Movers and Shakers – October 2026

NEWS  - eHealthNews editor Rebecca McBeth

Gary Baird

Gary Baird has joined Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora as national director, digital services & technology.

His previous work in health included contributing to the strategy that helped shape the Health Digital Investment Plan. He was Chief Information Officer at Inland Revenue during the transformation of New Zealand’s tax system and, more recently, spent four years with EY working with government agencies. 

“One of the best things about my first six weeks has been getting out across all four regions and spending time with clinicians and our Digital Services people,” he says. 

“You quickly see how much passion there is for improving healthcare, but also how much our clinicians depend on technology simply working when they need it. That is why sustaining service performance has to be our first priority: keeping services safe, secure and reliable. 

“Alongside that, there is a real opportunity to build on the great work already happening around the country, reduce some of the fragmentation we’ve inherited and create a more consistent digital environment that ultimately gives clinicians more time to focus on their patients.”

Erin Currie

Erin Currie has joined the Canopy Healthcare team to lead its Imaging Operations, overseeing more than 25 clinics across the North Island. 

Canopy Imaging specialises in radiology, interventional and nuclear medicine specialities. Currie has built a strong career in New Zealand's medtech and digital health sectors, most recently with Philips Healthcare, where she served as country manager for nearly six years. 

This move into the private healthcare sector brings her career full circle, following her earlier experience as a Cath Lab and interventional nurse. It has also prompted her to step down from the Medical Technology Association Board after 12 years of service. 

Anna Elders

Digital mental health leader Anna Elders has joined thePHO as associate clinical director – mental health & addiction. 

Elders chaired the Digital Health Association’s mental health industry group for four years and, as clinical lead for Just a Thought, helped establish and grow New Zealand’s free online CBT service, earning the 2022 eMental Health Innovation Leadership Award for New Zealand. 

A nurse practitioner and CBT therapist, she brings 25 years’ clinical experience, 16 of them in primary care. Working in partnership with member practices, funders and other key stakeholders, Elders will help reimagine mental health and addiction care in general practice, from new models of delivery to smarter use of digital tools, so people and whānau across Aotearoa can get the right support, earlier and closer to home.

Andrew Cox 

Andrew Cox has joined Noted, which provides case management for community-based health and social care, as chief technology officer.

Cox brings 26 years in software across health tech, agriculture, finance and compliance, and has led teams in London, New York and Wellington. He was chief technology and product officer at compliance platform ComplyWith, co-founder and CTO of AI-first company Telos, and CTO of EndGame, which built clinical screening tool Rataroa.

He is proudest of software that “quietly delights”, and is privileged to bring that to a team and customers so focused on looking after the community.

Loren Shand 

Loren Shand has joined Deloitte as an associate director in Technology, Strategy & Transformation, bringing extensive experience leading complex change across large organisations.

Her background spans digital transformation, operating models and large-scale programme delivery across health and government, including major national initiatives during the Covid-19 response.

Loren enjoys solving complex problems, bringing people together and turning ideas into practical action. Her approach is grounded in a simple belief: “If I cannot see the value, how can I expect others to?”

Gemma Morgan

Gemma Morgan has joined Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora to lead the Hospital & Campus Management Service Portfolio.

She brings more than 20 years’ leadership experience, most recently leading strategic transformation programmes at NZ Post, following roles at the Ministry for the Environment and Waikato DHB’s Covid directorate.

Morgan leads the teams responsible for digital products and services supporting hospital operations, patient flow, facilities management and operational decision-making nationwide.

Byron Phillips

Byron Phillips has joined Alcidion as a strategic advisory – digital health and growth. 

He is a digital health leader with more than 30 years’ experience across Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and the United Kingdom and his career spans health system strategy, technology, product, operations and transformation, across executive and advisory roles. 

He is working with Alcidion, drawing on that experience to support health services in New Zealand and Queensland.  His focus is improving patient flow, access and operational coordination, helping teams use digital tools to support safer, more connected patient journeys. 

Phillips is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Digital Health and a Board Director of Jubilee Community Care in Queensland.

If you would like to provide feedback on this news story, please contact the editor Rebecca McBeth.

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