A medical doctor with a passion for how healthcare can be transformed through the use of technology, has been named as Digital Jersey’s second board apprentice, as part of a scheme to improve diversity and representation in boardrooms.
Dr Clare Newman is a medical doctor who’s worked in Australia, England, Northern Ireland, and Jersey, who recently made the move to public health policy with the Government of Jersey.
Clare (pictured) worked closely with the Digital Jersey team throughout the Covid-19 pandemic response and led the project to set up the on-island testing facility.
Her appointment is part of a commitment by Digital Jersey to increase the diversity of its board by offering an apprenticeship which will give first-hand experience of its workings and dynamics.
Digital Jersey carried out a series of interviews for the Board Apprentice Scheme, which included candidates from the Government’s ‘I WILL’ scheme.
Dr Newman, Senior Policy Officer for the Government of Jersey’s Strategic Planning, Policy and Performance Directorate, said: “Digital developments touch all our lives, and to be part of guiding such developments for the island with Digital Jersey is an incredibly exciting prospect. By attending the board as an apprentice, I will have a unique opportunity to develop my own knowledge of corporate governance, strategy, finance and risk management. It’s my ambition to use this opportunity to encourage others to follow in my footsteps, and to encourage more boards to welcome apprentices to their ranks.”
Clare is currently working on the Covid Status Certification project which will allow islanders to demonstrate they are fully vaccinated with the potential for less restrictive travel.
Tony Moretta, CEO of Digital Jersey, said: “I am thrilled to welcome Clare to our board as our new apprentice. As much as I hope she will gain from the experience, I expect I and fellow board members will learn a lot too. A wider range of views, skills and life experiences can only be a positive thing, and it is something I am proud we are able to champion locally.”
Frank Walker, chairman of Digital Jersey, said: “We’re at such a pivotal moment in our island’s history as we plot the recovery from the pandemic with all things digital at the heart of it. The obligation on me and the entire board to think smarter and braver than ever before is real, and by welcoming Clare to the board in her apprentice capacity, we are all strengthened by her attendance and the experience she brings.”
