George Savvides
Encyclopedia
George Savvides is an Australia
n businessman. Since 2002 he has been the Managing Director of Medibank Private
Limited.
. While working full-time he obtained a Master in Business Administration from the University of Technology, Sydney
, which included a final year thesis on the Japanese TQM & Lean manufacturing process.
, Australia (a global medical supplies company, headquartered in the UK), and BOC
(British Oxygen Co.) He led Sigma Company Ltd
, then a private cooperative supplying pharmacists, through six major acquisitions and then in late 1999 into public ownership and listing on the Australian Stock Exchange
.
He was appointed to the board of Medibank Private
as a non-executive director on 6 September 2001 and was appointed Managing Director on 19 April 2002. He joined the organisation at a time when it was making a significant loss ($175 million for 2001-02), but by 2004-05 had turned that around to a record profit ($130.8 million). His current term will expire on 11 December 2011.
He is a Councillor of the Australian Health Insurance Association (AHIA) and the International Federation of Health Plans, and Director of the Australian Centre for Health Research Limited (ACHR). He is also a Director of World Vision Australia (board member since 1998) and World Vision International (board member since 2001). He chairs the Stewardship Committee (Finance Committee) and also sits on the World Vision International Executive Committee.
He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
.
, starting when they were first married. They are committed Christians and are involved in the Glen Waverley
Anglican Church
. His philosophy is that "the expression of our faith was never meant to be divorced from the world of work". He refers to the workplace as "the vineyard we have been called to work in where faith and work are not separated".
He enjoys speed boating and has played hockey
since his childhood. He plays for the Melbourne University
Hockey Club Blues Veterans team.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n businessman. Since 2002 he has been the Managing Director of Medibank Private
Medibank Private
Medibank is an Australian government-owned private health insurer, established under the Fraser government in 1976 through the Health Insurance Commission . It is Australia's largest health insurance provider with 3.6 million members under two brands, and the only health insurer present in every...
Limited.
Education
George Savvides trained as an industrial engineer and has a Bachelor of Economics (Honours) from the University of New South WalesUniversity of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. While working full-time he obtained a Master in Business Administration from the University of Technology, Sydney
University of Technology, Sydney
The University of Technology Sydney is a university in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The university was founded in its current form in 1981, although its origins trace back to the 1870s. UTS is notable for its central location as the only university with its main campuses within the Sydney CBD...
, which included a final year thesis on the Japanese TQM & Lean manufacturing process.
Career
He was CEO at Smith & NephewSmith & Nephew
Smith & Nephew plc is a global medical devices company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest producer of arthroscopy products, second-largest producer of advanced wound management products, third-largest producer of trauma and clinical therapy products and...
, Australia (a global medical supplies company, headquartered in the UK), and BOC
The BOC Group
The BOC Group plc was the official name of the multinational industrial gas and British based company more commonly known as BOC, and now a part of The Linde Group. In September 2004, BOC had over 30,000 employees on six continents, with sales of over £4.6 billion. BOC was a constituent of the...
(British Oxygen Co.) He led Sigma Company Ltd
Sigma Pharmaceuticals
Sigma Pharmaceuticals Limited is a company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange that produces over-the-counter drugs and prescription medicine.- 2010 trading halt :...
, then a private cooperative supplying pharmacists, through six major acquisitions and then in late 1999 into public ownership and listing on the Australian Stock Exchange
Australian Securities Exchange
The Australian Securities Exchange was created by the merger of the Australian Stock Exchange and the Sydney Futures Exchange in July 2006. It is the primary stock exchange group in Australia....
.
He was appointed to the board of Medibank Private
Medibank Private
Medibank is an Australian government-owned private health insurer, established under the Fraser government in 1976 through the Health Insurance Commission . It is Australia's largest health insurance provider with 3.6 million members under two brands, and the only health insurer present in every...
as a non-executive director on 6 September 2001 and was appointed Managing Director on 19 April 2002. He joined the organisation at a time when it was making a significant loss ($175 million for 2001-02), but by 2004-05 had turned that around to a record profit ($130.8 million). His current term will expire on 11 December 2011.
He is a Councillor of the Australian Health Insurance Association (AHIA) and the International Federation of Health Plans, and Director of the Australian Centre for Health Research Limited (ACHR). He is also a Director of World Vision Australia (board member since 1998) and World Vision International (board member since 2001). He chairs the Stewardship Committee (Finance Committee) and also sits on the World Vision International Executive Committee.
He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
Australian Institute of Company Directors
The Australian Institute of Company Directors is Australia's leading membership body for directors in Australia and the leading Australian not-for-profit corporate governance organisation....
.
Personal
He married in November 1979. He and his wife Vivian have sponsored many children through World VisionWorld Vision
World Vision, founded in the USA in 1950, is an evangelical relief and development organization whose stated goal is "to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of...
, starting when they were first married. They are committed Christians and are involved in the Glen Waverley
Glen Waverley, Victoria
Glen Waverley is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 19 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash...
Anglican Church
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
. His philosophy is that "the expression of our faith was never meant to be divorced from the world of work". He refers to the workplace as "the vineyard we have been called to work in where faith and work are not separated".
He enjoys speed boating and has played hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
since his childhood. He plays for the Melbourne University
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
Hockey Club Blues Veterans team.