Emeritus Chair, YOPHH Healthcare Council | Pun Hlaing Hospitals Group
Dr Gershu Paul is a distinguished healthcare executive with four decades of international experience spanning Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Singapore. His expertise encompasses health
services planning, population-based funding models, strategic development and execution, turnaround management, and clinical excellence.
A New Zealand citizen of Sri Lankan origin, Dr Gershu has consistently delivered transformational outcomes across diverse healthcare systems. His leadership has been marked by operational excellence, financial sustainability, and quality accreditation milestones that have set new standards across the Asia-Pacific region. Dr Gershu’s executive career commenced at Southland District Health Board, New Zealand, where he progressed from Business Analyst (1996) to Chief Executive Officer (2001). During his tenure, he led the development of a state-of-the-art 250-bed tertiary hospital completed within a US$100 million budget in 2003. He actively contributed to national healthcare initiatives, leading committees on Māori Health Development and Population-Based Funding Models, while establishing innovative public-private partnerships.
As Group Chief Executive Officer and President Director of Siloam Hospitals, Indonesia (2006-2016), Dr Gershu orchestrated remarkable growth, expanding the organization from 4 to 33 hospitals with operating revenues exceeding US$500 million. He successfully listed Siloam on the Jakarta Stock Exchange in September 2013 at a market capitalization of US$1.8 billion. Under his leadership, Siloam’s flagship hospital became Indonesia’s first JCI-accredited facility in 2007. In Myanmar, Dr Gershu joined Pun Hlaing Hospitals Group in March 2014, achieving a decisive turnaround within 18 months – delivering positive EBITDA after a decade of losses. He spearheaded strategic expansion, establishing Myanmar’s first JCI-accredited hospital (2017), launching innovative Medical Tower facilities in Yangon, opening hospitals in Mandalay (2017) and Taunggyi (2018), and stablishing Myanmar’s only private COVID hospital (2020-2023).
Most recently, as CEO of O2 Healthcare Group, Singapore (2023-2025) – the largest consortium of respiratory + cardio thoracic specialists under OUE Healthcare – Dr Gershu consolidated operations and achieved revenue
growth exceeding 60% over 30 months.
Academic Credentials
- Bachelor of Medicine; Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), University of Bangalore, India (1986)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA), University of Otago, New Zealand (1996)
- Diploma in Sports Studies, University of Otago, New Zealand (1995)
- Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators (FRACMA), Melbourne, Australia (2006)
- Fellow of the Australasian College of Health Service Managers (FCHSM CHE), Perth, Australia (2021)
Dr Gershu’s leadership legacy reflects sustained excellence in healthcare transformation, combining clinical
insight with strategic acumen to build sustainable, patient-centered healthcare organisations across emerging
and developed markets.
