HBF Board Chair Tony Crawford said Ms Smith-Gander’s experience as a non-executive director across diverse portfolios would strengthen the board as it guided HBF during an exciting time in its 79-year history.
“Ms Smith-Gander is very well credentialled; her expertise in finance, technology solutions and change management, as well as her board experience, will be invaluable to HBF,” he said.
“In recent years HBF has noticeably strengthened its non-executive team with appointments including Gai McGrath to the Board and Mark Barnaba as Chair of the Investments Committee.
“This latest appointment underscores that we are very well-placed to guide HBF at this challenging time, as we embark on a national expansion while strengthening our position as the leading health insurer in WA.”
Ms Smith-Gander is also the National Chair of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia, and a director of AGL Energy and Wesfarmers Limited.
A Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Governance Institute of Australia, Ms Smith-Gander is also an adjunct professor of corporate governance at UWA, where she chairs the advisory board of the Business School.
She has been active in sports administration and is a past Chair of both Basketball Australia Limited and the Australian Sports Drug Agency.
In 2019, Ms Smith-Gander was announced an Officer of the Order of Australia for her distinguished service to business, women’s engagement in executive roles, gender equality and the community. She received the West Australian of the Year award for business in 2018.
Media enquiries: Lauren Underhill/Jodi Eastman 0438 925 050 / CorporateAffairs@hbf.com.au