Team

Handpicked for excellence, the team at Sonoa Health is dedicated to a healthier future

Our highly talented team of over 100 professionals including medical academics, doctors, scientists, animators, illustrators, story tellers, musicians, voice over artists, computer software engineers, information and communications technologists, platform designers, systems engineers, data analysts, lawyers, quality assurance specialists and social media experts built Health& over a period of eight years.

The team’s task was to build a prevention-focused digital health technology platform that would improve participation rates, personalise information, engage people in preventive care, improve access, improve health literacy, connect wearable devices, connect to the entire healthcare marketplace on one platform, and reduce direct and indirect costs for consumers, insurers, providers, business and government.

The team confirmed early on that only digital could satisfy the needs of all stakeholders (consumers, insurers, providers, business and government) by interconnecting each group’s interests with the protective power of prevention, participation, personalisation and sound population health management.

Success meant finding new ways to collect and analyse data, personalise information, automate preventive care, improve health literacy and activate engagement.

Leadership

Dedicated to nurturing the leaders of tomorrow

Our leadership team is energetic, resourceful, and above all, entrepreneurial. They are brave thinkers, dedicated to empowering everyone in the business to find their voice, and contribute equally.

Charles Roderick Curwen

Charles Roderick Curwen AO, CVO, OBE, HonLLD, FIPA

CHAIRMAN

Sonoa Health Chairman, Charles Curwen is the former Official Secretary and Chief Administrator of the Office of the Governor of Victoria. Since 2004, his position was enhanced to provide an advisory and ‘Ambassadorial role’ to the Victorian Premier and Government on trade, investment, and biotechnology, especially in China and North Asia. Charles has extensive links to China.

He was awarded Honorary Citizenship of Jiangsu Province in 2008, was inducted as an Advisory Professor at Nanjing’s Southeast University in 2009, was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 5th World Chinese Economic Forum in 2013, and was appointed as a Guest Professor by Shanghai’s Tongji University in 2015. He is Patron of the Asian Australian Foundation, Vice-President of the Australia China Business Council (Victoria), and Patron and President of the Lion 1818 Club.

Charles has received several high-level awards including Monash University’s highest accolade, a Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2020 for distinguished service to the Crown, to public administration in Victoria, to medical research, and to Australia-China business relations.

Bob Biddle

MBA (Melb), FAIDH, FAICD, FAHRI, AFACHSM

FOUNDER & CEO

Bob is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, innovator and investor who sees digital as the key to a fairer and more cost-effective health system. Bob is a foundational Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Digital Health.

Bob understands that digital is the future of healthcare, and that digital can promote health in a way that’s entertaining and easy-to-understand. It can activate participation in disease prevention in a way that’s effortless for both consumers and providers, and deliver efficiencies at a fraction of the cost of existing healthcare systems. His goal is to design technology that connects consumers to a competitive and profitable healthcare marketplace in a way that makes healthcare easier for everyone everywhere.

Rebecca Chu

MBA (PKU), BEc

INVESTMENTS & STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS

Rebecca has over twenty years’ experience in capital markets. She had held very senior appointments including as Chair of a large equity investment fund with major investments in the IT, digital and healthcare industries, and as Vice President of a Hong Kong based financial services subsidiary with Fortune Global 500 company, CITIC Group.

Rebecca is a well-recognised veteran in the raising of capital, equity investment and mergers & acquisitions with success in healthcare, renewable energy and consumer goods. She has an extensive investment network and strong strategic business relationships within the Asia Pacific region and in particular, in Australia and Greater China.

Associate Professor Hui Yang

MB (PKU), PhD (La Trobe), Special Student (Johns Hopkins)

PUBLIC HEALTH

Associate Professor Hui Yang is a highly experienced academic, lecturer, and researcher in public health, community health, workplace health, preventive care, self-care, general practice, information, and quality improvement. He graduated from Beijing Medical University with a bachelor’s degree in medicine, studied population dynamics at Johns Hopkins University, and earned a PhD in health management from La Trobe University.

Hui’s passion for global health improvement was recognised by Monash City in 2019 with the Sir John Monash Awards, Multicultural Champion prize.

Dina Goebel

MEnt (Melb)

OPERATIONS & MARKET STRATEGY

Dina has more than twenty-years’ experience as a very senior executive in the health insurance sector and as a University Innovation specialist. Dina’s focus is on customer-centred business design and its enabling potential. Dina is based in Melbourne and leads our regional activation projects.

Randal Williams

LLB (Adelaide), BCom, BA (Melb), Diploma of Finance, Banking, Corporate and Securities Law.

LEGAL & COMPLIANCE

Randal is an exceptionally qualified and experienced senior executive with high end skills in a range of disciplines that include law, funds management, and financial services.

He has held very senior executive roles as Deputy CEO of HESTA, and as Chief Legal Counsel & Company Secretary, Chief Wealth Management Officer, and Chief Lending Officer at La Trobe Financial, one of Australia’s most significant non-bank lenders and fund managers with $8 billion in funds under management.

Tom Palmieri

CPA BCom (Accounting & Finance)

FINANCE & ACCOUNTING

Tom has been making contributions to the accounting profession for ten years as a trusted advisor. He is a qualified CPA (with Distinction) and holds a Bachelor of Commerce with majors in Accounting and Finance (also with Distinction) which he earned studying at Deakin University.

Tom is a new generation of accounting professional. His passion for technology and strategic outlook places him unapologetically at odds with the traditional view of the accountant as a historian looking ever in the rear-view mirror at transactions that have long been past. Tom’s unwavering focus is to bring to light the invaluable information that accountants hold and uncover.

Richard Bailey

CREATIVE

Richard is a highly experienced and creative art director who has worked on high profile projects with well-known companies including Walt Disney Animation Studios, DreamWorks Animation, and Moose Toys.

Working closely with Sonoa Health medical doctors and scientists, Richard produced and directed the work of animators, illustrators, story tellers, and voice over artists to establish our large library of consumer-facing, medically verified, and engaging written, illustrated, and animated content. You can find more detail on Richard here.

Jody Biddle

MBA (Melb), BSc (Computing)

TECHNOLOGY

Jody has over twenty-year’s experience in Australia and China developing digital health products and managing information technology systems for business.

He is an experienced analyst, developer, and administrator, and has delivered database solutions across several industries including healthcare, retail, insurance, and financial services. His areas of expertise include design, development, migration, deployment, performance tuning, troubleshooting, disaster recovery, and security solutions.

Departments

Medical

Medical content

Creative

Information Technology

Quality/Regulatory Affairs and Legal

Medical

Medical content

Creative

Information Technology

Quality/Regulatory Affairs and Legal

Medical Advisory Board

Our platform and content have been produced with the support of an eminent foundational Medical Advisory Board.

Each professor has received an Order of Australia for their contribution to medicine and is a recognised leader both locally and internationally. Sonoa Health is committed to bringing their invaluable knowledge to everyone.

Professor Leon Piterman

AM MBBS (HONS), MD, MMed, MEdSt, MRCP (UK), FRCP (Edin), FRACGP

CHAIRMAN MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD

Sonoa Health ‘Medical Advisory Board’ Chairman, Professor Leon Piterman AM is also Director of China GP Programs at Monash University. He is a past member of the Board of Examiners of the Australian Medical Council and sits on various university, professional, and government expert committees.

Professor Piterman has over 160 publications in refereed journals and has published a number of books including ‘General Practice Psychiatry’ (2006), which has been translated into Italian and Chinese. He has published ‘There is a lot of it going around … a GP’s odyssey ‘ (2019), and recently published ‘Living in COVID Times’ (2021).

Professor Gab Kovacs

AM MBBS (HONS), MD, FRCOG, FRANZCOG, CREI, FAICD, Cert. Mgt.

MEDICAL DIRECTOR

Sonoa Health Director, Professor Gab Kovacs AM is internationally regarded for his outstanding contribution to medicine. Professor Kovacs is a pioneer in the development and success of IVF and assisted reproduction. He has also played a critical role in advancing research and creating groundbreaking new technologies for patients. His excellence as a teacher is widely recognised and he frequently lectures in Europe and Asia.

In addition to his professional accolades, Professor Kovacs has an impressive academic record, publishing more than 160 scientific papers and more than 50 chapters in textbooks. He has written five books and edited sixteen textbooks. Professor Kovacs has been President of The Fertility Society of Australia, Family Planning Australia, Family Planning Victoria, and Chairman of The IVF Directors’ Group of Australia. He was a Councillor of the College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology for six years having chaired its Continuing Education and Women’s Health Committees, and was a director of ACCESS, Australia’s national infertility network.

Professor Hatem Salem

AM, MD, FRACP, FRCPA

Professor Hatem Salem is an Emeritus Professor at Monash University. He was the Head of the Academic Department of Clinical Haematology at Monash University and the Head of Clinical Haematology at the Alfred Hospital. He served as President of the Asian-Pacific Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis and as President and Executive Director of the Australasian Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. He is a senior Councillor of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis.

Professor John Murtagh

AM, BSc, BEd, MBBS, MD, FRACGP, DipObst (RCOG)

Professor John Murtagh is an Emeritus Professor in General Practice at the School of Primary Health at Monash University. He is the author of several internationally renowned textbooks, including ‘John Murtagh’s General Practice’, which has been translated into 11 languages.

Professor Ian Meredith

AM, BSc (Hons), MBBS (Hons), PhD, FRACP, FACC, FCSANZ, FAHA, FSCAI, FAPSIC

Professor Ian Meredith is the Director of MonashHeart, an internationally renowned organisation that coordinates cardiac services across all Monash Health sites. He is a leading Professor of Cardiology at Monash University and Executive Director of the Monash Cardiovascular Research Centre.

Professor Geoffrey Metz

AM, MBBS (Hons), MD, FRACP, FRCP (UK)

Professor Geoffrey Metz is Director of Medical Education at the Epworth Hospital Clinical School, University of Melbourne. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. Over the past 25 years, he has served on most of the committees of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and is currently Deputy President of the College.

Professor Henry Burger

AO, FAA, MBBS, MD, FRCP, FRACP, FCP (SA), FRCOG, FRANZCOG, Hon.Doct (Liege, Belgium), LL.D (h.c. Monash)

Professor Henry Burger is an eminent clinician and scientist, with a distinguished career in medical research. Until mid-2014, he was a practising clinical endocrinologist with a particular interest in basic and clinical research and practice in reproductive endocrinology at the Monash Health Department of Endocrinology and Jean Hailes for Women’s Health. In December 2014 he was awarded a Doctor of Laws honoris causa from Monash University – its highest honour.

Education Advisory Board

Our platform and medically verified content are promoted to primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions throughout Australia and internationally with the support of an eminent Education Advisory Board.

Each member has contributed directly to academic excellence and is a recognised leader both locally and internationally. Sonoa Health is committed to bringing their invaluable knowledge to everyone.

Professor Charles Qin

OAM

EDUCATION ADVISORY BOARD

Sonoa Health ‘Education Advisory Board’ Chairman, Professor Charles Qin OAM is a highly experienced educator. He is an Honorary Fellow at Monash University, an Advisory Board Member of Monash University Faculty of Arts, a visiting Professor at a number of international universities, and a Fellow of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Professor Qin has many high-level relationships with public and private enterprise organisations in Australia and internationally, and was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his services to international relations.

Associate Professor Hui Yang

MB (PKU), PhD (La Trobe), Special Student (Johns Hopkins)

PUBLIC HEALTH