Perth, Western Australia, Australia, May 2025 – Jennifer O’Brien has been appointed as Chief Member & People Leader at HIF Australia, marking a significant milestone in her career with the member-focused not-for-profit health insurer. In her new role, Jennifer will oversee the intersection of member experience and people strategy, playing a key leadership role in shaping a culture of care, innovation, and service excellence across the organization.
Jennifer has been with HIF Australia for over two years and most recently served as Head of People Experience, where she played a pivotal role in enhancing employee engagement, experience design, and culture transformation. Her leadership has been instrumental in aligning the internal people strategy with HIF’s member-first philosophy.
Prior to her time at HIF, Jennifer served as General Manager, People and Capability at the Waalitj Foundation, where she drove people initiatives to support Aboriginal employment and community development. Her work at the Foundation emphasized values-based leadership and capability-building across diverse stakeholder groups.
Jennifer also worked as People Business Partner at Curtin University, where she focused on strategic HR partnering, workforce planning, and organizational development. Earlier, at Hawaiian, she led human resources as HR Manager for nearly six years, managing end-to-end talent and HR operations across the property group.
Her international leadership includes her tenure as Human Resources Director at Mubadala in Abu Dhabi, where she led HR strategy for a real estate services company under the investment arm of the UAE government. She began her HR career with earlier roles in recruitment and sales with Pure H2O, O’Neill & Brennan, and AXA Insurance.
Jennifer holds a Master’s degree in Corporate Strategy and People Management from the University of Galway, and recently completed a governance program at the Australian Institute of Company Directors, reinforcing her strong foundation in strategic leadership and corporate stewardship.
About HIF Australia
HIF Australia (Health Insurance Fund of Australia) is a not-for-profit, member-focused health insurer known for offering affordable, flexible health cover to Australians. With a reputation for transparency and value, HIF operates without shareholders—meaning profits are returned to members through lower premiums, enhanced benefits, and service innovations.
HIF’s suite of offerings includes private hospital insurance, low-cost extras cover, and visa-compliant options for international visitors. As a values-driven organization, HIF is committed to health accessibility, financial fairness, and customer-first service, continuing to grow its presence as one of Australia’s most trusted health insurers.
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