Deputy Commissioners appointed at Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand

By law, the Health NZ Commissioner is able to appoint up to three Deputy Commissioners.

On 1 August 2024 the Commissioner, Professor Lester Levy, announced the appointment of Roger Jarrold and Ken Whelan as Deputy Commissioners.

Roger Jarrold will take up his role with immediate effect and Ken Whelan from 5 August. Both are appointed for 12 month terms to align with Professor Levy’s period as Commissioner. An announcement about a third Deputy Commissioner will follow in due course.

Their roles will include strategic oversight of Health NZ’s financial turnaround, development and implementation of our turnaround plan and ensuring Health NZ has robust financial management and accountability across the organisation.

New Zealand needs a health system that is more integrated and delivers more and better healthcare for patients. To do this, we need the right people to help steward us through the coming months as we address our financial position and focus on realising the full potential of our health system for our patients, families and communities.

Roger Jarrold

Roger Jarrold has vast financial experience having worked in finance in both private and public sectors for over 40 years. He has held several Chief Financial Officer roles including for Fletcher Construction, Downer New Zealand, Kordia Group Ltd, and the former Auckland DHB.

Alongside his Auckland DHB experience, Roger has additional experience in the health sector which I believe makes him the ideal person for the job. He has worked as a Crown Monitor for Southern DHB, Chaired the Audit Committee for the Health Research Council, and the Finance and Audit Committee at Hutt Valley DHB and Capital & Coast DHB. He is currently serving as Chair of the Audit Committee for Health New Zealand Southern.

Ken Whelan

Ken Whelan is a senior health executive with over 30 years as a Senior Manager and 20 of those years as a Chief Executive across a range of health providers and purchasers from secondary/tertiary providers with large rural and indigenous populations to major teaching facilities.

Ken’s strengths include strong collaborative leadership, organisational change, performance management and accountability frameworks. He understands clinical and corporate governance models, and care across the fully continuum.