Executive Management

Nationality: South African

Date of appointment: Group CEO since June 2018

As a qualified anaesthesiologist in private practice, Dr Van der Merwe gained extensive experience in trauma and elective anaesthesia, intensive care management, and the management of acute and chronic pain. During his involvement in the medical insurance industry, he gained healthcare data management and analytics expertise. He also displays proficiency in clinical leadership and management, as well as in developing and implementing strategic goals.

Dr Van der Merwe has extensive knowledge of Mediclinic’s international operations and a strong track record of managing quality and effectiveness. He established the Advanced Analytics, Clinical Information, Clinical Services and Health Information Management functions at Mediclinic, contributing to the growth of the Group.

Dr Van der Merwe has Group-wide experience and possesses in-depth knowledge of Mediclinic’s workings, having held a variety of senior roles within the Company. He joined the Company in 1999 and as Chief Clinical Officer took responsibility for various aspects of the business prior to his appointment as executive director and Group CEO of Mediclinic. He was an executive director of Mediclinic International Ltd from 2010, up to the reverse takeover of Al Noor Hospitals Group plc. He was appointed as an executive director and Group CEO of Mediclinic, with effect from 1 June 2018 and also serves as a non-executive director on the board of Spire since 24 May 2018 under the terms of the shareholder agreement between Spire and Mediclinic.

Qualifications

Van der Merwe holds an MBChB (Stellenbosch University); a DA (SA) (College of Anaesthetists of South Africa); the FCA (SA) (Fellowship of the College of Anaesthetists of South Africa); and has completed the Advanced Management Program (Harvard Business School).

Nationality: South African

Date of appointment: Group CFO since August 2016

Mr Myburgh is a qualified chartered accountant with broad financial and accounting experience obtained during his career of over 20 years. Since joining the Group, he has emphasised the importance of capital management and allocation informed by cost of capital across the Group and driven a structured approach to growth.  Mr Myburgh has gained considerable financial and accounting experience since qualifying as a chartered accountant with KPMG in 2000. He joined The Standard Bank of South Africa Ltd in 2001 and was appointed as Head of Mergers and Acquisitions in 2009. Following this he served as CFO at Datatec Ltd, an international ICT Group, before joining Mediclinic as Group CFO in August 2016.

Qualifications

Mr Myburgh holds a BComm Hons in Accounting (University of Johannesburg) and is a qualified chartered accountant registered with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Nationality: South African

Appointment date: Group Chief Corporate Services Officer since February 2016

Mr Gert Hattingh joined Mediclinic in 1991 as Group Accountant. He served in various management positions across the Group and was appointed as Company Secretary in 2000 and Group Services Executive in 2011. Subsequent to the acquisition of Al Noor Hospitals Group plc in February 2016, he holds the position of Group Chief Corporate Services Officer.

Qualifications

Mr Hattingh holds a BAcc Hons (Stellenbosch University); completed the Advanced Management Program (Harvard Business School); and is a qualified chartered accountant registered with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. 

Nationality: South African

Appointment date: Group Chief Information Officer since August 2014

Dr Dirk le Roux joined Mediclinic in August 2014 as the Group ICT Executive and was appointed to his current position of Group Chief Information Officer (‘CIO’) on 11 August 2014. Prior to joining Mediclinic, he served in various managerial roles, including as Managing Director of ThinkWorx Consulting, CIO at Media24 (Pty) Ltd, General Manager of IT Strategy and Risk at Absa Bank Ltd and Head of IT at the Development Bank of Southern Africa.

Qualifications 

Dr Le Roux holds a DComm in Informatics (University of Pretoria); an MBA cum laude (North-West University); a PgDip in Data Metrics (Unisa); and a BEng in Civil Engineering (University of Pretoria).

Nationality: Swiss

Appointment date: Group Chief Human Resources and Corporate Development Officer since February 2018

Mr Magnus Oetiker worked for Hirslanden in various management positions from 2000 to 2016. He served on this division’s executive committee from 2008 in various roles, while also taking responsibility for human resource management, funder relations and strategy. During his last two years at Hirslanden, he acted as Chief Strategy Officer. In 2016, he joined a family-owned company in Switzerland with interests in healthcare and catering as CEO. In February 2018, he was appointed Group Chief Human Resources and Corporate Development Officer of Mediclinic.

Qualifications 

Mr Oetiker holds a BSc in Business Administration (Zurich University of Applied Sciences) and an Executive MBA (University of Zurich).

Nationality:  South African

Appointment date: Group Chief Clinical Officer since July 2018 

Dr René Toua is a medical practitioner with extensive experience in private and public healthcare. She started her career in primary healthcare, established a geriatric private primary care practice and worked in emergency medicine, including at an academic trauma unit, for several years. She joined Mediclinic in 2006 and held the positions of Regional Clinical Manager, and Clinical Data and Information Manager for Mediclinic Southern Africa. Subsequently, she served as the Group General Manager: Clinical Performance. She sits on the executive committee and board of trustees for Remedi, the in-house medical aid scheme, and is the Chair of the Medical Advisory Committee. She was appointed Group Chief Clinical Officer with effect from 1 July 2018.

Qualifications 

Dr Toua holds an MBChB (Stellenbosch University); an MPhil in Emergency Medicine (Patient Safety and Clinical Decision Making) (University of Cape Town); and a PgDip in Project Management (University of Stellenbosch Business School).

Nationality: German and South African

Appointment date: Group Chief Innovation Officer since 2020

Before joining the Group, Dr Tyson Welzel fulfilled clinical and academic roles acquiring extensive experience in private and public healthcare. He is also a founder of the Centre of Excellence in Emergency Medicine in Bern. In 2016, he joined Mediclinic, taking responsibility for clinical governance and health technology assessments, before being appointed as Group General Manager: Innovation in 2019. He subsequently joined the Group Executive Committee in October 2020 as Group Chief Innovation Officer. 

Qualifications

Dr Welzel holds an MBChB (University of Cape Town); a European Masters in Disaster Medicine (Piedmont); an MMed Sc in Clinical Epidemiology (Stellenbosch University); and a Masters in International Management (McGill).

Nationality: British

Appointment date: Chief Executive Officer of Mediclinic Middle East since 2009

Mr David Hadley joined Mediclinic in 1993 and filled various administrative roles in human resources, finance, operations and hospital management before being seconded to Dubai in 2007 to oversee the opening of Mediclinic City Hospital. He was appointed as CEO of Mediclinic Middle East in 2009 and has served on the Group Executive Committee since 2011.

Qualifications 

Mr Hadley holds a BComm (Unisa) and an MBA with distinction (University of Liverpool).

Nationality: Swiss

Appointment date: Chief Executive Officer of Hirslanden since 2019

Dr Daniel Liedtke joined the Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna in Lucerne in 2001. He held various clinical and managerial positions at Hirslanden prior to his appointments as Hospital Manager of Klinik Hirslanden in 2008 and as Chief Operating Officer of the Hirslanden Group in 2015. In 2019 he was appointed as CEO of Hirslanden.

Qualifications

Dr Liedtke holds a Doctor of Business Administration (Charles Sturt University); a Master of Health Administration (FHS St. Gallen); a DO in Osteopathic Medicine (Swiss Conference of Cantonal Health Directors); a BSc in Physiotherapy (Swiss Confederation); and a Certificate in Car Electronics (Federal certificate).

Nationality: South African

Appointment date: Chief Executive Officer of Mediclinic Southern Africa since 2008

Mr Koert Pretorius joined Mediclinic in 1998 as the Regional Manager for the central region of Mediclinic’s operations in Southern Africa and in 2003 took on the role of Chief Operating Officer of the Mediclinic Group. He was appointed CEO of Mediclinic Southern Africa in 2008 and served as an executive director of Mediclinic International Ltd from 2006, up to the acquisition of Al Noor Hospitals Group plc.

Qualifications 

Mr Pretorius holds a BCompt in Accounting Science (University of the  Free State) and a Master of Business Leadership (Unisa).