As CEO of Healthdirect Australia for the last eight years, Colin has achieved notable success in building an organisation that has harnessed technology to complement existing health services and deliver improved health outcomes for Australian communities. The Lifeline Australia Board recognises that the capacity of Lifeline to address similar challenges is critical to its future strategy and success.

With more than eight Australians dying by suicide every day and Lifeline receiving almost one million calls every year, the need for Lifeline’s services is more important than ever. There is a need to do more. Lifeline is committed to the pursuit of a strategy for the extension and enhancement of our crisis support services through the adoption of new technologies and they believe Colin has the experience and is ideally placed to lead Lifeline through this period of change, challenge and opportunity.

Under Colin’s leadership Healthdirect Australia, a not-for-profit, government funded organisation, has developed a range of digital channels and telephone helplines that now manage more than four million interactions each month from people seeking health related services, information or advice. Colin is also President of the International Health Advisory Roundtable and until 2016 was a member of the Australian Government’s Mental Health Advisory Board.

Over a period of more than 20 years, Colin’s leadership roles have involved extensive stakeholder engagement with Federal and State governments, national peak bodies, business partners, philanthropic donors and individual members. These are skills that have been clearly demonstrated by Colin and are seen as critical to the future success of Lifeline.

Lifeline is a national charity providing all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. They are committed to empowering Australian’s to be suicide-safe through connection, compassion and hope. Their vision is for an Australia free of suicide. You can view the complete announcement here.