SÁÁ appoints Baldvina Ýr Hafsteinsdóttir as chief executive

Baldvina Ýr Hafsteinsdóttir has been appointed chief executive of SÁÁ, mbl.is reports. The appointment comes as the organisation faces internal conflict.

Hafsteinsdóttir is a nurse with a master’s degree in nursing and a diploma in public administration. She joins SÁÁ from the South Iceland Health Care Institution, where she is executive director of primary care and prevention.

She has 16 years of management experience in healthcare. In her current role, she has operational responsibility for a division covering 10 locations and more than 500 employees serving more than 35,000 residents in South Iceland.

According to SÁÁ, Hafsteinsdóttir has led extensive changes in healthcare, including the takeover of new nursing homes, the merger and restructuring of departments, and the introduction of new technology. She also has experience in building management teams, quality management, human resources and contract negotiations with ministries, Iceland Health Insurance and trade unions.

She previously spent 10 years as head of nursing at Ás, a residential and nursing home in Hveragerði. Before that, she worked for the South Iceland Health Care Institution, first as a nurse and later as head of the surgical and internal medicine departments. She has also served on the boards of the National Association of Healthcare Institutions and the Association of Managers in Elderly Care.

Anna Hildur Hildibrandsdóttir, chair of SÁÁ, said the organisation was very pleased to appoint Hafsteinsdóttir at this time. She said the appointment would help create stability, build trust and strengthen cooperation within SÁÁ.

Hafsteinsdóttir said her first tasks would be to listen, familiarise herself with the organisation and talk with employees and other key stakeholders. She said her aim was to create stability, strengthen cooperation and build on the knowledge and experience within SÁÁ.

She will take up the position shortly.