Company Information
Board of Directors
Estia Health’s Board comprises a majority of Independent Non-executive Directors who, together with the Managing Director, have an appropriate balance of skills, knowledge, experience, independence and diversity. They each bring a wealth of experience to the Board's deliberations to enable the maximum benefit for our shareholders, residents, suppliers, employees, government regulators and members of the community in which Estia Health operates.
Dr. Gary Weiss, AM
Non-executive Director and Chairman
LL.B (Hons). LL.M (with Dist), JSD
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Dr. Gary Weiss, AM
Non-executive Director and Chairman
LL.B (Hons). LL.M (with Dist), JSD
Gary holds the degrees of LL.B (Hons) and LL.M (with dist.) from Victoria University of Wellington, as well as a Doctor of Juridical Science (JSD) from Cornell University, New York.
Gary has extensive international business experience and has been involved in numerous cross-border mergers and acquisitions.
Gary is Chairman of Cromwell Property Group Limited and Ardent Leisure Group Limited, Executive Director of Ariadne Australia Limited, and a Director of Thorney Opportunities Limited and Hearts and Minds Investments Limited. Gary is also a Commissioner of the Australian Rugby League Commission and a Director of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.
Gary was Chairman of Coats Group plc from May 2004 to April 2012, Chairman of Clearview Wealth Ltd from 2013 to May 2016, Chairman of Ridley Corporation from June 2015 to June 2020, Executive Director of Guinness Peat Group plc from 1990 to April 2011 and has held directorships of numerous companies, including The Straits Trading Co Limited, Tag Pacific Limited, Pro-Pac Packaging Limited, Premier Investments Ltd, Westfield Group, Tower Australia Limited, Australian Wealth Management Limited, Tyndall Australia Limited (Deputy Chairman), Joe White Maltings Limited (Chairman), CIC Limited, Whitlam Turnbull & Co Limited and Industrial Equity Limited.
Gary has authored numerous articles on a variety of legal and commercial topics.
Gary was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of his significant services to business and to the community.
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Sean Bilton
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
BEc (UNSW), F FIN, INSEAD
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Sean Bilton
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
BEc (UNSW), F FIN, INSEAD
Appointed as the CEO and Managing Director at
Estia Health
in July 2022, Sean was previously in the roles of Chief Operating Officer and Deputy CEO since October 2018.
In his COO role, Sean has led the Workforce, Funding and Procurement Teams, together with P&L responsibility for Estia Health’s portfolio of homes. Sean has also overseen the successful commissioning of three new homes and consideration of future growth opportunities. His success in leading the company through an unprecedented and complex period of change during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Aged Care Royal Commission has ensured Estia Health’s continued standing in the sector.
During his tenure, Sean has worked closely with the Chief People Officer on the development and operationalisation of Estia Health’s employee attraction and retention strategy. Sean embodies Estia Health’s values and principles and ensures that the purpose “To enrich and celebrate life together” is the foundation upon which all decisions are made.
Sean has worked for more than 15 years in the sector, his involvement commencing as an Asset Manager at AMP Capital when he managed the integration of multiple acquisitions, which were the genesis of the Opal Healthcare business.
When joining Opal as the Head of Commercial in 2010, Sean was responsible for overseeing the acquisition and development led growth of the business, as well as customer acquisition, communications, and marketing.
He holds a Bachelor of Economics from UNSW, is a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia and a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at INSEAD.
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Norah Barlow, ONZM
Non-executive Director
BCA, ACA, ONZM
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Norah Barlow, ONZM
Non-executive Director
BCA, ACA, ONZM
Norah holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration from Victoria University and is a Chartered Accountant.
Norah is amongst Australasia’s most experienced and respected executives and directors, with an in-depth knowledge of the aged and health care sector. Norah also holds extensive experience as the highly-respected former CEO and former Director of Summerset Group, an NZX and ASX-listed company named Australasia’s best retirement village operator four years running.
Norah has a strong background across business leadership and management, strategy, corporate finance, governance, tax and accounting. Norah was President of the Retirement Villages Association (NZ) for seven years and made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business in 2014.
Norah was also a Non-executive Director of Ingenia Communities Group, Evolve Education Group Limited, and chair of the Audit Committee for Methven Limited. Norah stepped down as CEO of Estia in November 2018 and remains on the board as a Non-executive Director. Norah is currently Chief Executive of Heritage Lifecare Limited.
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Karen Penrose
Non-executive Director
B.Com (UNSW), FAICD and CPA
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Karen Penrose
Non-executive Director
B.Com (UNSW), FAICD and CPA
Karen is an experienced Company Director who has served as a full-time Non-executive Director since 2014 on the boards of ASX listed companies across the financial services, aged care, healthcare, resources and infrastructure sectors.
Karen's executive career was in leadership and CFO roles, mainly in financial services. Karen worked with CBA and HSBC for over 20 years. She is passionate about consumer outcomes, financial management and well-versed in operating in a rapidly changing regulatory environment.
Karen is a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Bank of Queensland, Ramsay Health Care and Vicinity Centres. She is also Director of Marshall Investments Pty Ltd, Rugby Australia Limited, and Ramsay Generale De Sante.
Karen was formally a director of Future Generation Global Investment Company Limited, AWE Limited and Spark Infrastructure Group Limited.
Karen is a member of Chief Executive Women.
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Paul Foster
Non-executive Director
B.Comm, MA, MAICD
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Paul Foster
Non-executive Director
B.Comm, MA, MAICD
Paul holds a Bachelor of Commerce (with Merit) from the University of Wollongong and a Master of Arts from UNSW Australia.
Paul is an experienced Financial Services professional and Company Director, with more than 20 years of investment experience in the infrastructure, private equity and real estate asset classes, including substantial investments in the healthcare sector.
Paul is a Managing Director at Pacific Equity Partners, one of Australia’s largest alternative investment management firms. He is also a Non-executive Director of WINconnect Pty Ltd, PEP Services Pty Ltd and PEP Advisory Services Pty Ltd.
Paul was a Director of the Opal Aged Care Group (formerly Domain Principal Group) between 2010 and 2015 and was Chairman of the Group in 2011. Paul was head of AMP Capital's Infrastructure investment business in Australia and New Zealand until 2015. Before AMP Capital, he was an investment professional at Macquarie Group and Perpetual Investments.
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Helen Kurincic
Non-executive Director
MBA, Grad Dip Wom Stud, PBC Crit Care, Cert Nsg, FAICD FGIA
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Helen Kurincic
Non-executive Director
MBA, Grad Dip Wom Stud, PBC Crit Care, Cert Nsg, FAICD FGIA
Helen holds a Master of Business Administration from Victoria University.
Helen has extensive executive and Non-executive experience across the healthcare sector. Helen is Chairman of Integral Diagnostics Limited and McMillan Shakespeare Limited, and a Non-executive Director of HBF Health Limited and Victorian Clinical Genetics Service.
Helen was previously the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Genesis Care for seven years from early inception in 2007, creating Australia’s largest radiation oncology and cardiology service business. Previous roles also include Non-executive Director of Sirtex Medical Limited, Non-executive Director of DCA Group Limited which included residential aged care in Australia and New Zealand, Non-executive Director of AMP Capital Investor’s aged care business Domain Principal Group, CEO and Executive Director of residential aged care provider Benetas and Board member of Melbourne Health and Orygen Research Centre.
Helen has also been actively involved in government policy reform across various areas of the healthcare sector.
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Professor Simon Willcock
Non-executive Director (appointed 1 September 2022)
MBBS (Hons 1), PhD, FRACGP, GAICD
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Professor Simon Willcock
Non-executive Director (appointed 1 September 2022)
MBBS (Hons 1), PhD, FRACGP, GAICD
Simon is a General Practitioner and the Director of Primary Care and wellbeing at MQ Health (A Macquarie University health entity). He was previously Head of the Discipline of General Practice in the University of Sydney Medical Program.
His education and research interests include the health of doctors, generational change in the medical workforce, aged care, men’s health and musculoskeletal medicine. Simon trained as a rural procedural GP and practiced in Inverell, NSW for seven years. For the past thirty years he has worked in academic and clinical practice in Sydney and has had a number of educational leadership roles.
Simon was until recently an elected board member and Chair of the Avant Mutual Group and is currently an elected board member and Deputy Chair of the Sydney North Health Network.
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Leanne Ralph
Company Secretary
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Leanne Ralph
Company Secretary
Leanne is an experienced Company Secretary with over 15 years in this field and holds this position for a number of ASX-listed entities. Leanne is a fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Directors.
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Dr. Gary Weiss, AM
Non-executive Director and Chairman
LL.B (Hons). LL.M (with Dist), JSD
Gary holds the degrees of LL.B (Hons) and LL.M (with dist.) from Victoria University of Wellington, as well as a Doctor of Juridical Science (JSD) from Cornell University, New York.
Gary has extensive international business experience and has been involved in numerous cross-border mergers and acquisitions.
Gary is Chairman of Cromwell Property Group Limited and Ardent Leisure Group Limited, Executive Director of Ariadne Australia Limited, and a Director of Thorney Opportunities Limited and Hearts and Minds Investments Limited. Gary is also a Commissioner of the Australian Rugby League Commission and a Director of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.
Gary was Chairman of Coats Group plc from May 2004 to April 2012, Chairman of Clearview Wealth Ltd from 2013 to May 2016, Chairman of Ridley Corporation from June 2015 to June 2020, Executive Director of Guinness Peat Group plc from 1990 to April 2011 and has held directorships of numerous companies, including The Straits Trading Co Limited, Tag Pacific Limited, Pro-Pac Packaging Limited, Premier Investments Ltd, Westfield Group, Tower Australia Limited, Australian Wealth Management Limited, Tyndall Australia Limited (Deputy Chairman), Joe White Maltings Limited (Chairman), CIC Limited, Whitlam Turnbull & Co Limited and Industrial Equity Limited.
Gary has authored numerous articles on a variety of legal and commercial topics.
Gary was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of his significant services to business and to the community.
Ian Thorley
Director
MCom (UNSW), GAICD
Ian has over 30 years’ health and aged care experience in both Australia and overseas.
Appointed as Chief Executive Officer in October 2018, Ian was previously Estia Health's Chief Operating Officer from October 2016.
Ian’s executive experience includes CEO and COO roles in large aged care groups, acute private hospital groups and diagnostic services in Australia and internationally. Ian has been at the forefront of major developments that have shaped Australia’s healthcare sector, including the privatisation of public hospitals, new reimbursement and funding models, and a broad range of public/private sector service models.
Ian has held the position of Non-executive Director in private equity owned, and ASX listed companies and has consulted to aged care operators, private hospital groups, health insurers and health logistics businesses throughout Australia.
Ian is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and holds a Bachelor of Health Administration and a Master of Commerce from the University of NSW.
Norah Barlow, ONZM
Non-executive Director
BCA, ACA, ONZM
Norah holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration from Victoria University and is a Chartered Accountant.
Norah is amongst Australasia’s most experienced and respected executives and directors, with an in-depth knowledge of the aged and health care sector. Norah also holds extensive experience as the highly-respected former CEO and former Director of Summerset Group, an NZX and ASX-listed company named Australasia’s best retirement village operator four years running.
Norah has a strong background across business leadership and management, strategy, corporate finance, governance, tax and accounting. Norah was President of the Retirement Villages Association (NZ) for seven years and made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to business in 2014.
Norah was also a Non-executive Director of Ingenia Communities Group, Evolve Education Group Limited, and chair of the Audit Committee for Methven Limited. Norah stepped down as CEO of Estia in November 2018 and remains on the board as a Non-executive Director. Norah is currently Chief Executive of Heritage Lifecare Limited.
Karen Penrose
Non-executive Director
B.Com (UNSW), FAICD and CPA
Karen is an experienced Company Director who has served as a full-time Non-executive Director since 2014 on the boards of ASX listed companies across the financial services, aged care, healthcare, resources and infrastructure sectors.
Karen's executive career was in leadership and CFO roles, mainly in financial services. Karen worked with CBA and HSBC for over 20 years. She is passionate about consumer outcomes, financial management and well-versed in operating in a rapidly changing regulatory environment.
Karen is a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Bank of Queensland, Ramsay Health Care and Vicinity Centres. She is also Director of Marshall Investments Pty Ltd, Rugby Australia Limited, and Ramsay Generale De Sante.
Karen was formally a director of Future Generation Global Investment Company Limited, AWE Limited and Spark Infrastructure Group Limited.
Karen is a member of Chief Executive Women.
Paul Foster
Non-executive Director
B.Comm, MA, MAICD
Paul holds a Bachelor of Commerce (with Merit) from the University of Wollongong and a Master of Arts from UNSW Australia.
Paul is an experienced Financial Services professional and Company Director, with more than 20 years of investment experience in the infrastructure, private equity and real estate asset classes, including substantial investments in the healthcare sector.
Paul is a Managing Director at Pacific Equity Partners, one of Australia’s largest alternative investment management firms. He is also a Non-executive Director of WINconnect Pty Ltd, PEP Services Pty Ltd and PEP Advisory Services Pty Ltd.
Paul was a Director of the Opal Aged Care Group (formerly Domain Principal Group) between 2010 and 2015 and was Chairman of the Group in 2011. Paul was head of AMP Capital's Infrastructure investment business in Australia and New Zealand until 2015. Before AMP Capital, he was an investment professional at Macquarie Group and Perpetual Investments.
The Honourable Warwick L. Smith, AO
Non-executive Director
AO LLB
Warwick is a non-executive director of Seven Group Holdings (SGH), a leading Australian diversified operating and investment group with market-leading businesses with investments in a range of industrial services, oil and gas, and media businesses.
Warwick is also Chairman, Advisory Board of Australian Capital Equity, which has significant investment interests through its major shareholding in SGH. He is Chairman of Ord Minnett, a leading private wealth management group. In addition, he is also a Director of SGSP (Australia) Pty Ltd, Jemena Northern Gas Pipeline Pty Ltd and Wollar Solar Finance Pty Ltd.
Warwick was formerly Chairman of E*TRADE, Senior Managing Director of the Australia New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ), Chairman, ANZ Thailand and Director, ANZ Greater China and Chairman, ANZ New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory.
He was an Executive Director with Macquarie Bank for 10 years and an Australian Federal Government Minister, with a parliamentary career spanning 15 years, including Minister for Family Services and Aged Care.
He was Australia's first Telecommunications Ombudsman and has received a Centenary Medal and twice been awarded an Order of Australia.
Helen Kurincic
Non-executive Director
MBA, Grad Dip Wom Stud, PBC Crit Care, Cert Nsg, FAICD FGIA
Helen holds a Master of Business Administration from Victoria University.
Helen has extensive executive and Non-executive experience across the healthcare sector. Helen is Chairman of Integral Diagnostics Limited and McMillan Shakespeare Limited, and a Non-executive Director of HBF Health Limited and Victorian Clinical Genetics Service.
Helen was previously the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Genesis Care for seven years from early inception in 2007, creating Australia’s largest radiation oncology and cardiology service business. Previous roles also include Non-executive Director of Sirtex Medical Limited, Non-executive Director of DCA Group Limited which included residential aged care in Australia and New Zealand, Non-executive Director of AMP Capital Investor’s aged care business Domain Principal Group, CEO and Executive Director of residential aged care provider Benetas and Board member of Melbourne Health and Orygen Research Centre.
Helen has also been actively involved in government policy reform across various areas of the healthcare sector.
Leanne Ralph
Company Secretary
Leanne is an experienced Company Secretary with over 15 years in this field and holds this position for a number of ASX-listed entities. Leanne is a fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Directors.
Sean Bilton
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
BEc (UNSW), F FIN, INSEAD
Appointed as the CEO and Managing Director at
Estia Health
in July 2022, Sean was previously in the roles of Chief Operating Officer and Deputy CEO since October 2018.
In his COO role, Sean has led the Workforce, Funding and Procurement Teams, together with P&L responsibility for Estia Health’s portfolio of homes. Sean has also overseen the successful commissioning of three new homes and consideration of future growth opportunities. His success in leading the company through an unprecedented and complex period of change during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Aged Care Royal Commission has ensured Estia Health’s continued standing in the sector.
During his tenure, Sean has worked closely with the Chief People Officer on the development and operationalisation of Estia Health’s employee attraction and retention strategy. Sean embodies Estia Health’s values and principles and ensures that the purpose “To enrich and celebrate life together” is the foundation upon which all decisions are made.
Sean has worked for more than 15 years in the sector, his involvement commencing as an Asset Manager at AMP Capital when he managed the integration of multiple acquisitions, which were the genesis of the Opal Healthcare business.
When joining Opal as the Head of Commercial in 2010, Sean was responsible for overseeing the acquisition and development led growth of the business, as well as customer acquisition, communications, and marketing.
He holds a Bachelor of Economics from UNSW, is a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia and a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at INSEAD.
Professor Simon Willcock
Non-executive Director (appointed 1 September 2022)
MBBS (Hons 1), PhD, FRACGP, GAICD
Simon is a General Practitioner and the Director of Primary Care and wellbeing at MQ Health (A Macquarie University health entity). He was previously Head of the Discipline of General Practice in the University of Sydney Medical Program.
His education and research interests include the health of doctors, generational change in the medical workforce, aged care, men’s health and musculoskeletal medicine. Simon trained as a rural procedural GP and practiced in Inverell, NSW for seven years. For the past thirty years he has worked in academic and clinical practice in Sydney and has had a number of educational leadership roles.
Simon was until recently an elected board member and Chair of the Avant Mutual Group and is currently an elected board member and Deputy Chair of the Sydney North Health Network.
