Johannesburg - Life Healthcare Group announced on Monday that André Meyer will step down as chief executive and as a member of the board with effect from 30 June after three years at the helm of the second largest private hospital operator in South Africa.
The group said Meyer had delivered on his mandate given to him when he was appointed as chief executive in 2014. His mandate was to drive diversification across both territories and practice areas in order to meet the demands of a changing healthcare environment.
Life Healthcare said Monday it enjoyed a presence in India, Poland and across 10 European countries, which collectively delivers almost 20 percent of the group's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA).
Meyer said it was at this juncture, and after nearly 20 years in the healthcare industry, that he had decided to change course and focus on new opportunities.
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"I have enjoyed the challenges and opportunities afforded to me during my tenure as CEO," Meyer said.
"The group now enjoys a global footprint and investments in a broader range of strategic services outside of the acute care market and is well positioned across the full continuum of healthcare service delivery."
The board has appointed Pieter van der Westhuizen, the current chief financial officer (CFO) as the acting CEO. Van der Westhuizen has been with Life Healthcare for 18 years and has been the group CFO for the last four years.
The group said it had a capable and experienced management team in place and Van der Westhuizen will lead an operational executive board responsible for the operational delivery across the group and the delivery of the combination of benefits of Life Healthcare and Alliance Medical. Life Healthcare said the recruitment process to find a suitable CEO with relevant experience had commenced.