Resignation of Justine White, chief financial officer

Sent on behalf of David Meates, Chief Executive, Canterbury DHB

Kia ora koutou

It is with regret I advise that Justine White has resigned from her role as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Services, Canterbury DHB and West Coast DHB.

Justine came to health 9 years ago after a career in the private sector. She has been a central member of the Executive Team that has navigated the Canterbury Health System through its most challenging period, and a key leader in the transformation of health services on the West Coast.

Justine has led the implementation of new finance and procurement systems. She has successfully driven large scale change, including the in-sourcing of food and cleaning services that have driven millions of dollars of efficiencies and enabled more care within constrained resources. She led the settlement of one of New Zealand’s largest ever insurance payments following the Canterbury earthquakes. She has also played an essential role in Canterbury’s facility repair and construction programme, which is the largest ever capital development programme in the history of New Zealand’s public health system.

Justine has also provided leadership nationally. Since 2012, she has chaired the 20 DHB Chief Financial Officers group, a role which she continues today. She has led the redesign of the insurance programme for all 20 DHBs, and she is currently a central contributor to the implementation of the national finance and procurement system across the sector.

I have worked with many Chief Financial Officers in my career. Justine is without doubt an absolutely gifted CFO and a talented strategist and leader. She has made a hugely positive difference to health services in Canterbury and on the West Coast, and I wish her every success for the future.

Justine is leaving to take up the role of Chief Financial Officer for the Auckland District Health Board. In a statement released in Auckland this morning by Ailsa Claire - CEO, she says “Auckland DHB is thrilled to have attracted a Chief Financial Officer of Justine’s calibre, and we look forward to welcoming her soon.”

Justine’s last working day is Friday 28 August 2020.