Australia news

Terry Smith retires

Terry Smith retired from his position of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of HCF, Australia's third largest health insurance group on 9 July 2010.

Terry was appointed Chief Executive of HCF in February 1990.  He was the immediate past President of the Australian Health Insurance Association and Vice President of the iFHP, on whose Council of Management he had served since1998. Before joining HCF Terry held senior executive positions in GIO Australia and the State Building Society of New South Wales.

Announcing Terry's retirement, HCF Chairman John Dunlop expressed his Boards’ appreciation of Terry’s significant contribution over many years to HCF and the health insurance industry. He also announced that Shaun Larkin would replace Terry as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Group.

Shaun joined HCF in March 1997 as General Manager Strategic Development and was in May 2002 appointed General Manager Benefits Management.  Since January 2009 Shaun had been acting General Manager Operations. Shaun has been a member of the Federal Government's National Preventative Task Force since 2008.

Tom Sackville commented "Terry has played a central role in our efforts to build up the Federation and secure our place as the leading network of the industry worldwide. I know I speak on behalf of all of us at the iFHP when I say how much we all valued his support, sound advice and sense of humour. From the moment I arrived at the iFHP, I knew that if Terry didn't approve of something we were doing, he would say so - and very often did! He will be greatly missed. On the positive side, we warmly welcome Shaun Larkin's appointment to succeed him. Shaun has always been a good friend of the Federation and I look forward to working with him".