Wellington Hospitals Foundation Appoints New Chief Executive

Bill Day, Executive Chair of Wellington Hospitals Foundation, today announced the appointment of Guy Ryan as the Foundation's new Chief Executive.

“My trustees and I are delighted to welcome Guy to the Foundation. Guy brings a strong background in fundraising and community engagement. As the founder of the charity Inspiring Stories and the 2015 Young New Zealander of the Year, Guy's passion and commitment aligns seamlessly with our mission,” Day said. “Guy will lead the Foundation into a new era of strategic growth that will leave a lasting imprint on the community we serve."

Bill Day, who founded the Wellington Hospitals Foundation in 2005, is retiring from day to day operations, but will continue as Chair of the Board for a short period. Reflecting on his tenure, Day said, “It has been a privilege to establish the Foundation and support our hospitals over the last 19 years. Together with my dedicated staff, we have achieved significant milestones for our hospitals, benefiting countless patients, their whānau and hospital staff.”

Day said the Foundation’s greatest achievement was presenting the idea for a new children’s hospital to Sir Mark Dunajtschik and partner Dorothy Spotswood in 2016. Te Wao Nui Children’s Hospital, which opened in October 2022, stands as a testament to the collaborative efforts of the benefactors and the community. “This was a wonderful project, only made possible by Mark and Dorothy’s support and, notably, the generous contributions of our wider community, who donated $10 million to the Foundation to outfit and equip the new hospital. The decision to proceed with this project came at a critical time for our region as the former Wellington Children’s Hospital – while playing an important part in the national specialist children’s hospital network – was almost 30 years old and no longer fit for purpose,” Day explained.

As Day steps back into the governance role, Ryan is poised to take the reins and lead the organisation into its next chapter of success. Emphasising the importance of community involvement, Ryan added, "I am honoured to join the Wellington Hospitals Foundation and build on the great work that Bill and the team have done. Being able to access good healthcare is essential for people in our region, and we know the current system is under significant strain. I want to acknowledge our Foundation supporters, and am looking forward to working with our community to unlock the critical funding and resources we need to support healthcare in our region.”

Wellington Hospitals Foundation is the official charity for the hospitals served by Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora - Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley. The Foundation funds items that are not covered by the Government to help the region’s hospitals maintain excellence and meet ever-growing healthcare demands.

The pressing need for continued support becomes evident when considering the strain on our current healthcare system. Thanks to community partners and donors we can invest in medical equipment that helps keep pace with technology, fund projects that help create comfortable spaces for patients and their families; and provide a wide range of resources, care items and services that support patients and their families during their hospital stay. Additionally, the Foundation manages the charity gift shop at Wellington Regional Hospital and has a workforce of 450 dedicated hospital volunteers – working across Wellington, Kenepuru and Hutt Hospitals – who play a significant role in enhancing the experience of patients and visitors and reinforcing our commitment to the well-being of our community.

Whether through donations, volunteering, or spreading awareness, good healthcare is a partnership between the community and our hospitals, and is vital in securing a brighter, healthier future for all.

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