Dr Michael Richmond appointed as BHB CEO

Tuesday 21 July 2020: Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) today announces that Dr Michael Richmond has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & President, and will take over the position when Mrs Venetta Symonds, takes early retirement in July 2020 after eight years as CEO & President. At the same time the Board is recreating the role of deputy CEO which will be filled by Mr R Scott Pearman, who is on a developmental pathway to be a potential candidate to compete for the CEO position in 2023.

Dr Richmond is currently the Chief of Staff at BHB. Having joined BHB in 2017, he also spent three months as Acting CEO during Mrs Symond’s leave last year. Dr Richmond has extensive experience in healthcare and hospital management in the UK and overseas. Immediately prior to joining BHB, he served in the dual role as Chief Medical Officer at Hamad Medical Corporation and Chief Executive Officer of Hamad Medical Corporation’s Women’s Hospital in Qatar.

Originally from the UK, Dr Richmond is an anaesthetist with 25 years’ experience. He has worked extensively on major change programmes both in the UK and internationally. He has developed a strong professional network that includes major medical institutions in the UK, Ireland, United States of America, Canada and Qatar. Dr Richmond obtained his medical degree from the University of Aberdeen and specialised in anaesthetics at the Royal College of Anaesthetists in the UK and College of Anaesthetists Ireland.

William Madeiros, Chairman of the BHB Board, comments: “We would first like to pay tribute to Mrs Venetta Symonds for her leadership and vision over the last eight years as CEO and for her dedication to care over her 40 year career at BHB. To ensure we appointed an equally high calibre CEO who could continue to improve quality and value at BHB, the Board established a subcommittee last year after Mrs Symonds announced her intention to take early retirement. Dr Richmond is an experienced and skilled candidate, with extensive experience as a hospital executive, who is ready to take on this critical role. While we currently face an unprecedented challenge with the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Richmond’s leadership of the BHB pandemic response has only highlighted what we already knew – that we have someone with the skills, experience and strategic abilities to navigate hospital services through major challenges and help them become stronger. This appointment supports the current succession plan approved by the Board in 2018. This plan identified Mr Pearman as being on a development pathway to be a potential candidate to compete for this position by 2023, and this development will continue with him in the role of Deputy CEO.”

Minister of Health, Kim Wilson, JP MP, comments: “We remain very grateful for the achievement of Mrs Symonds as CEO and wish her the very best in her early retirement. I am very pleased for BHB and Bermuda that Dr Richmond has agreed to take on the role. COVID-19 remains a potent threat in Bermuda and overseas, but Dr Richmond’s advice and strategic approach to managing the pandemic and looking beyond at how quality and service improvements can be made once the pandemic is over give me great optimism for the future of BHB and hospital services, and their ability to meet the needs of people in Bermuda.”

In addition, “Looking to the future, it is critical that Bermudians continue to be equipped and made ready with the tools for successful leadership. BHB shares this Government’s goal of securing and retaining qualified, professional Bermudians who can lead the organisation. Therefore, I am pleased to see the appointment of Bermudian, Mr R Scott Pearman, to the position of Deputy CEO. The Ministry of Health along with countless Bermudian families invests heavily in the education of Bermudians in healthcare professions and beyond. We are renewing our commitment to realising the best possible return on those investments by ensuring a depth of leadership talent on the proper path to success”.

Dr Richmond comments: “I have spent three years at BHB as Chief of Staff and have experienced first hand the BHB staff dedication and desire for quality. I look forward to building on the awesome work already achieved with my colleagues, and working more closely with staff in support and administrative as well as clinical areas. The pandemic has only highlighted the phenomenal ability of BHB staff to do what is needed to care for the Bermuda community. I remain committed to the key values of quality, patient safety and equity. While we know there are challenges ahead, I have great faith we will navigate through them, be stronger and make Bermuda proud.”

The new CEO’s contract will be for three years with a salary of $485,000. The first effective date of the contract is 1 August 2020.

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