Richard Bowden Profile

Managing Director
BUPA Australia

Richard Bowden is the Managing Director of private health insurer BUPA Australia, which trades as HBA and Mutual Community and provides cover for one million Australians. Annual revenues for BUPA Australia exceed $1billion (Aus).

Richard started his career in audit, moved into financial services and has spent most of his career in private health insurance. He joined HBA 23 years ago and moved through a number of Executive roles whilst HBA merged and changed ownership. He has been MD for 9 years, and recently has taken on the additional responsibility for BUPA's Asian businesses.

During his leadership Richard has overseen a dramatic improvement in the Australian business. Customer satisfaction and internal morale have increased markedly and in the past 6 consecutive years the business has out-performed it's competitors on the major business indicators such as; management expenses, operating margins, and equally importantly, lower premium increases for customers. Richard credits the quality of his people and the strong teamwork culture at BUPA Australia as being key to its success. Over this time Richard and his team have successfully established a 'stand-alone' business in Australia under changed international ownership.

Richard is the Vice President and Director of the Australian Health Insurance Association, a Commissioner on the Australian Quality and Safety Commission, is on the Foundation Board of Very Special Kids, and is Chairman of BUPA Asia as well as being a Director on a number of other BUPA companies.