Meet our people
The Board brings extensive experience and a shared passion to ensure every person matters, from our whole team through to the people we are privileged to serve.
Kok Kong Chan
Chair
BCom MSc (Management) CPA Australia GAICD
A founding Partner of Maritana Partners, Kok Kong was a previous Senior Partner at Egon Zehnder and CEO of HeartScan. He’s the Chair of the Foundation Committee and the Board Development and Remuneration Committee – and became a HammondCare Director in 2016.
Andrew Thorburn
Chief Executive Officer
BComm MBA Dip Mktg
Andrew began as CEO in June 2024. His recent experience was in Impact Investing (including vocational education and aged care), assisting entrepreneurs with start-ups, and in the not-for-profit sector.Before this he worked in banking for more than 30 years, including as CEO of Bank of New Zealand (2008-14) and CEO of National Australia Bank (2014-19).
Kate Thomas
Deputy Chair
BA LLB
As Special Counsel at Clayton Utz, Kate has more than 25 years of experience in property and commercial law, corporate advisory and managed investments. She joined the HammondCare Board in 2015 and is a member of the Association Development, Property and Sustainability, Board Development and Remuneration and Quality, Safety and Care subcommittees.
Robyn Langsford
Director
BCom Chartered Accountant GAICD
A partner at KPMG, Robyn works with Australian mid-market entities focusing on family groups and private businesses across a diverse range of sectors. Robyn rejoined the HammondCare Board in 2012 and is Chair of its Audit and Finance Committee and a member of the Board Development and Remuneration, Association Development and Foundation Committees.
Adrian Blake
Director
BE (Civil) (Hons) MBA MIEAust CPEng NER
Having held senior executive positions with several global and Australian organisations working in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and the UK, Adrian is currently Principal of BlakeGroup Advisory and Engineering. He joined the HammondCare Board in 2018 and is a member of the Property and Sustainability Committee.
Dr Joanne Lewis
Director
RN BN MPallC PhD A/Prof
Joanne has worked as a senior clinical nurse in palliative care for nearly 20 years. She completed a PhD in 2013. Joanne is an Associate Professor of Nursing at Avondale University and has been an academic at UTS and the University of Canberra. Her teaching and research are focused in the areas of palliative care and aged care. Joanne was elected to the Board in 2023 and is a member of the Quality, Safety and Care Committee.
Linda Justin
Director
RN BN MBA MSc (Coach Psych) GAICD
Linda is a Director of JustImpact, the Commonwealth Association for the Ageing (CommonAge) & MTC, having consulted and held senior management roles across health and human services. Linda is a casual lecturer with the Faculty of Health at UTS where Linda is completing a PhD . Linda joined the Board in 2020 and is Chair of the Quality, Safety and Care sub-committee.
Carl Gunther
Director
B. Business Chartered Accountant GAICD
Carl retired as a partner of KPMG in 2019. He’s a Director of Anchor RE (Christian SRE in Schools) and a Finance Committee member for the NSW Aboriginal Land Council. Carl joined HammondCare as a Director in 2020 and is on the Audit and Finance, Foundation and Association Development Committees.
Peter Bailey
Director
BE MEngSc Hon Doctor of Eng GC Management FIEAust GAICD
Peter is an accomplished CEO, Company Director, and Engineer with a proven record of business and engineering design leadership. He is currently a Trustee Director of global engineering consultancy Arup, Director of the Green Building Council of Australia and holds an Honorary Doctorate from UTS. Peter joined the Board in 2023 and is a member of the Board’s Property & Sustainability Committee.
Kok Kong Chan
Chair
BCom MSc (Management) CPA Australia GAICD
A founding Partner of Maritana Partners, Kok Kong was a previous Senior Partner at Egon Zehnder and CEO of HeartScan. He’s the Chair of the Foundation Committee and the Board Development and Remuneration Committee – and became a HammondCare Director in 2016.
Andrew Thorburn
Chief Executive Officer
BComm MBA Dip Mktg
Andrew began as CEO in June 2024. His recent experience was in Impact Investing (including vocational education and aged care), assisting entrepreneurs with start-ups, and in the not-for-profit sector.Before this he worked in banking for more than 30 years, including as CEO of Bank of New Zealand (2008-14) and CEO of National Australia Bank (2014-19).
Kate Thomas
Deputy Chair
BA LLB
As Special Counsel at Clayton Utz, Kate has more than 25 years of experience in property and commercial law, corporate advisory and managed investments. She joined the HammondCare Board in 2015 and is a member of the Association Development, Property and Sustainability, Board Development and Remuneration and Quality, Safety and Care subcommittees.
Robyn Langsford
Director
BCom Chartered Accountant GAICD
A partner at KPMG, Robyn works with Australian mid-market entities focusing on family groups and private businesses across a diverse range of sectors. Robyn rejoined the HammondCare Board in 2012 and is Chair of its Audit and Finance Committee and a member of the Board Development and Remuneration, Association Development and Foundation Committees.
Adrian Blake
Director
BE (Civil) (Hons) MBA MIEAust CPEng NER
Having held senior executive positions with several global and Australian organisations working in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and the UK, Adrian is currently Principal of BlakeGroup Advisory and Engineering. He joined the HammondCare Board in 2018 and is a member of the Property and Sustainability Committee.
Dr Joanne Lewis
Director
RN BN MPallC PhD A/Prof
Joanne has worked as a senior clinical nurse in palliative care for nearly 20 years. She completed a PhD in 2013. Joanne is an Associate Professor of Nursing at Avondale University and has been an academic at UTS and the University of Canberra. Her teaching and research are focused in the areas of palliative care and aged care. Joanne was elected to the Board in 2023 and is a member of the Quality, Safety and Care Committee.
Linda Justin
Director
RN BN MBA MSc (Coach Psych) GAICD
Linda is a Director of JustImpact, the Commonwealth Association for the Ageing (CommonAge) & MTC, having consulted and held senior management roles across health and human services. Linda is a casual lecturer with the Faculty of Health at UTS where Linda is completing a PhD . Linda joined the Board in 2020 and is Chair of the Quality, Safety and Care sub-committee.
Carl Gunther
Director
B. Business Chartered Accountant GAICD
Carl retired as a partner of KPMG in 2019. He’s a Director of Anchor RE (Christian SRE in Schools) and a Finance Committee member for the NSW Aboriginal Land Council. Carl joined HammondCare as a Director in 2020 and is on the Audit and Finance, Foundation and Association Development Committees.
Peter Bailey
Director
BE MEngSc Hon Doctor of Eng GC Management FIEAust GAICD
Peter is an accomplished CEO, Company Director, and Engineer with a proven record of business and engineering design leadership. He is currently a Trustee Director of global engineering consultancy Arup, Director of the Green Building Council of Australia and holds an Honorary Doctorate from UTS. Peter joined the Board in 2023 and is a member of the Board’s Property & Sustainability Committee.