The Challenge
The Group Director, People and Culture Business Partnering role carried enterprise-wide responsibility for leading Epworth’s People and Culture business partnering function across multiple sites.
The successful candidate needed to engage effectively with executive stakeholders, including the Chief Operating Officer and Hospital Executive teams, while leading a high-performing team delivering consistent, future-focused people services.
The brief required deep HR leadership experience in large and complex environments, strong industrial relations capability and the ability to drive transformation and organisational performance.
The healthcare context added further complexity. Workforce pressures, regulatory requirements, clinical governance, safety and patient outcomes all needed to be understood and respected throughout the search.
Our Solution
Galvin-Rowley Executive delivered a bespoke and rigorous executive search process, grounded in deep partnership with Epworth HealthCare.
The process began with client immersion to understand Epworth’s strategy, operating model, People and Culture structure, leadership expectations and cultural requirements. This ensured the role was positioned clearly in market and that candidate evaluation extended beyond technical capability to values alignment.
Galvin-Rowley Executive then conducted targeted market mapping across healthcare sector leaders in public and private systems, as well as adjacent complex environments with strong industrial relations exposure. The search also considered executives with experience leading large-scale People and Culture transformation.
Consistent with Galvin-Rowley Executive’s approach, the process prioritised diversity, transferable capability and the removal of unconscious bias in shortlisting.
Candidates were assessed against strategic leadership capability, stakeholder engagement, cultural alignment, industrial relations expertise and the ability to lead in a clinically governed environment.
The Appointment
Galvin-Rowley Executive supported the appointment of Fulvio Penna as Group Director, People and Culture Business Partnering.
Fulvio brought more than 20 years’ experience in human resources, including nearly a decade in healthcare environments. At the time of appointment, he was General Manager People Services at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, overseeing HR for a workforce of more than 7,500 staff.
His background included leading large HR teams, managing complex organisational structures, supporting post-restructure environments and bringing strong technical capability in industrial relations, supported by postgraduate qualifications.
Fulvio’s doctorate in Organisational Psychology also provided a strong foundation in behavioural and organisational dynamics. His calm, considered leadership style aligned strongly with Epworth’s need for a collaborative, trusted and strategically capable people leader.
The Impact
The appointment strengthened Epworth’s executive capability across enterprise-wide People and Culture business partnering.
Fulvio’s experience supports Epworth’s strategic priorities across workforce planning, employee experience, organisational performance and continuous improvement.
His values alignment also supports Epworth’s commitment to compassionate, high-quality care and a strong “One Epworth” approach. His background in transformation and complex stakeholder environments positions him to build trust, influence at executive level and support future-focused people leadership across the organisation.
