Bringing critical health care within reach
About Northpharm
Northpharm was founded in the Northern Territory in 2000.
We’re pharmacist-led and community-focused and have never lost sight of the importance of our work, from regional pharmacies to state-of-the-art advanced medication facilities, we reach some of the most isolated corners of the country.
We deliver more than medications, we deliver hope, trust, and a lifeline for thousands of Australians who would otherwise have no access to critical health care.
Today, Northpharm stands as one of Australia’s leading regional pharmacy brands, still grounded in the top end, but reaching further than ever.
Our Mission
To deliver high-quality, affordable, and accessible health care and pharmacy services to regional and remote communities across Australia - closing the gap by reaching further, to places, people, and standards that others do not.
Because distance should never be the difference.
Our Vision
To be the most trusted pharmacy and health care provider in regional and remote communities across northern Australia by 2027.
Our Values
Integrity
We uphold professional excellence through honesty, transparency, and ethical practices that set new standards in equitable health care.
Accessibility
We are dedicated to making health care and pharmacy services affordable, inclusive, and within reach for all Australians.
Community Wellbeing
We actively support the unique health needs of each community through sponsorship, collaboration, and health education.
Innovation
We embrace emerging technologies, forward-thinking practices, and agile strategies to deliver efficient, high-quality health care across regional and remote Australia.
Go Beyond
We deliver a depth of pharmacy care that inspires trust, empathy, and compassion, going above and beyond to meet the needs of those often overlooked.
Sustainability
We are committed to environmentally and socially responsible practices that embrace diversity and respect the communities we serve.
Collaboration
We build strong partnerships with health care providers, suppliers, and community organisations to improve health, save lives and close the health care gap in regional and remote communities.
Our Journey
Our network of community pharmacies, previously operated under the Territory Pharmacy brand in Darwin, Katherine, and Alice Springs, has evolved to form Northpharm, uniting our services and values under a nationally recognised identity that continues to serve regional and remote communities with local care.
Meet the Board
Dr Michael Stanford AM - Chair
CitWA, MBA (MacQ), MB BS (UNSW), FAICD
Michael is a highly experienced non-executive Director with 30 years Board experience across a range of sectors including healthcare (hospitals, diagnostics, healthcare property, IVF, clinical trials), aged care, education and the arts. Presently Michael Chairs the QIC owned Nexus Day Hospitals group and is a Board member of NZX listed Vital Healthcare Property Trust and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.
Michael started his career in Sydney as a medical doctor, completed an MBA and then spent 33 years in executive roles in large hospital and healthcare groups, 23 of these in Group CEO roles across the for profit, For Purpose and public sectors.
He was awarded an AM for services to healthcare, education and the community in 2018.
The Hon. Ken Wyatt AM JP
The Hon. Ken Wyatt AM JP is a pioneering Australian leader whose distinguished career spans over 40 years across education, health, aged care, and public service. He made history in 2010 as the first Aboriginal person elected to the House of Representatives and later became the first Indigenous Australian appointed to the federal Cabinet, serving as Minister for Indigenous Australians from 2019 to 2022. His ministerial portfolio also included roles in Indigenous Health, Aged Care, and various national health authorities.
A proud Noongar, Yamatji, and Wongi man, Ken has been instrumental in shaping national Indigenous policy. He led the co-design process for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament and played a key role in securing the first National Agreement on Closing the Gap. His leadership has been marked by a commitment to cultural integrity, truth-telling, treaty-readiness, and evidence-based reforms in health equity, aged care, and governance.
Beyond government, Ken continues to influence public and private sectors through board roles and advisory positions, including with Energy Resources Australia and the University of Western Australia. His contributions have earned him numerous accolades, including the Order of Australia, the Centenary Medal, and the Western Australian of the Year Aboriginal Award. Ken remains a respected voice in First Nations leadership and a champion for a more inclusive and culturally respectful Australia.
Nick Dignam
Nick Dignam is a private equity executive with over 17 years of experience in growth capital and lower mid-market private equity transactions across Australia and New Zealand. As a Founding Partner and Managing Director at Fortitude Investment Partners, he leads deal origination, execution, and portfolio management.
In addition to Northpharm, Nick is a director of current Fortitude investee companies Aged Care Decisions, Aura Medical Group, Birch & Waite, Nomad Breads and Nutra Organics. He was a previous director of exited investee companies Better Medical, Hospital Pharmacy Services, Quality Foods & Beverages and Readify. Nick holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Queensland, and a Masters of Applied Finance from Queensland University of Technology.
Sam O’Connor
Sam O’Connor is a Partner at Fortitude Investment Partners with over 15 years of experience in private equity and corporate finance. He specialises in growth capital for founder-led, lower and mid-market companies in the healthcare and technology sectors. His responsibilities cover the full investment lifecycle, from origination and execution to portfolio company management and exit.
Sam is a director of Fortitude investee companies, Aged Care Decisions, Aura Medical Group, Machines4U, Northpharm and Shorthand. His prior board roles include the exited companies Better Medical, Foundation Early Learning, GM Hotels, Hospital Pharmacy Services, and Shopper.
He is a Chartered Accountant (CA) and holds a Master of Applied Finance (Dean's List) and a Bachelor of Business with Distinction from QUT. He has also completed the Private Equity and Venture Capital executive program at Harvard Business School.
Steven Kong - Founder and Chief Corporate Officer
Steven Kong is a respected business leader and registered pharmacist. As part of Northpharm, Steven oversees strategic operations, regulatory compliance, customer partnerships, and customer service excellence across a growing network of pharmacies.
Under Steven’s leadership, Northpharm has become the largest pharmacy group in the Northern Territory, with a strong presence in regional and remote communities including Darwin, Katherine, Gove and Alice Springs. His mission is rooted in a commitment to healthcare innovation and accessibility, ensuring that all remote and regional populations receive affordable and high-quality pharmaceutical care.
In 2024, Steven spearheaded the launch of the Blister Pack Free Recycling Program in partnership with TerraCycle®, addressing the environmental challenge of recycling medication blister packs.
Pat Hodby - Chief Executive Officer
Pat started at Northpharm in late 2024 as the Chief Corporate and Strategy Officer and has transitioned into the role of CEO. Pat is a Chartered Accountant and former long-term Business Services and Finance Director at Perks, where he specialised in the pharmacy sector, served on the Perks Executive Board for over 20 years and has been an external advisor to Northpharm for the past 13 years.
Pat leads Northpharm’s Corporate and Commercial team as Chief Executive Officer, with a strong focus on empowering our team members and fostering business innovation and strategy to drive long term growth and efficiencies, while ensuring adherence to the highest standards of compliance, ethics and care. Pat will work closely with the leadership team to achieve our vision.
Meet the Executive
Tin Huynh - Chief Operating Officer
Tin holds an MBA from the University of Adelaide and a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of South Australia. He has spent the past decade in executive roles within health-related businesses, leading large-scale operational and strategic initiatives.
Tin joined Northpharm from GPEx, where he led a strategic review with a strong focus on enhancing service capability and operational effectiveness. Prior to this, he held executive roles at Better Medical and HPS Pharmacies, where he successfully drove business development and operational efficiency.
With a track record of optimising processes, streamlining service delivery, and fostering high-performing teams, Tin is well-positioned to enhance Northpharm’s operational excellence, ensuring we continue to deliver high-quality care while scaling sustainably. His deep understanding of healthcare operations, coupled with his ability to drive results and build strong partnerships, will be instrumental in our next phase of growth.
William Upton - Chief Financial Officer
William joined Northpharm from Deloitte, where he spent 13 years working in Adelaide, Bermuda, and most recently London as an Audit Partner whilst also supporting the leadership of the Audit & Assurance business across North and South Europe as CFO.
Will oversees the financial operations, commercial activities, and associated strategic projects within Northpharm. As the leader of the Accounting and Finance function, he will be responsible for ensuring the financial stability and supporting the growth of the business, as well as ensuring compliance with all statutory obligations and driving critical projects across finance, IT, M&A, due diligence, and human resources.
He will work closely with the broader executive team and key stakeholders to develop, implement and evaluate financial strategies, provide sound commercial guidance and ensure that core divisions, including accounting and finance, human resources and information technology are operating in alignment with Northpharm’s overall strategy and objectives.
Bruce Debenham - Chief Risk Officer
Bruce is a Chartered Accountant with a background in risk management and joins Northpharm after 10 years as a Director leading the Perks Banking and Finance team. He is responsible for shaping and driving Northpharm’s risk management and compliance strategy.
Bruce will lead the development, implementation and management of compliance, continuous improvement and risk mitigation frameworks pertaining to all our commercial activities which will safeguard our operations, reputation and legal standing. The Chief Risk Officer is crucial to ensure that the company operates within all regulatory and ethical standards, identifies potential risks and develops strategies to mitigate them.
Pannet Pok - Chief Growth Officer
Pannet has joined the Northpharm team to drive strategic projects, new sites, Government relationships, opportunity development and partnerships. He is a registered pharmacist who has owned and managed multiple pharmacies throughout Australia.
His specialities lay in pharmacy contract business, such as nursing home and ophthalmological compounded product and services. Pannet oversees the development and implementation of growth strategies aligned with Northpharm’s objectives.
Modern health care, local support
If you have any questions or need support, our team is here to guide you in the right direction.