Hartzer joins Woolworths’ Quantium Health as CEO
Key Points
- Why it matters: Former Westpac boss Brian Hartzer has taken the reins at the Woolworths-backed Quantium Health
- It is his first internal role since leaving the bank in 2019 as regulators circled
- He says Quantium’s data analytics technology could help detect fraud in the NDIS.
Former Westpac boss Brian Hartzer has taken the reins at data analytics and artificial intelligence player Quantium Health, returning for the first time to a day-to-day management role four years after he resigned from the bank.
Mr Hartzer, who has advised the company since meeting Quantium chief Adam Driussi in 2020, admitted he had limited experience in the healthcare sector but said there were plenty of applications for artificial intelligence. “There is so much data in the health sector that hasn’t really been leveraged,” Mr Hartzer said.
The Quantium role is Mr Hartzer’s first since leaving Westpac in November 2019. Louie Douvis
He argued data analytics and AI could help develop new pharmaceuticals, treatment strategies and boost efficiencies. Quantium is owned by supermarket giant Woolworths. Mr Hartzer will start as CEO of Quantium Health immediately.
Mr Hartzer said Quantium’s technology, which can detect fraud, could be useful for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which is set to be pared down and reformed to lower the cost to taxpayers.
“The way you tackle fraud better is through better use of data,” he said.
“Quantium has had a long relationship with different aspects of government and has demonstrated its ability to [detect fraud], so we think that is an obvious area where we can be helpful.”
Mr Hartzer said it was “inevitable” that such a large government program “was going to have some inefficiencies early on”.
“It is a natural outgrowth that the government and the NDIA are trying to take the next step to make sure that the money is spent as efficiently as possible.”
A review of the NDIS program last week recommended 26 changes to the troubled program, including creating a new scheme outside the NDIS to treat children with early developmental disorders, and a crackdown on unregistered providers.
To keep board roles
The Quantium role is Mr Hartzer’s first since leaving Westpac in November 2019 as authorities pursued the bank over 23 million breaches of anti-money laundering laws, which resulted in it receiving a record $1.3 billion fine.
While he has held board roles at ASX-listed finance player BeforePay and software firm Reejig, the Quantium Health job is his first internal position since leaving the bank.
Mr Hartzer said he intended to stay on those boards “for the time being” but the new role “will be the priority”.
Quantium Health reported a huge decline in net profits, from $17 million to $3 million in the 2023 financial year, filings to the corporate regulator show, as much of its work and contracts related to the pandemic came to an end.
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