Gary Baird appointed national director digital services and technology at Health NZ

NEWS  - eHealthNews editor Rebecca McBeth

Gary Baird has been appointed national director digital services and technology at Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora.

He will be start on 31 August 2026 and says his focus will be on strengthening the performance and reliability of today’s digital services, while also helping to shape a clear and ambitious long-term direction through the Health Digital Investment Plan.

Baird is currently the technology transformation partner for EY’s government practice. He was previously Inland Revenue’s chief technology officer and deputy commissioner enterprise services and has held senior digital roles at ANZ.

He says he is excited to be joining Health New Zealand at a pivotal time for the sector.

“Digital has a critical role to play in fundamentally reshaping how health services are delivered, improving access, equity, and outcomes for all New Zealanders,” Baird says.

“This is an opportunity to move beyond incremental change and take a more connected, system-wide approach to digital - one that supports clinicians, empowers patients, and enables better decision-making across the health system.”

He tells eHealthNews he is looking forward to working alongside colleagues within Health NZ and across the wider health and digital community to “help unlock the full potential of digital and deliver meaningful, sustainable transformation for Aotearoa.”

Bevan McKenzie, Health NZ chief financial officer, says Baird brings strong experience across both private sector and government in operational delivery and large-scale system change across tax, immigration, social services, transport and infrastructure.

“He will lead Digital Services to further improve operational service performance, while also shaping our longer-term direction through the Health Digital Investment Plan (HDIP),” he says.

McKenzie says Baird’s immediate focus will be on continuing to lift service performance as well as delivering key programmes and projects.

Also, “advancing the HDIP as our long-term roadmap for digital investment and transformation”.

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