Healix International announces three senior appointments
Healix has welcomed Stuart Smerdon, Mark Hegarty, and Lucia Montans to their new roles
Healthcare and risk management business Healix International has announced the appointment of new hires to three senior roles.
The company stated that the new hires reflected its “ongoing focus on building leadership capability to support clients”.
“Investing in our people and leadership capability is central to our long-term growth strategy,” added James Henderson, CEO of Healix International. “These appointments represent the latest in a series of senior hires as we continue to invest in global infrastructure, leadership, and talent, ensuring the business remains well positioned to meet evolving client needs in an increasingly complex risk landscape.”
Director of Global Shared Services
Stuart Smerdon, currently based in South Africa, has been appointed as the new Director of Global Shared Services. In the role, he will lead the development of scalable support functions, drive operational efficiency, and oversea Healix’s Cape Town office.
Smerdon brings over 20 years of experience to the role, across claims, operations, and finance within the international assistance and insurance sectors.
Director of Government Healthcare
Mark Hegarty has been appointed Director of Government Healthcare, bringing over 20 years’ experience across healthcare, international assistance, and travel risk management.
Beginning his career with the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), he has also held a range of senior clinical and operational leadership positions, including Head of Nursing for the TRICARE overseas medical programme, and medical services leadership at AXA Partners.
Director of Global Learning and Development
Lucia Montans joins as Director of Global Learning and Development, where she will play a key role in advancing Healix’s people-first strategy and Academy programmes.
An organisational psychologist specialising in human development, Montans has experience working in sectors such as retail, technology, e-commerce, travel, financial services, and assistance services. She most recently served as Healix’s Head of Learning and Development.
Healix released its 2026 Risk Map last December.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor for Voyageur Group, joining in 2021. He writes for both ITIJ and AirMed&Rescue, covering a range of topics including international travel and health insurance, medical assistance provision and air medical transportation. He also serves as Title Editor of the Assistance & Repatriation Reviews. Oliver holds an MA in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University, as well as a BA in English with Creative Writing from Falmouth University.