New CEO appointment – Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia

The Board of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) is pleased to announce the appointment of a successor to its long-standing Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Debra Graves, OAM.

After a comprehensive executive search process, Dr David Andrews (PhD) will join the RCPA on 1 March 2024, working closely with Dr Graves and the team, before taking over the CEO role on Friday 29 March 2024.

Dr Andrews is an experienced leader in specialist medical adult education, advocacy, medical research, and the not-for-profit sector. He was CEO of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) for nine years and is currently leading another large membership organisation. He has previously held leadership roles in various companies in the medical technology and research sector including the role of Chief Operating Officer of the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research.

President of the RCPA, Assoc. Prof Trishe Leong said,

‘David’s proven success as a leader, understanding of the role and the operations of medical colleges, coupled with his clearly expressed interest in progressing medical improvements in Australia and other countries made him an excellent candidate for the CEO role. The Board and I believe that he has both the experience and skills necessary to carry the RCPA forward and we look forward to working with him.’

As well as more than 20 years in medical and scientific leadership roles, Dr Andrews is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, holds an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management and a PhD in Agriculture (Agricultural Chemistry) and a BSc (Hons) from the University of Sydney.

Dr Andrews said, ‘In joining the RCPA, I will look to build on the successes of the past and present, while utilising my experience, and passion for innovation and collaboration to ensure that the College continues to grow in alignment with, and in response to, the needs of its’ Fellows, Trainees and the pathology profession.’