GMHBA today confirmed the appointment of Mr Mike Hirst to its Board of Directors.
GMHBA Ltd today confirmed the appointment of Mr Mike Hirst to its Board of Directors.
Mr Hirst was previously Managing Director of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank and is currently Deputy Chairman of Racing Victoria.
GMHBA’s Chairman, Mr Jim Walsh, said Mr Hirst’s fresh insights and significant experience would further strengthen the Board.
“Mike is a highly-regarded Australian business leader and his breadth of experience in a similarly customer-focused and highly-regulated environment will be invaluable to GMHBA and our customers, particularly as we face increasing challenges as a sector,” he said.
“We are extremely fortunate to welcome Mike to our Board. We know he will play a pivotal role as we position ourselves for sustainability and future growth.
Mike’s time at the helm of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank reflected a people-first approach that considered the needs of all stakeholders and that business strategy aligns with GMHBA’s member-driven focus.”
Mr Hirst has been in the finance industry for close to 40 years. His most recent employer Bendigo and Adelaide Bank has strong synergies with GMHBA, a Geelong-based private health insurance and care company with deep ties to Geelong and regional Victoria.
“Contributing to the prosperity of our regional communities is something I am passionate about,” Mr Hirst said.
“It is for this reason that GMHBA’s not-for-profit, community-minded and member-centric approach was something that really resonated with me.
“As a long-term Geelong resident - and knowing that GMHBA has been part of the fabric of the Geelong community for close to 85 years - this directorship is a natural fit for me.”
Mr Hirst holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Senior Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia (FINSIA). He was previously a Director of Treasury Corporation of Victoria, Barwon Health, Colonial First State and Austraclear and a member of the Federal Government’s Financial Sector Advisory Council.
Mr Walsh said Mr Hirst’s strong Geelong connections and previous role as Director of Barwon Health would be extremely beneficial to GMHBA.
