The Board of Sydney Health Partners is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Mary O’Kane AC as its new Chair.

Professor O'Kane has an exceptional breadth and depth of experience in innovation, research and public policy. As a computer engineer Professor O’Kane undertook pioneering work in artificial intelligence and was the Vice Chancellor of the University of Adelaide from 1996-2001. Between 2008-18 Professor O’Kane served as New South Wales’ first Chief Scientist and Engineer, during which she was instrumental in establishing the NSW Medical Devices Fund.

Professor O’Kane replaces retiring Chair, Paul McClintock AO. Since the very first gathering of Sydney Health Partners' governing council in 2016, Paul’s broad and deep organisational experience has been invaluable in refining the Partnership’s vision, mission and strategy.

On behalf of all its Partners, staff and collaborators, the Board of Sydney Health Partners thanks Paul and wishes him well in his next endeavours.

Professor Don Nutbeam has been appointed as the new Executive Director of Sydney Health Partners, succeeding Professor Garry Jennings AO.

Professor Nutbeam is currently a Professor of Public Health at the University of Sydney and Principal Senior Advisor to the Sax Institute.

Professor Nutbeam’s career has spanned positions in universities, government, health services and an independent health research institute. He returned to the University of Sydney in February 2016, following a six-year term as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton in Britain. Prior to this he held senior positions at the University of Sydney as Provost (2006-9), and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Health Sciences) (2003-6).

In 2016 and ’17, prior to the appointment of Professor Jennings, Professor Nutbeam served as Sydney Health Partners’ interim Executive Director, taking the Partnership through its “start-up” phase. He has been Senior Advisor to the Partnership in the years since.

Professor Nutbeam will officially commence his new role on October 5, while Professor Jennings will remain with Sydney Health Partners until the end of October.