After more than 20 years of unstinting service to the NZACA in its various guises, Max Robins is to step down later this year from the Board of the Association.
Max has had a long and distinguished career in the health sector that has spanned more than 30 years. Over this time, Max has made an immeasurable contribution not only to the organisations that have employed him, but his voluntary work has made a huge difference to the health and well-being of older New Zealanders.
Max’s involvement in advocacy and insight work for the sector goes back to the early 2000s when he headed up the New Zealand Private Hospitals Association (NZPHA). The NZPHA later merged with Healthcare Providers New Zealand (HCPNZ) to become a single industry body, now the NZACA.
There are countless examples of how Max’s work has made a difference, but one that stands out is the contribution he made to the Equal Pay work between 2015 and 2017. Max was without question the sector expert through two years of very challenging work. He would bring his extraordinary intellect, sector knowledge and evidence base to every discussion and this was what stood out for all those involved. While Max worked hard to protect the interests of employers in the sector, he understood the contribution of staff just as much as anyone which meant he was able to work alongside unions and government officials in a constructive way.
Max is thought of highly in the public and private sectors and while he is both strong analytically and strategically, he does not let these attributes in any way demean the contributions of others because of his calm and respectful manner.
At the end of this year, Max will also be retiring from his role as Chief Executive of the CHT, an organisation he has led for more than 20 years. On behalf of the NZACA Board, management and membership, we thank Max for his exceptional service. While he is stepping away, we all hope he will continue his involvement and contribution to the sector in some way.
Thank you, Max.
Simon Wallace
Chief Executive
