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Capital & Coast appoints new interim CEO
The Chair of Capital & Coast DHB, Judith Aitken, has announced the appointment of Dr Derek Milne as interim CEO until a long term CEO has been recruited.
“Derek Milne has had a very successful career in science research, administration, policy and governance in the public sector,” Dr Aitken says.
“The Board is delighted that such an experienced and highly regarded public servant is keen to work in Capital and Coast and help take the organisation forward by providing a sound and stable platform for his successor.”
Brought up on a farm, Derek Milne’s first qualification was a Diploma in Sheep Shearing. After earning his doctorate in geology, Dr Milne held a variety of key roles as a scientist in the public sector. For 23 years he worked in the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research where he was chief executive of three of its Research Divisions and a member of the DSIR Board of Directors.
Dr Milne later chaired the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, including a stint as its Executive Chairman.
Dr Milne played an important role in designing and establishing New Zealand’s Crown Research Institutes. He has also been involved in the structural improvement of several other science-based government agencies.
Judith Aitken says his experience in seeing major change projects through from design to implementation will be of enormous value in overseeing the work of building the magnificent new hospital and preparing both staff and information systems for a smooth transition next year.
During the 1990s Dr Milne was actively involved in the education sector. He chaired the Board of Trustees at Kuranui College in Greytown.
“Dr Milne says that he found this provided another invaluable opportunity to serve the community while simultaneously learning about the education system and how a vital social service, with many parallels to health, functions at the community level,” Judith Aitken said.
In addition to his extensive work in New Zealand, Dr Milne has also worked as a consultant and advisor in the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Australia and most recently in Africa. He advised Botswana’s new Ministry of Communications Science and Technology on how to prioritise the allocation of its resources across health, scholarship and other important socio-economic areas.
“I am honoured to have been given this role at C&C DHB, which brings together my life-long association with scientists and my enormous respect for their counterparts in health,” Derek Milne says. “I want to address the various urgent issues facing the district’s three hospitals, alongside the ongoing work of the DHB, in order to ensure that the incoming long-term CEO has a good platform to start from.
“I believe that in this role it’s essential to enable, support and assist professional clinicians and other health workers so that our DHB continues to deliver the services the public needs and deserves.”
Derek and his wife Margaret have five grown-up children, the youngest of whom is, appropriately, a medical student.
Dr Milne takes on the role of CEO from December 22 2007.
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