Andrew Thorburn will be the next CEO of not-for-profit health and aged care provider HammondCare, replacing Mike Baird AO who will move on to new challenges at the beginning of June. The appointment follows a thorough recruitment process led by an experienced executive search firm.
Board Chair Kok Kong Chan said Mr Thorburn’s extensive business and leadership experience would help HammondCare respond to both the growing challenges and wonderful opportunities of the fast-growing aged care sector in the years ahead.
Mr Chan said the selection committee was impressed with Andrew’s heart for service, stemming from his deep faith. He was drawn to our mission and history of caring for older Australians in need.
“This appointment positions HammondCare well for the sweeping changes underway in the care of older Australians following the Royal Commission, Covid and far-reaching regulatory and compliance reform,” Mr Chan said.
“Aged care is a complex business with great opportunities in the years ahead for HammondCare to help even more people through its Mission to improve the quality of life for people in need.”
Mr Thorburn, 58, said he was committed to building on Mike Baird’s investment in leaders, people and relationships while also bringing new skills and experience to help HammondCare innovate to improve care and satisfy increasing expectations of residents, clients and patients.
“I am honoured to join HammondCare, an organisation who has been working with people in need for more than 90 years,” Mr Thorburn said.
“I am inspired by HammondCare’s great history of responding to needs in areas as diverse as dementia, palliative care, homelessness, and the fast-growing area of care in the home.
“Serving alongside the remarkable team, motivated to care for all people unconditionally, will be a privilege.”
He said the first part of his career was with a community owned bank. The experience, along with his work in recent years with impact investing and NFPs, has taught him that organisations exist for people – the staff, customers, and the community.
Mr Thorburn said: “A focus on people has been central to every role I have held and, together with the team, I will build on that as we serve residents, clients and patients.”
“I’ve seen first-hand through my own parents, and friends in my local community, that life as you age can be challenging.”
He said there was plenty of hard work ahead with the Federal Government’s 2023 Intergenerational Report forecasting that over the next 40 years the number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double and the number aged 85 and over will more than triple. He also noted forecasts of dementia prevalence nearly doubling by 2054.
“As a nation, we will need to do more to address complex ageing issues and rising levels of dementia, mental health and life challenges like loneliness that will come from this shift in the ageing population,” Mr Thorburn said.
“The aged care sector could benefit from new funding sources, greater employment of technology and continued innovation to resolve workforce shortages.”
Mr Thorburn is a former CEO of the National Australia Bank and the Bank of New Zealand. He has held senior executive roles at St George Bank, Commonwealth Bank and ASB Bank.
Over the last 5 years, Andrew has spent time working with entrepreneurs, in impact investing (investing for social/environmental return, not just profit), and NFPs. This includes work with ATMOS (a U.S start up climate bank), For Purpose Investment Partners (a NFP social impact investment fund) and The Fathering Project.
He holds an MBA from Durham University and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Auckland Business School. He is a committed Christian and is currently undertaking a Graduate Diploma at Ridley College. Andrew is married to Kathryn and they have three adult children and two grandchildren.
Mr Thorburn will commence his new role with HammondCare on 17 June, 2024.
