Delivering an Executive Search to Drive Cultural Renewal and Deliver on a Transformation Mandate for a Victorian Private Hospital Network
The Brief
Future Leadership™ was engaged by a large, mission‑driven, not‑for‑profit health organisation in Victoria to appoint a Chief Executive Officer for its Victorian private hospitals portfolio. The role was critical to advancing the organisation’s strategic direction at a time of significant system, cultural and operational transformation across private healthcare.
The Victorian private hospitals portfolio comprised four metropolitan hospitals operating within a highly interdependent precinct‑based ecosystem, closely connected to public hospital services, research institutes and community care partners. The organisation sought an executive leader capable of stewarding a large, multi‑site healthcare portfolio while strengthening alignment, accountability and performance across diverse clinical, operational and professional teams.
Key objectives for the appointment included driving cultural renewal, strengthening executive and clinical leadership capability, and progressing integrated and innovative models of care aligned to a “bringing care home” strategic direction. The role required a leader with the credibility to engage effectively with medical practitioners, boards, executives and external stakeholders, while balancing mission, performance, sustainability and ethical leadership within a values‑based healthcare environment.
Candidate Net Promoter Score
Future Leadership combines truly personalised relationships with innovative technology solutions to ensure an approachable and efficient process for all our Net Promoter Score across clients, successful candidates and unsuccessful candidates is well above industry standard.
Candidates supported every year
We maintain genuine relationships with past candidates and continue to support them with leadership solutions long term, after they land their role.
Senior Women Appointed since 2002
Over half of the executive search assignments undertaken by our team have resulted in the appointment of outstanding female or LGBTQI+ leaders to high profile roles.
Candidate Retention Rate for 12 months since 2002
Our thorough briefing process and ability to engage passive candidates mean that we go to great lengths to find the right person for the role – long term!
The Process
Future Leadership™ undertook a highly confidential national executive search, tailored to the scale, complexity and strategic importance of the role.
Key steps included:
- Briefing and Strategy Development:
A detailed briefing was conducted with senior executives and stakeholders to confirm the role’s strategic mandate, leadership expectations and success measures. This informed the final position profile, assessment criteria and search methodology. - Targeted National Search:
The search was conducted nationally across Australia and New Zealand. It was supported by targeted online advertising and Future Leadership™’s extensive executive networks, proprietary databases, referrals and in‑house research capability. Internal candidate protocols were agreed in advance to ensure transparency and governance. - Candidate Assessment and shortlisting:
Potential candidates were assessed against the role requirements and the Future Leadership Capability Framework, with a focus on system leadership, cultural impact, transformation delivery and values alignment. Structured interviews and due diligence informed the development of a high‑quality shortlist. - Final Evaluation:
Shortlisted candidates progressed through multi‑round panel interviews involving senior executives and board representation. The process emphasised leadership presence, stakeholder engagement capability, strategic judgement and readiness to lead a complex, multi‑site healthcare portfolio
Strategy and Purpose
Leads transformational processes, motivates teams, and influences commitment to a shared purpose that individuals and the workforce will require to enable sustained organisational success. Builds and promotes a culture underpinning the vision, purpose and values the organisation aspires to achieve.
Stakeholder Relations
Works strategically and systemically to encourage diverse thinking with all types of people. Actively contributes to teamwork, and deliberately builds relationships and networks across a range of people and communities.
Governance and Compliance
Establishing, championing and measuring the effectiveness of an organisation’s regulatory and reporting systems.. Delivering value for diverse stakeholders through governance, strategy, risk management and appropriate targets and metrics.
Systems Thinking
Views situations in their entirety, understanding all the parts at play. Identifies the interconnected factors and how they influence each other, impacting the whole system. Takes a strategic perspectives
Culture and Engagement
Fosters a positive culture, creating a sense of belonging and inclusiveness. Creates an environment that encourages diverse perspectives and facilitates a psychologically safe environment.
The Outcome
The search resulted in the appointment of a highly experienced, mission‑driven healthcare executive with extensive national leadership experience across large, multi‑site health and community service systems. The appointed leader brings a strong track record in financial turnaround, cultural transformation, workforce engagement and system‑level stakeholder collaboration. Their background includes leading complex organisations through periods of reform, improving clinical and operational performance, and delivering sustainable outcomes within highly regulated environments.
The appointment has strengthened executive leadership capability across the Victorian private hospitals portfolio and positioned the organisation to progress integrated models of care, cultural renewal and long‑term system sustainability.
