Monica worked as a theatre nurse at Royston Hospital in the Hawkes Bay, so she has a strong understanding of New Zealand systems, culture and aspirations.”

Monica is expected to start May 1, 2023, and has said of her new role, “It gives me great pleasure to join the Southern Cross Healthcare Executive Leadership Team. I am joining an organisation that places its value on its people and invests in its future to provide excellence in care. This aligns with my core values. I strongly believe good leadership fosters positive culture, creates opportunities for professional development and recognition, allows for mutual accountability and promotes autonomy to work to our full purpose. By virtue, this fosters an environment in which our patients and families receive the utmost in patient care.”

Also joining the Southern Cross team is Jo Fair as Chief of People and Culture. Jo brings more than 20 years’ experience in Human Resources and senior executive roles across New Zealand, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and South-East Asia. An experienced strategic HR leader, she has led sizeable business units, giving her unique commercial leadership experience.

White said, “In joining Southern Cross Healthcare, Jo will focus on building our people capabilities, accelerating our commitment and investment in learning and development, talent management and developing our organisational culture. Having led the global People strategy for Fonterra and other organisations, Jo has a deep understanding of the challenges leaders and employees face in delivering today’s results while preparing for the workplace of the future.”

Jo has also held senior HR roles at BNZ and Air New Zealand. She is passionate about the potential of people and organisations, which led to her co-founding the FutureWork Studio in 2019, a very successful tech start-up with the purpose to unlock new ways for people to work and learn together.

Rounding out her experience, Jo is an accomplished company director and holds a number of roles including as an Independent Director on the New Zealand Army Leadership Board, a Non-Exec Director for Cognition Learning Group and on the HR Advisory Board – NZ Parliamentary Service.

Jo Fair said of her new move, "Southern Cross has such a strong position in New Zealander’s hearts and minds and is determined to do things differently with a truly patient-centred approach. I’m really excited to be part of the transition from ‘hospitals’ to ‘healthcare’ as we work together to support healthier communities."

Jo will be based in Auckland and starts on Wednesday 1 February 2023.

Part of the Southern Cross group of businesses that share a not-for-profit ethos, Southern Cross Healthcare comprises a nationwide network of joint venture and wholly owned hospitals; specialist centres; physiotherapy; rehabilitation; and employer health and wellness providers. Southern Cross Healthcare directly employs more than 2,500 staff across many services spanning Whangārei to Invercargill.