The Royal Flying Doctor Service Western Operations (RFDS WO) has welcomed two new members to its Board of Directors.
The appointments were announced by RFDS WO chairman Sam Walsh AO at the RFDS WO Annual General Meeting on Friday, October 25.
Mr Walsh also announced that RAC chief executive Rob Slocombe has been reappointed, and will continue to share his knowledge of banking and financial services from previous roles at Westpac, St George, Challenger Financial Services and AMP Bank.
Joining Mr Slocombe on the Board are Tim Shackleton and John Van der Wielen.
Mr Shackleton brings an intimate familiarity with RFDS and knowledge of the rural health space to the Board, having spent five years as CEO of RFDS in Western Australia and currently holding the position of Rural Health West CEO.
Mr Van der Wielen has been the CEO of HBF for two years, and brings local and international financial services experience from executive roles in the United Kingdom and Luxembourg.
Mr Walsh acknowledged outgoing members Erica Smyth AC and Dr Ann Ward, who both retired from their Board positions after serving the maximum nine-year terms; and Robyn Sermon and Colin Heath.
Ms Smyth has been an outstanding ambassador for RFDS over that period, having been named the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ 2018 Not-for-Profit Director of the Year in recognition of the insights, passion and a depth of business knowledge she brought to the Board.
Dr Ward has been a similarly valuable contributor, offering the vast experience, deep understanding and strong advocacy for the regions that comes from living and working in the north-west for many years.
The RFDS offers its sincerest gratitude and appreciation to its outgoing Board members, but has the utmost confidence in their successors to build on the foundation they established.
