Chief Executive Officer of The Selwyn Foundation to retire

The Revd Duncan Macdonald has announced that he is to step down from his role as Chief Executive Officer of The Selwyn Foundation, one of New Zealand’s leading not-for-profit providers of aged care services. Revd Macdonald, who has been in the position since 2000, is to take semi-retirement, but will continue in an advisory capacity as Executive Director.

Revd Macdonald is credited with having trebled the size of the Foundation’s business in the areas of retirement villages, residential and community-based aged care services and with establishing the organisation as an effective, financially viable service provider in this sector.  Under his leadership, the Foundation has expanded from four to nine sites and now provides rest home, hospital and dementia care services and retirement living accommodation throughout Auckland, Northland and the Waikato.

In recent years, the Foundation has successfully moved into the highly competitive retirement village market and offers a wide range of modern independent living options.  It continues to develop this area of its business and has an ambitious development programme underway.  A new multi-million dollar apartment building and leisure complex has just opened at its Selwyn Heights site (Hillsborough) and another apartment building is nearing completion at Selwyn Village in Point Chevalier.

Focused on delivering ethical and value-based services for older people, Revd Macdonald has also been passionate about the Church providing services at local level, and his work with The Selwyn Foundation has included forging partnerships with Anglican parishes to assist the elderly within the wider community.  During his tenure, the Foundation’s ‘Selwyn Centres’ programme has flourished, and now provides a range of community-based day services to older people from twenty-seven parish venues throughout Greater Auckland and as far as Thames and Whangerei (with further Centres due to open later this year).

A qualified company director, Revd Macdonald was responsible for all ACC rehabilitation in New Zealand, prior to his appointment to The Selwyn Foundation.  He has held a number of Government Ministerial Committee and Local Authority advisory and consultative roles, and has also advised the retirement village and aged care sectors on diverse financial and strategic matters.  In his ministry work, Revd Macdonald assumed various responsibilities in four diocese (including in Ely, UK), and worked for 29 years in Anglican Care, the social services division of the Anglican Church, during which time he was also Chair of the Anglican Care Council, Diocese of Auckland.  With expertise in management, planning, accounting, finances, therapy, counselling and theology, Revd Macdonald has had papers published on topics relating to his fields of work.

Reflecting on his time as CEO, Revd Macdonald says: “The demands of caring for the elderly in New Zealand have become much more complicated, and the availability of beds to do so has reduced greatly.  Whilst Selwyn has developed as a successful aged care provider, the Foundation is very concerned about who will care for New Zealand’s aged in the future - especially those with Alzheimers and dementia and those over 80.  This is a national issue, and all involved in health must address it as soon as possible.”

Chair of The Selwyn Foundation Board, Dr Kay Hawk, comments: “Duncan’s service to The Selwyn Foundation - and to aged care in New Zealand and internationally - has been outstanding.  I thank him sincerely on behalf of our current and former residents, their families, our staff and Trustees for his 24/7 dedication to the Foundation’s mission.  Fortunately, we are not farewelling Duncan, as he will continue to contribute in the new position of Executive Director.” 

The Revd Macdonald will officially step down as Chief Executive Officer in February, and will continue to oversee the Foundation’s work until the appointment of a successor.

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