Appointment of Professor Christine Bennett AO as a Director on the Telstra Health Board

Professor Christine Bennett AO, one of Australia’s leading health policy experts, has been appointed as a Director to the Telstra Health Board. Telstra Health is a wholly owned subsidiary company of Telstra Corporation, providing health and clinical software and digital solutions to the health and aged care sectors.

Professor Bennett is currently the Deputy Vice Chancellor and Head of Campus at the University of Notre Dame Australia in Sydney. She has had a distinguished career in private public, and academic sectors, having previously held roles as Dean of the School of Medicine, University of Notre Dame Australia, Group Executive and Chief Medical Officer for MBF and BUPA Australia Group. In her professional career Professor Bennett has also served as Board Chair, The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, Chair of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission and Chair of the Digital Health Co-operative Research Centre.

Professor Bennett is a specialist paediatrician and has over 30 years of health industry experience in clinical care, strategic planning, business operations and senior management in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and has an active commitment to and involvement in medical professional issues, social policy and medical research.

She has also held roles as CEO of Research Australia, Partner in Health and Life Sciences for KPMG Australia, CEO of Westmead Hospital and Community Health Services, General Manager for the Royal Hospital for Women and Head of Planning in NSW Health.

Brendon Riley, Chair of the Telstra Health Board welcomed Professor Bennett’s appointment, saying:

“Professor Bennett brings deep experience to the Board through her clinical, commercial, public sector and academic credentials in health. Professor Bennett’s appointment is timely, with interest in digital health accelerating through the COVID-19 pandemic and the Telstra Health business continuing to grow strongly. It is my pleasure to welcome Professor Bennett to the Telstra Health Board”.  

Professor Bennett will bring her professional and board experience together with the existing Directors providing oversight and advice on Telstra Health’s solutions, systems and programs. She succeeds Professor Michael Kidd AM who has taken on the role as Deputy Chief Medical Officer with the Australian Government Department of Health.