Context

This health fund operates as a not-for-profit and was established more than 50 years ago. The fund has over 70,000 contributors and pays over 125 million dollars a year in benefits. The impending retirement of the long serving CEO (45 years) was seen as a cusp moment in evolution of the business. Whilst the CEO had managed the business well from fiscal and prudential perspectives, broad strategy, operating structure, technology and people engagement had been neglected.

Intervention

The Board's brief was to source an executive who could navigate their way through a sector in a state of legislative and regulatory change and position the business for consolidation initially, followed by growth. The CEO would also be required to lead a change program which sensitively dealt with organisational inertia and a fixed cost base well in advance of competitor organisations due to extremely generous employment conditions. Chandler Macleod Executive (CME) spent some time designing the role with the Board before using broadsheet advertising as the preferred sourcing medium. CME drew a candidate pool which was rigorously appraised and assessed before settling on a short list of three for the Board to consider.

Outcome

After appropriate deliberation the preferred candidate commenced and began operating at tempo not previously enjoyed by the Board. In a relatively short period of time, the candidate has written the business strategy, re structured the executive reporting lines and is now working his way around the balanced scorecard recruiting Executive Manager's for People, Customer Service, Finance and Technology. Of critical importance is the way he has engaged the organisation, built trust and defined the direction he wants to go.