New retirement living brand Levande has launched in Australia with David Gonski AC appointed as Chair and Suzanne Dvorak as Chief Executive Officer of the new organisation.
Levande has been launched by EQT Infrastructure and follows the completion of its acquisition of Stockland Group’s 58 villages across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.
Gonski is one of Australia’s most eminent business leaders and was previously chair of the ANZ Banking Group, Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd, Sydney Airport Corporation Ltd and ASX Ltd. He is currently non-executive chair of Barrenjoey Capital Partners Group and is the Chancellor of UNSW, President of the Art Gallery of NSW Trust, and a Director of the Lowy Institute for International Policy.
David and Suzanne
Dvorak is an experienced retirement living and aged care executive and was most recently Managing Director of Bupa Villages and Aged Care, Australia, where she oversaw a team of more than 10,000 employees across 72 care homes to support the needs of 6,000 residents.
Providing living and support for over 10,000 Australians and with more than 300 employees, Levande is now one of the largest retirement living providers in Australia, and will offer communities to support a modern, independent lifestyle and the ability to age in place.
Led by Gonski and Dvorak, the new Board and executive leadership team are focused on continuing to invest in Levande’s portfolio to ensure the highest level of support for senior Australians. The change in ownership will provide the business with greater access to capital to remain a clear industry leader and drive growth across the business.
David Gonski AC welcomed the launch of a new brand and provider for a significant property asset.
“We are excited by the opportunity to introduce Levande’s new vision for retirement living to current and future residents and are delighted to have appointed someone of Suzanne Dvorak’s calibre to lead the business,” Gonski said.
“Suzanne brings enormous experience and expertise to this important role. Her appointment demonstrates our commitment to providing a world-class offering to senior Australians.
“Levande will be a purpose-led business, and part of the work in front of us is to shape our sustainability goals, which will be a core part of the brand’s value proposition. From decarbonisation targets to ensuring all new developments adhere to best-in-class sustainability metrics, Levande will seek to become the clear industry leader on all areas of ESG.”
Dvorak added that she is greatly looking forward to taking the helm of Levande, which will revitalise living options for senior Australians through the creation of vibrant, modern neighbourhoods where residents can enjoy their lifestyle. Levande is a Swedish word that means ‘vivid’ and ‘full of life’, and it captures what we want to offer.
“The concept of ‘retirement living’ is changing, as many residents aren’t retired – so we think of it as ‘lifestyle living’. At Levande, residents can choose a home and know that it will support their lifestyle and be their base in the years to come as they pursue their interests.”
Levande continues EQT’s track record in social infrastructure investments, both globally and within Australia and New Zealand.
“Levande is a clear leader in the Australian lifestyle living space. We are excited to partner with the new Board and leadership team to invest in growing Levande’s portfolio of high-quality villages and expanding the services available to current and future residents,” added Ken Wong, EQT’s Head of Asia Pacific, Infrastructure.
“Our investment in Levande is consistent with our purpose-led investment philosophy, and our experience investing in similar businesses makes EQT the ideal partner for the next phase of Levande’s journey.”
