Brian O’Connell is the Chief Operating Officer at Whakarongorau Aotearoa (formerly Homecare Medical), which delivers over 30 national telehealth and digital services across health, mental health, and population health in Aotearoa New Zealand. Since joining the organisation in 2015, Brian has led the development and delivery of mental health services, including national multi-channel helplines, crisis triage for emergency services, digital mental health programmes, and family and sexual harm support services.

His work focuses on scaling digital mental health solutions that are clinically safe, culturally grounded, and accessible to all. Brian is particularly interested in how integrated service design and operational excellence can improve outcomes for people in distress, and how digital platforms can support equity and reach in underserved communities.

Brian brings a strong operational lens to digital mental health transformation, with a focus on equitable, accessible, and culturally responsive care.