Nurse Maude Announces New Chief Executive

15 August 2025

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Louise Zacest as the new Chief Executive of Nurse Maude, effective 26th September 2025.


Louise brings more than two decades of leadership experience in the healthcare sector, with a career dedicated to improving health outcomes and building strong, collaborative partnerships.


Most recently, Louise was Chief Executive of UniMed, where she led the organisation through significant strategic growth and operational transformation over a four-year period to become New Zealand’s third largest health insurer. Prior to that, she held senior leadership roles at Healthcare NZ, including Acting CEO, and has extensive experience in developing innovative service models to meet community needs.

Louise Zacest

Her earlier career included seven years in the public health sector as Head of Business Development at Counties Manukau District Health Board, where she played a pivotal role in expanding services to meet the needs of diverse communities.


This appointment marks an exciting new chapter for Nurse Maude as we continue our mission of providing exceptional care and support to the communities we serve. Louise’s leadership will build on our proud 129-year history, while guiding us toward new opportunities to meet the changing needs of our patients, clients, and whānau.


Please join us in welcoming Louise to the Nurse Maude whānau. We look forward to the vision, expertise, and energy she will bring as we move forward together.


We also acknowledge and thank Jim Magee for his remarkable 19 years of leadership as Chief Executive. His dedication has shaped Nurse Maude into the organisation it is today, and his legacy will be felt for many years to come.

Follow Louise on LinkedIn

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