Hisham El-Ansary to become Bupa Chief Executive Officer
Bupa today announced Hisham El-Ansary will become Chief Executive Officer for Australia and New Zealand in April next year. The current CEO, Richard Bowden, will be stepping down after nearly two decades with the company.
Mr El-Ansary is currently the Australia and New Zealand business’s Chief Financial and Strategy Officer and joined Bupa in 2008. In his ten years with the company he has held a variety of roles including Managing Director of the Health Services business as well as holding responsibility for strategy, M&A and business development.
He led the company’s move into Dental and Medical Visa Services. He is known for his focus on the customer and his broad and deep understanding of the business. Over the past 30 years, he has held senior executive roles in a variety of industries including retail, energy, aviation and construction. Mr El-Ansary is a Fellow of CPA Australia and of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He is also a director of children’s charity, Very Special Kids.
Mr Bowden joined Bupa in 2002 when the company acquired AXA Australia Health, where he was Managing Director. As MD of Bupa Australia, he oversaw the company’s significant expansion and growth, including the acquisition of MBF in 2008 and the launch of the Bupa brand in Australia in 2011. In 2012, he moved to the UK for four years as Chief Executive of Bupa’s UK businesses, returning to his native Australia in 2017.
Bupa Australia & New Zealand Chairman Nicola Roxon, recognised Mr Bowden for his long and distinguished career:
“Richard has made a wonderful contribution to Bupa and will leave a lasting legacy when he retires from Bupa next year
“We have known about Richard’s plans for some time and are delighted Hisham has been appointed as his successor.”
Noting the key role Mr El-Ansary has played in Bupa over the last decade, Ms Roxon commented:
“Hisham’s knowledge of Bupa and of the health and care sector make him ideally equipped to lead Bupa Australia and New Zealand over the next phase of its development. He is a passionate advocate for excellence and for putting customers front and centre, and we look forward to a smooth leadership transition over the coming months.”
