CEO of Independent & Assisted Living at Australian Unity and the longest-running CEO in the retirement village sector, Derek McMillan, has given notice so he can add another leadership experience to his career.
He has negotiated to depart in August, while handing his CEO role over to Kevin McCoy, currently Group CFO, from 1 July.
Derek tells us that he has been with AU for 18 years and in his current role for 12 years and feels at 54, he has the “energy for another challenge”. He is keen to stay within the health and ageing sector and is keen to work with an organisation that is “looking to grow” and where he can “add the most value”.
In his time with AU, he has been the leading innovator across villages and care. He has driven the growth to 18 villages, including Rathdowne Place, located just 2km from the centre of Melbourne and the first significant inner-city medium-rise strategy, with two towers delivering retirement living and aged care.
In home care AU was an early joint venturer and acquirer of private operators, learning the business before making the bold acquisition in 2015 of the NSW Government’s Home Care business for $114M. This delivered 70% of the entire state’s home care market (51,800 clients) to AU, plus 4,000 staff. This also set AU up for the rollout of the NDIS.
In the village sector Derek was the founding President and Life Member of the Retirement Living Council, a board member of the Property Council, a founding Director of Leading Age Services Australia (VIC) and is currently on the board of the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI).
Kevin McCoy has been with AU since 2012 and was closely involved in both the bid process for Home Care NSW and the transition of the business from the NSW Government to Australian Unity.
