Meet Our Exceptional Team
Driving Innovation and Leadership: NHN's Team Ensures Comprehensive Care, Spanning Specialized Maternity and Urology Services to General Care Hospitals, Covering the Full Spectrum from Birth to Palliative Care.
Neil Nair
About Neil
Neil Nair's tenure as Principal Officer of SAMWUMED, spanning from its inception in 2001 to January 2019, marked a transformative period characterized by exponential growth. Under his stewardship, the scheme expanded to encompass approximately 80,000 members, achieving remarkable financial stability with a nett claims ratio of 80% and reserves exceeding 80%, along with assets totaling over R1.5 billion. Beyond mere fiscal achievements, Nair's leadership propelled SAMWUMED into a recognizable brand within the conservative and fiercely competitive medical scheme industry. This journey culminated in prestigious accolades such as consistently ranking among the top three most sustainable medical schemes in South Africa by Alexander Forbes from 2015 to 2017, and being honored as the BHF Scheme of the Year in 2015.
Prior to his pivotal role at SAMWUMED, Neil Nair's career trajectory was marked by a deep commitment to social and labor activism. Beginning as a passionate student activist during the tumultuous 1980s, he later transitioned into the trade union movement in 1993. In this capacity, Nair focused on advocating for employee benefits, particularly within the local government sector, where he played a significant role in shaping policy through his involvement in the SALGBC's Employee Benefits Working Group. His influence extended to national platforms, including serving as a Director on the Board of Healthcare Funders of Southern Africa, where he held the position of Deputy Chairperson. Recognized for his expertise, Nair was appointed as a Technical Advisor to Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi's NHI Ministerial Advisory Sub-Committee, and also represented medical schemes on the Council for Medical Schemes' Task Team, reflecting his enduring dedication to shaping healthcare policy in South Africa.
Loedt Zemanay
About Loedt
Loedt Zemanay joined the NHN in July 2019 as the Finance and Administration Manager. He completed his studies at the University of Cape Town (UCT) with a degree in Social Science, majoring in Economics. He started his career as a financial administrator with Grassroots Educare Trust (GET), a Cape Town based non-government organization specializing in early childhood development. Thereafter, he joined a trade union where his last appointment was Head of Department: Finance and Administration. Loedt also worked as the Senior Manager: Corporate Services at a restricted medical scheme for municipal employees. He has gained more than 26 years of extensive financial management experience. He is married and has three children.
Adele Hansen
About Adele
Adele Hansen is an accomplished Marketing Manager with over 15 years’ experience driving growth, brand equity, and customer engagement across diverse industries including fashion retail and healthcare. Known for her strategic mindset and hands-on leadership, Adele has a proven track record in leading high-impact campaigns, building customer-centric brands, and delivering measurable results through digital innovation.
She has successfully led multi-platform marketing strategies, managed high-performing teams, and executed end-to-end campaigns across Meta, Google, TikTok, and bulk email platforms. Her ability to translate data into actionable insight ensures continuous optimisation and strong ROI.
Adele thrives in fast-paced environments where creativity meets performance. Her recent work spans youth-driven streetwear retail with TAPE – where she led culturally relevant campaigns – to healthcare marketing, where she aligns communication strategies with service delivery, compliance, and stakeholder trust.
Her blend of commercial savvy, analytical thinking, and purpose-driven execution makes her an ideal fit for NHN. With a deep understanding of healthcare dynamics, patient-focused communication, and strategic marketing alignment, Adele brings both the professionalism and heart needed to elevate NHN’s brand and connect with its communities meaningfully.
Glynis King
About Glynis
Glynis King, joined the NHN in July 2021 as the Tariff Specialist. She has more than two decades of Healthcare Management and Operational experience. She started her career at Groote Schuur Hospital and has worked at Bankmed, Liberty Health Group, various Administrators, Metropolitan Health as a Claims Manager, Medical Scheme Fund Manager, thereafter appointed as a Senior Claims Manager.
She has been actively involved in Key Provider Relations for one of the second largest medical schemes. As part of her role as Key Provider Relations Specialist, she worked extensively with the Department of Health and Private Hospital Sectors, as well as Bureaus, Provider Societies and Key Opinion Leaders within the Healthcare Sector. She has been instrumental in facilitating training in various areas, including but not limited to, Medical Claims Assessing, Medical scheme administration processes, which encompass Pre-auth, case management and claims submission processes. Through her various engagement strategies, she has gained valuable insight into the fundamentals of hospital management, including, revenue and risk management.
Brenda Vermeulen
About Brenda
Brenda Vermeulen joined the NHN in June 2021. She has a wealth of administrative support experience and has worked within various industries, including in private healthcare. Brenda is the NHN Office Administrator and her responsibilities, include amongst other, membership administration and credit control.