Netcare, the private hospital group, said Friday its CEO of 18 years, Dr Richard Friedland intended to take early retirement and would step down as CEO and as a board executive director from September 30, 2024.
Netcare chairman Mark Bower thanked Dr Friedland for “his servant leadership, loyalty, and invaluable contribution” to Netcare during 30 years of unbroken service to Netcare, 18 of which were served as CEO.
As a simple example of how Netcare has grown under Dr Friedland’s term as CEO, revenue reached R21.64 billion during the 2022 financial year, from only R7.53bn in 2005.
“...he steered Netcare through…the Covid-19 pandemic, serving on the ‘front line’ and supporting the provision of quality care to over 160 000 South Africans, while remaining steadfast in overseeing implementation of Netcare’s strategic imperatives, including its market-leading digitisation programme,” Bower said.
He said Netcare had a strong track record of leadership succession and a significant focus over the past few years had been the development of an executive team, “several of whom have the potential to lead the company in the future.”
The board said a process was underway to consider applicants for the role of CEO, with the aim of announcing the successor by the end of September 2023 to ensure a smooth transition.
The group said in a statement that during Dr Friedland’s tenure, Netcare had grown into the largest hospital group in South Africa, building five new flagship hospitals, expanding the service offering across ten unique platforms, and founding several key and unique business units, among them Netcare 911, Netcare Diagnostics and NetcarePlus.
He initiated and implemented the group strategy of person centred health and care that is digitally enabled and data driven.
The group had undertaken the most ambitious healthcare digitisation project on the continent under his leadership, which was transforming Netcare and providing a long-term sustainable competitive advantage, the group said.
“The roll-out of the project is on track, the costs are below budget and the financial benefits are exceeding expectations. Dr Friedland will continue to drive the successful implementation of this project, which is expected to be completed in April 2024,” the group said.
“His passion and commitment to develop and lead the sustainability strategy has resulted in the group being recognised as a world leader in healthcare environmental sustainability, endorsed by over 32 local and international awards,” said Bower.
He said Netcare had exceeded its 10-year environmental sustainability targets ahead of schedule, achieving savings and cost avoidance of about R1.1 billion to date.
“The foresight of this strategy which was implemented 10 years ago in 2013, has also played a pivotal role in reducing Netcare’s exposure to the impacts of the instability of the national electricity grid,” said Bower.
Dr Friedland also drove significant community based involvement, for example, the establishment of the first sexual assault clinic in 1998, which has since grown to 39 facilities throughout Netcare hospitals.
He spearheaded Netcare’s intervention during the national public sector nursing strike in 2010 in treating nearly a thousand neonatal babies, pregnant woman and emergency patients.
“It has been a lifetime blessing to be part of Netcare and my heart is full of gratitude. This has been a considerable team effort and I am grateful to the board and my leadership team for their constant support, guidance and collaboration. I remain especially grateful to my fellow healthcare co-workers...who are the bedrock of all we do, and who have made extraordinary sacrifices to render safe, quality and compassionate care to the people and communities we treat,” Dr Friedland said in a statement.
BUSINESS REPORT