The Avant Mutual Group Limited Board has six member directors and (as required by the Constitution) three non member directors who are also representatives from the Insurance Board. As your medical defence organisation, the responsibilities of the Mutual Board relate to providing overall guidance and control of the organisation and a focus on the needs of members. Each year, two of the six member directors retire by rotation providing two vacancies on the Board.  Retiring directors are eligible to stand for re-election.  

The directors on the Mutual Board are:

MBBS, FAMA, FRACGP (Hon), FAICD

Dr Hambleton is a specialist general practitioner and a former State and Federal President of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) (May 2011 to May 2014). He was awarded the AMA Gold Medal for his services to the Medical Profession in 2015. Dr Hambleton has continued to contribute to the health reform agenda through membership of various Federal Government committees including the recent Strengthening Medicare Taskforce. He is also Chief Clinical Adviser to the Australian Digital Health Agency.

Appointments:  Chair of Avant Mutual Group Limited and Avant Group Holdings Limited, Director of The Doctors' Health Fund, and a member of the Group Investment Committee, Group Remuneration Committee and Group Nominations Committee.

BSc, FIA, FIAA, FSA, FASFA

Mr Beck is an actuary by profession and has over 40 years’ experience in banking, insurance, superannuation and investments working in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, South Africa and the United Kingdom. He was formerly the CEO of Pillar Administration, CEO of CommInsure, and Group General Manager, Strategic Development and Group Appointed Actuary at Colonial.

Appointments: Director Avant Mutual Group Limited, Avant Group Holdings Limited and Avant Insurance Limited, Chair of The Doctors’ Health Fund Pty Ltd, Group Risk Committee and Group Audit Committee and a member of The Doctors’ Health Fund Remuneration Committee and Group Investment Committee.

MBBS, Dip Obst RCOG, FRACGP, MHL, GAICD

Dr Browne is a general practitioner, general practitioner supervisor and senior staff specialist at the Hornsby-Brooklyn GP unit, NSW. Dr Browne has significant governance experience and is currently a non-executive director for Doctors Health Advisory Service NSW. She has extensive medico legal experience and was formerly the inaugural chief medical officer at Avant. Dr Browne is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Appointments:  Director of Avant Mutual Group Limited and Avant Group Holdings Limited and a member of the Group Risk Committee and the Group Audit Committee.

MBBS, FRANZCOG, GAICD

Dr Dudley is a VMO obstetrician and gynaecologist, with over 35 years clinical experience working in NSW Health across tertiary public and private hospitals. Dr Dudley was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2021 for services to obstetrics and gynaecology. Dr Dudley has significant governance experience at local hospital level and was a longstanding and highly respected member of Avant’s NSW Medical Experts Committee. Dr Dudley is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Dr Dudley is also an appointed Director of South East Sydney Local Health District.

Appointments:  Director of Avant Mutual Group Limited, Avant Group Holdings Limited and Avant Insurance Limited and a member of the Group Investment Committee, Group Audit Committee and Group Risk Committee.

MBBS, FRACS

Associate Professor Farrell is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon who works as a Senior Oncological Surgeon at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and is the Head of the Plastic Surgery Unit at Royal Darwin Hospital. She is the ASPS Clinical Lead of the Australian Breast Device Registry, and is a member of the TGA Breast Implant Expert Working Group and Australian Access to Breast Reconstruction Collaborative Group. She is an Associate Professor at Monash University in the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.

Appointments:  Director of Avant Mutual Group Limited, Avant Group Holdings Limited and The Doctors’ Health Fund and a member of The Doctors’ Health Fund Risk Committee and The Doctors’ Health Fund Audit Committee.

MBBS, FRACS

Professor Frydenberg is a urological surgeon practising in Victoria, specialising in cancer care. He is an Adjunct Clinical Professor in the Department of Surgery, Monash University and Academic Director of Urology, Cabrini Health. He was the Chair, Department of Urology, Monash Health from 1997-2017, President of Urological Society of Urology 2015-2017, a council member and Chair of the Health Policy and Advocacy Committee for the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, and surgical representative on the AMA Federal Council.

Appointments: Director of Avant Mutual Group Limited and Avant Group Holdings Limited.

MBBS (Qld), FRANZCO, FRACS, FRACGP, FRCOphth, DipAppSc(Opt), GAICD
Dr Glasson is a practising ophthalmologist working in urban, rural and regional Australia as well as in East Timor. Dr Glasson is the former Federal President of the Australian Medical Association and was awarded the Gold Medal for his services in 2017. He has been awarded an Order of Australia for his services to rural and regional medicine. Dr Glasson has significant skills and knowledge in finance, management and governance and has served on a number of Boards, including the Medical and Allied Professional Superannuation Fund, Cancer Australia, St John Australia, Australian Medical Association, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists Board and QLD Urban Indigenous Health.

Appointments:  Director of Avant Mutual Group Limited and Avant Group Holdings Limited and a member of the Group Audit Committee and Group Risk Committee.

BCom, MBL, PMD

Mr Polson has an extensive background in banking, insurance and financial services. He was formerly Managing Director of Colonial First State Investments, and with the Commonwealth Bank Group as the Group Executive responsible for all investment and insurance services . Mr Polson is the Chair of IDP Education Pty Limited and the Chairman of Very Special Kids. He was formerly Chair of the Board of Challenger Financial Services Group Limited and Challenger Life Limited.

Appointments:  Director of Avant Mutual Group Limited, Avant Group Holdings Limited, Chair of Avant Insurance Limited, Group Investment Committee and the New Ventures Advisory Committee and a member of the Group Remuneration Committee and the Group Nominations Committee.

ANZIIF (Snr Assoc.), CIP, FCII, BSc (Econ), GAICD

Mr West has over 35 years’ experience in insurance, with a particular focus on risk pricing and underwriting, reinsurance, claims and distribution management in both general insurance and life insurance. Mr West has worked in the UK, India and Australia, including as CEO of Vero Insurance and CGU Insurance. Mr West is a Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute. He is the Chair of Challenger Life Company Limited and a Non-Executive Director of Helia Group Limited and Suncorp Group Limited.

Appointments:  Director of Avant Mutual Group Limited, Avant Group Holdings Limited, Avant Insurance Limited, The Doctors’ Health Fund Pty Limited, Chair of the Group Remuneration Committee and The Doctors’ Health Fund Remuneration Committee and a member of the Group Nominations Committee.

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