Reporting to APAC CEO, Nick Stone, and joining Bupa’s Executive Leadership team, Mr Rose will commence at Bupa in November 2026. Mr Rose’s appointment follows previous Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer, Roger Sharp, recently leaving Bupa to take up a role in the not-for-profit health sector.

Jonathan will play a pivotal role in shaping our communications and engagement, public affairs, media, external relations and sustainability agenda. Throughout his career, Jonathan has worked across the Asia-Pacific region, helping organisations navigate complex issues and build trust with governments, investors, media and communities. He has extensive experience managing major reputation programs and advising leadership teams during periods of significant change and public interest.

Jonathan’s career has spanned diverse industries, having worked for organisations including General Motors, Telstra, Cricket Australia, NAB, and Bupa, prior to his most recent role at Rio Tinto where he was responsible for communications in Australia.

Mr Stone said: “I am delighted to welcome Jonathan back to Bupa. He brings deep experience in corporate affairs and stakeholder engagement, and his leadership will strengthen our ability to deliver on our purpose and support the continued growth and success of Bupa across the region.”

Mr Rose said: “I’m proud to be returning to Bupa to lead Corporate Affairs and Sustainability.

“I’m looking forward to working with talented colleagues across the organisation, supporting the business through both opportunities and challenges, and helping tell the Bupa story in a meaningful and engaging way.”

Bupa’s discussion paper, Building a More Accessible, Modern and Sustainable Health System, sets out a vision for a health system better equipped to address the chronic disease burden affecting 15.4 million Australians, with Australians spending almost 11 years of their lives in ill health, much of it linked to preventable or manageable conditions.

Developed in part with economics, strategy and policy consulting firm, Mandala Partners, and launched today at Parliament House in Canberra, the paper focuses on ways to expand access to preventive and primary care, accelerate adoption of innovative models of care, improve access and affordability in specialist services, and strengthen the long-term sustainability and viability of Australia's health system.

Bupa APAC CEO Nick Stone said: “We have one of the best health systems in the world, but it was designed for a different Australia and a different era of care. The next generation of healthcare will require bold, practical reform.

“Prevention should be at the centre of Australia's next phase of health reform,” Mr Stone said.

“An ageing population, rising chronic disease, workforce shortages, growing out-of-pocket costs and increasing financial pressure on governments and households are already affecting how Australians access care. Customer expectations have also changed dramatically.

“Too often, the system is organised around health episodes, institutions and locations rather than the journeys, continuity of care and outcomes that people face.

“Our ambition is simple: to help Australians live longer, healthier and happier lives. To achieve that, healthcare must become more connected, preventative, convenient and centred around patients. That’s why we want to work with government and key sector leaders to ensure Australia’s health system remains sustainable, accessible and fit for the future.”

Key recommendations in the report include:

• Establish a National Prevention Partnership Framework to help governments, providers and insurers invest in prevention, improve health outcomes and reduce pressure on hospitals.

• Enable private health insurers to fund prevention and early intervention including health checks, screening, coaching and care coordination before conditions become serious.

• Give insurers greater flexibility to fund mental health care outside hospitals, potentially avoiding 41,000 admissions and saving $140 million a year.

• Expand Hospital in the Home so more Australians can receive hospital-level treatment including IV antibiotics, wound care and post-operative recovery safely at home.

• Continue moving Medicare towards blended funding that rewards prevention, chronic disease management and coordinated care involving nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals.

• Fast-track workforce reforms, including streamlined pathways for overseas-trained doctors, a national specialist workforce plan and expanded specialist training.

The paper reinforces healthcare workforce shortages are becoming one of the biggest threats to access and affordability, with Australia facing a projected shortfall of more than 8,600 GPs and 12,800 specialists by 2048, while four in ten GPs are already aged 55 and above.

Bupa is calling for urgent reforms focusing on prevention, early intervention and chronic disease management, as current funding and regulations remain largely focused on treating illness after it becomes more serious.

The paper notes Australia recorded almost 788,000 preventable hospitalisations at a cost of $7.7 billion in 2023-24, highlighting the growing cost of treating illness after it develops.

“Preventive health represents one of the greatest opportunities to improve health outcomes, reduce long-term costs and ensure the sustainability of the health system. Improving health outcomes through better management of chronic disease and reduced hospitalisations is key and reorienting our healthcare system towards prevention… is a large part of the solution to tackling chronic disease,” the paper states.

Evidence in the paper shows prevention initiatives generate a median return of $14.30 for every dollar invested, making prevention one of the most effective investments available to the health system.

The discussion paper highlights current funding has not kept pace with contemporary healthcare needs, with lower returns for longer consultations, where patient needs are complex or chronic conditions are involved and favouring consultations and interventions after illness develops rather than preventive care and ongoing management.

“While Medicare's fee-for-service design funds individual episodes of care, it is poorly suited to prevention and coordination. As demand for health services continues to increase, investment alone will not be enough. We must look at preventative health models to help slow this rise,” the paper says.

“GPs frequently need specialist input on a discrete question, but the MBS provides no dedicated mechanism for brief specialist advice outside a formal consultation, and case-conferencing items are ill-suited to routine secondary consultation.”

More than 300,000 mental health-related presentations to public emergency departments in 2024-25 highlight the need for earlier intervention, with the paper calling for greater flexibility to fund evidence-based mental health care in community and digital settings before people reach crisis point.

“Mental health is one of the most substantial and persistent pressures on Australia's health system, workforce and economy. Rebalancing towards prevention and out-of-hospital care would improve system efficiency and increase the return on existing investment,” the report says.

Mr Stone said achieving meaningful and lasting change will require shared responsibility and genuine collaboration between governments, clinicians, insurers, providers, consumers and the broader health sector.

“We welcome the important steps the Government has already taken to lay the foundations for reform in several of these key areas. Our recommendations are intended to complement those efforts and support a health system that is more connected, prevention-focused and centred on the needs of patients,” he said.

To read the full Building a More Accessible, Modern and Sustainable Health System discussion paper, click here.

Jayant has been acting in the interim role since April this year, following his role as Finance Director for BVAC Australia. During more than 15 years with Bupa, he has made a significant contribution to the growth and performance of the aged care business, earning a reputation as a values-led leader who keeps residents, customers and people at the centre. His deep understanding of the aged care sector, combined with his focus on high-quality care, positions him well to lead BVAC into its next chapter.

Nick Stone, CEO, Bupa APAC, said the appointment reflected the depth leadership talent within Bupa and would further strengthen Bupa’s ability to deliver for residents and customers.

“Jayant has been an outstanding leader at Bupa for many years and has played a significant role in the success of our aged care business. I know he will continue to make a meaningful difference for our residents and their families.”

Mr Krishnan said: "It’s a privilege to be leading our aged care business in Australia. I’ve seen first-hand the dedication of our people in our homes and how hard they work to make a difference in the lives of our residents and their families every day.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to work with our teams across Australia to deliver high-quality care and exceptional experiences for those we serve."

The latest data suggests one in six counselling contacts to Kids Helpline is suicide-related, and three-quarters come outside business hours.

yourtown CEO Tracy Adams said the national fundraising campaign was in response to the increasing number of young people seeking help late at night and in the early hours of the morning.

“We’re seeing a steady rise in children and young people reaching out when most other services are closed,” Ms Adams said.

“Kids Helpline is answering more than 130,000 contacts a year, but the demand for counselling support is growing. Right now, we can only respond to three in every five contacts.

“Some of the children we support are as young as five. We don’t want to see any child or young person needing support and not being able to get it – that’s a heartbreaking gap.”

Kids Helpline is Australia’s only free, private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25. It’s a vital safety net for those facing mental health challenges, bullying, abuse, family breakdown, or loneliness.

The Giving Day will take place on 24 July, reflecting the 24/7 nature of the service, which operates around the clock to support young people when they need it most.

“Our Giving Day is a chance for all in our community to say: we see you, we hear you, and we’ll show up for you,” Ms Adams said.

Alongside government funding and public donations, the Bupa Foundation has proudly contributed more than $3 million since 2019 to help Kids Helpline reach more young people.

Bupa APAC Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer Roger Sharp said the reality is that current funding, from all sources, isn’t enough to meet growing demand for Kids Helpline services.

“That’s why the Bupa Foundation will continue to provide funding support to Kids Helpline and why we’re encouraging everyone to support this vital campaign, so no child is left waiting for help when they need it most,” Mr Sharp said.

Kids Helpline counsellors conduct on average 89 crisis or safety interventions every week. Most of these happen after-hours, with 75 per cent of all contacts now occurring outside the traditional 9-to-5 window.

“Whether it’s 2am or 2pm during school hours, Kids Helpline is there — and your donation helps make sure no child in crisis goes unheard,” Ms Adams said.

Your gift makes a real difference:

·         $55 gives a counselling session to one child in need

·         $110 supports a young person through two or more critical moments

·         $550 supports a full day of critical responses, supporting multiple children and young people

Kids Helpline is funded by yourtown, with support from government/s, corporate and community donations. However, additional funding is needed to increase the capacity of the service to lift response rates. 

To donate or find out more information about the Kids Helpline Giving Day visit here

Mr Stone said Dr Woods’ appointment followed an extensive internal and external process and demonstrated the importance clinical leadership as part of Bupa’s strategy to be the most customer-centred healthcare company.

“We’re thrilled to have someone of Nic’s calibre and experience join Bupa at such a transformational time for the health sector, bringing both deep clinical expertise and business leadership to our Executive Team,” Mr Stone said.

Nic joins Bupa from Calvary Care most recently as National Director of Digital Health & Technology (Chief Digital Officer) where he led the technology team across all Calvary Care services, and he was part of the Executive Leadership Team.  Following more than 20 years in clinical medicine and digital health, Nic continues to champion digital health to improve access, affordability, and better patient outcomes.

“Nic is a known and dedicated leader in the clinical community. He’s passionate about improving community health and clinical outcomes and embracing new technologies and medical advancements to meet the future needs of patients.

“As CHO, Nic will be responsible for clinical oversight across our APAC business working closely with our clinical leaders and our hospital partners to drive better health outcomes for our customers,” Mr Stone added.

Nic’s career includes time as Chief Medical Officer with Microsoft, an executive role at Cerner, and years of clinical practice in Emergency Departments, Urgent Care Clinics and General Practice, across New Zealand, Australia, and the UK.

Bupa Asia Pacific CEO, Nick Stone said: “GPs are the backbone of our health system and it’s vital that Australians are able to access healthcare whenever and wherever they need it.

“We welcome initiatives that help ease cost of living pressures and provide timely and convenient access to healthcare, which we know can be real barriers for all Australians,” Mr Stone said.

“Being able to access doctors via telehealth at any time of the day helps take some pressure off busy hospital emergency departments while promoting preventative healthcare. We also know that general practice is under pressure in Australia and additional opportunities that increase flexibility for doctors are a key way to attract and retain GPs.”

Mr Stone said Bupa had already boosted its telehealth services with three 24/7 telehealth consults per policy for eligible health insurance customers as part of its digital health platform, Blua.

To date, 69% of Blua telehealth appointments have been resolved during initial consultations, with just 2% or less directed to emergency departments. Currently, more than 90% of all Blua consultations are carried out via video which enhances the quality and safety of interactions.

Mr Stone said: “Since the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth has quickly become an established part of Australia’s health care system, making better use of practitioners’ and patients’ time.

“Usage patterns indicate Blua Online Doctors is increasing access to primary care out-of-hours and at times when patients might otherwise visit their local emergency department instead,” Mr Stone added.

For more information about Blua please click here.

The two-year deal will help provide joint patients and customers certainty over their health and care expenses while helping to limit out-of-pocket costs for Bupa members at St Vincent’s hospitals. It will cover Bupa’s customers at St Vincent’s 10 private hospitals in NSW, Victoria, and Queensland.

Under the new partnership, St Vincent’s and Bupa will work towards trialing a short-stay hip and knee program at several St Vincent’s hospitals. St Vincent’s has also extended its digital mental health service, This Way Up, to Bupa customers for treatment of critical issues such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia.

St Vincent’s CEO Chris Blake said: “This agreement demonstrates that collaboration and partnership between hospital providers and health insurers remains achievable and can drive better health outcomes.

“It’s a partnership that supports the viability of our hospitals – particularly our regional services – while giving Bupa members access to some of the best private healthcare in Australia.

“Our partnership with Bupa has always been about more than just financial arrangements. We are both committed to working together to add value for customers – our patients – and moving private health forward,” Mr Blake said.

Bupa Health Insurance Managing Director Chris Carroll said: “Working alongside St Vincent’s, we’ve strived to put in place a partnership that puts patients first and helps ensure our customers have access to affordable and high value care.

“We want to be a true partner in our customers’ healthcare, and partnerships like this help us innovate and respond to meet the changing health and wellbeing needs of Australians, now and into the future.

“This shows what’s possible when hospitals and health insurers work together to address the current challenges facing our sector. This includes addressing increased private hospital costs while keeping our customers’ premiums as low as possible, particularly in light of current cost-of-living pressures,” Mr Carroll said.

Mr Blake said hospital providers and health funds had roles to play to help safeguard the private health system.

“Everyone understands Australia’s private health sector, as with the broader health system, is undergoing a period of transition at the moment,” he said.

“For private health care to operate effectively, health funds and hospitals need to work together, and on an even playing field. That’s where this agreement springs from, the goal of putting patient care first, and supporting the sustainability of our sector,” said Mr Blake.

As Official Healthcare Partner to Paralympics Australia, Bupa has set up the Hub for coaches and officials who travel with the para-athletes, as well as Paralympics Australia team members, to support their health and wellbeing throughout the Games.

The Wellbeing Hub, located at Paralympics Australia’s Out of Village Base just outside the Games venue, will be a place where support squad members can take a moment for themselves, to regroup, focus on their mental health while also have access to a physio, massage chairs, recovery boots and a stretch station.

This follows a year-long health and wellbeing program, delivered by Bupa in consultation with Paralympics Australia, including proactive health offerings such as skin checks, and tailored programs on maintaining sleep and wellbeing during high-stress moments.

Bupa APAC CEO, Nick Stone, said a Para-athlete’s support network played a crucial part in their success, but the support team could often put aside their health and wellbeing while they prioritised their athletes’ needs, with limited resources.

“Our team members across our stores, clinics, and care homes are ready to cheer on our Paralympians in Paris. We’ve got green and gold fever and can’t wait to watch them compete on the world stage,” Mr Stone said.

“We know sport connects all Australians, whether they’re playing or spectating, and we hope all Australians will get behind our Paralympians this year and think deeply about how they can help make Australia more accessible for people living with a disability.

“We’ve been inspired by our partnership with Paralympics Australia and watching the Paralympians in their journey to Paris. We’re also incredibly proud to get behind the support teams who do so much to prepare the Para-athletes and help them reach their full potential.

“We know the support teams have limited time for themselves and we hope the Bupa Wellness Hub provides a space where they can take a moment for themselves,” Mr Stone said.

PA Chef de Mission, Kate McLoughlin, said: "We are well prepared to achieve great things in Paris together with Bupa, whose dedication to supporting our team, particularly the staff behind the scenes, has been outstanding. Their determination to affect change and enhance the health and wellbeing of every member of our team is something we are deeply grateful for as we head into the 2024 Paralympic Games.

"Every member of the 2024 Australian Paralympic Team is acutely proud of the incredible legacy created by those who have gone before us and the responsibility we have to uphold it. Bupa’s wonderful support, exemplified by the Wellness Hub in Paris, is a testament to their commitment to our mission and the way we will go about making our mark during this campaign.”

​Mr Stone said during the past 18 months, Bupa had also accelerated our work to become a disability-confident workplace and were proud to recently launch our inaugural Access and Inclusion plan.

“We hope that through our commitment to greater inclusion, we can foster an environment that will encourage more people to stay and join our workforce, while better meeting the needs of our people, our customers, and the communities where we live and work,” Mr Stone said.

Developed in partnership with Australian Disability Network, Bupa’s plan focuses on creating an inclusive workplace, removing unintended barriers to participation, aspiring to be an Employer of Choice, and building stronger values-led communities.

Mr Stone said critical to the development and execution of Bupa’s plan is our Access and Inclusion Employee Advocacy Group, AccessAbility. This group of employees with lived experience, who live with a disability, care for people with a disability, or are an ally to the community, help steward our approach and keep Bupa accountable to its commitments.

“Alongside our employee network, we also asked some of our Para-athletes and Bupa ambassadors to participate in workshops to help inform aspects of our Access and Inclusion plan and speak with our people about their lived experiences in sport and in the community. While we’re gaining momentum, and are proud of our progress so far, we know we still have a journey ahead,” he said.

For more information, visit Bupa’s Access and Inclusion plan.

We are only halfway through 2024, and already too many women have lost their lives under horrific circumstances. The alarming rise in women dying due to gender-based violence has prompted our government to declare it has reached crisis point.

To ensure no more women needlessly lose their lives, we all have a responsibility to be active participants in the national movement to end violence against women. Because of this, Bupa is proud to have partnered with the Our Watch Institute, Australia’s leading team of violence prevention and gender equality experts, to progress our work in the prevention of violence against women.

Leaning on their expertise, we’ll enhance the internal training and programs we already have in place to build confidence in Bupa’s leaders to appropriately respond and support people in their team who may be experiencing gender-based violence. We’ll also be more visible in the support offered to our people, which includes referrals to support services and access to family and domestic violence leave.

We also want to ensure that we are delivering on our commitment to create a workplace where everyone can feel safe and thrive. We have implemented many measures in this space, including establishing a dedicated working group which is focused on continually improving our policies and processes in support of reducing bullying and harassment, including sexual harassment, and sex discrimination in the workplace.

For our customers, we recognise that sharing experiences of family and domestic violence can be particularly challenging. Therefore, we’re committed to training our employees to recognise the signs, inform customers about appropriate support options, and maintain the confidentiality of their information.  You can read more about the customer support options here.

By partnering with the Our Watch Institute and by making our commitment to addressing gender-based violence public, we hope that we are taking meaningful steps to address this issue, not just now, but for future generations.

(*AIHW 2021-22 PSS)

Mr Buggle is an experienced executive leader with a deep understanding of several industries including financial services and professional services. He also has extensive international experience that compliments a strong career in Australia.

From 2003-2021, Shane held senior positions at ANZ bank, including roles as Group Chief Financial Officer and Group General Manager, Internal Audit.

Bupa ANZ Chairman, Tony Johnson, said he was delighted to welcome a Director of Mr Buggle’s calibre to Bupa, bringing with him more than 30 years’ leadership and experience across banking, insurance, and consulting.

“Shane rounds out an experienced, diverse, and highly capable ANZ Board to help guide Bupa ANZ’s Executive team on the next phase of our ambitious strategy to deliver connected care for our customers,” Mr Johnson said. 

Mr Buggle said he was honoured to be joining Bupa’s ANZ Board and working together with the wider Board members to support Bupa’s growth agenda and its millions of customers and residents.

“The health sector is undergoing a major period of growth and transformation, and I’m looking forward to continue to build on Bupa’s strong foundation and improved customer outcomes,” he said.

Mr Buggle is also currently a Non-executive Director of Monash College and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. He has previously held roles as Deputy Chancellor and Chairman of the Resources & Finance Committee at Monash University. Shane is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

Additionally, Stuart Hooper joins the ANZ Board today (26 April), following his commencement as Chief Financial Officer for Bupa APAC in March 2024.

The 30 GWh per year agreement will save over 25,000 tons of CO₂ from the atmosphere each year, the equivalent of taking over 5,500 cars off the road annually.

Bupa Asia Pacific CEO Hisham El-Ansary said this clean power initiative forms a significant milestone in the company’s ambition to become a Net Zero business by 2040, driven by its focus on helping to create a healthy planet for healthy people.

“As a health and care company, we consider it vital to lead with action reducing our environmental footprint in delivering healthcare, particularly given the strong links between the health of the environment and human health.

“While there is still a lot of work to do across our Australian and global operations, this partnership with Pacific Hydro reflects tangible actions we are taking towards delivering on our Net Zero target. 

“More broadly, we want to lead and be a part of efforts across the wider healthcare sector as it seeks to significantly reduce its carbon emissions,” Mr El-Ansary said.

To power this agreement, a variety of Pacific Hydro’s renewable energy assets across Australia are being utilised, including Victoria’s very first commercial wind farm in Codrington, The Drop Hydro in NSW which uses the Southern Hemisphere’s largest irrigation channel, along with South Australia’s Clements Gap Wind Farm, and several more.

Bupa is the first Australian healthcare organisation to partner with Pacific Hydro, joining a group of renowned companies, universities, and local councils. By choosing Pacific Hydro, these large organisations drive demand for future renewable energy projects across Australia.

Domenic Capomolla, Pacific Hydro’s CEO, said that he was delighted with the Bupa partnership announced today.

“As one of the pioneers of Australia’s renewable energy industry, we’re leading Australia’s transition to a clean energy future and are thrilled to be helping Bupa achieve their Net Zero goals.

“Providing renewable energy to companies such as Bupa builds the demand necessary for us to develop new assets in Australia. We currently reduce over 1.6 million tonnes of carbon emissions each year, and our portfolio remains 100% renewable. As we continue to grow our generation and retail arms, we’re proud to be establishing a new normal, where running on renewables is accessible, cost effective, and helps our partners and customers reduce their emissions,” said Mr Capomolla.

Media reference number: 22/102