Dr Graeme Benny
Dr Graeme Benny is the General Manager for Organisational Services (GMOS) and a member of the Executive Leadership Team chaired by the Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant General Jerry Mateparae.
His responsibilities cover key organisational functions ranging from business processes through the new established joint logistics organisation to information management, public communications, legal services and the NZDF corporate organisation
Previously Graeme was Chief Executive Officer of the New Zealand Blood Service, and has many years public and private sector executive management experience.
He joins the NZDF as a result of a new governance structure to oversee management of the defence force following the allocation of $4.6 billion in funding for the defence sustainability initiative.
The DSI programme was the result of a defence capability review which revealed the need to strengthen organisational capability through improving corporate systems and processes, additional recruitment, equipment, and rebuilding service capacity.
Dr Benny has wide experience in managing change, improving organisational culture and performance, strategic and tactical planning and people management.
Prior to his previous position, Dr Benny was Chief Operating Officer with Metlifecare Ltd, responsible for overall operational management and clinical management of 15 lifestyle retirement villages, aged care rest homes and hospitals.
Dr Benny qualified as a Clinical Biochemist but very soon after qualifying moved in to executive management. In this role he played a significant role in introducing major changes in the delivery of health care throughout the Auckland region.
He has also worked in the private sector in biotechnology developing and introducing new products including implementing ISO 9001 quality standards to the organisation in the areas of human healthcare and clinical pharmaceuticals.
He was in charge of product development and support and in this role his work included developing mammalian cell culture, bacterial and yeast cells, proteins and development through to licensing, clinical trial and pre-production of human pharmaceutical products.
During this period Dr Benny published a number of scientific papers and presented his work at various national and international conferences including a World Federation of Haemophilia Congress in Rome.
Appointed Group General Manager for South Auckland Health during a significant change period within the national health system, Dr Benny refocused the structure of key units responsible for clinical and support services to South Auckland Health. These included diagnostics and pharmaceutical support.
This work was undertaken during a period when South Auckland Health took the national lead in introducing innovative new management and clinical practice into the health sector.
Based on his successful work with South Auckland Health, Dr Benny was appointed General Manager for clinical and support services at Auckland Healthcare. In this role he was responsible for core services including radiology, laboratory, pharmacy, nutrition, the Auckland Regional Blood Service and other speciality services.
The role coincided with a major development project by Auckland Healthcare to manage the growing population pressure on services and shortage of hospital beds.
A special position of Corporate General Manager for the Auckland District Health Board was created to develop, plan and initiate organisation change management to support a new building programme for Auckland Hospital.
This building project was one of the most significant hospital developments in New Zealand and included refocusing the delivery of health care within Auckland and the relocation of the world renowned Greenlane heart unit into the central city Auckland Hospital site.
A motor sport enthusiast, Dr Benny was born in Palmerston North and is married with four children.