From Treatment Rooms to Boardrooms: How an Osteopath Transformed into a Corporate Health Leader

How Nick Grant turned a passion for people into a purpose-driven career in corporate health.

• Name: Nick Grant
• Current Role: Executive General Manager, MedHealth
• Program: Part-Time MBA, Melbourne Business School
• Cohort: 2018-2021

From Treatment Rooms to Boardrooms

For Nick Grant, a career in healthcare has always been driven by purpose - helping people perform at their best. After five years of study and several more in osteopathic clinical practice, Nick began to see opportunities to create broader impact beyond individual treatment. “I enjoyed being a clinician, but I wanted to explore how my healthcare experience could influence systems, strategy, and the way organisations support their people,” he reflects.

That curiosity led him into corporate health, where business and wellbeing meet. He joined a national health services provider, working across operations, customer, and leadership roles that gave him a firsthand view of how health programs can improve workforce performance and productivity. Eager to stretch himself further, Nick later transitioned into the fintech sector, leading health partnerships at Openpay — a high-growth ASX-listed company focused on the healthcare payment space. “It was an opportunity to combine healthcare knowledge with commercial strategy and innovation,” he explains. “Working across private hospitals, dental, optical, and veterinary clients gave me a much wider perspective on different sectors.”

Eventually, his path led him back to where his heart lay - healthcare leadership. Today, as Executive General Manager at MedHealth, Nick combines the empathy and problem-solving of clinical practice with the strategic rigour of corporate leadership. “Corporate health allows you to take that people-first mindset from the treatment room and apply it at scale,” he says. “It’s about building healthier organisations, and helping others thrive.”

Why Melbourne Business School

As Nick’s leadership responsibilities grew, it became clear to him that he needed to broaden out his education to progress further into the business side of health.

The decision didn’t come overnight. “It probably took me 18 months. Six months thinking about whether I wanted to do it, then another year getting ready. It’s a big commitment, time-wise and financially, so you want to go in prepared.” Ultimately, it was the promise of growth that convinced him. “I wanted to progress into more senior leadership roles, and at a certain point, you need strong business acumen to do it.”

Inside the MBA Experience

“Being a student at MBS is very different from being a student in your early twenties” Nick says. “You’re surrounded by people from healthcare, law, engineering, government, not-for-profits, people with incredible experience and perspectives.”

He remembers the campus as “a vibrant, connected place right in the heart of Melbourne,” where discussions stretched beyond theory into real-world problem solving. The diversity of peers and professors left a mark: “They weren’t just teaching frameworks, they were developing people.” Even beyond the MBA program, Nick has leaned on the MBS community. “Everyone at MBS is there to learn, but also to help each other.” The relationships he built have endured. “I’ve stayed in touch with a lot of people. The network opens doors you wouldn’t otherwise access - especially across industries.”

The Leadership Leap: Translating Learning into Impact

For Nick, the real transformation wasn’t just knowledge - it was mindset.  “The biggest change was learning how to approach complex problems in a structured, confident way,” he says. “You don’t always have all the answers, but you can step back, think clearly, and move forward.” That shift translated immediately at work.

“The beauty of a part-time MBA is you can apply what you learn straight away. You’re not just learning theory, you’re testing it in real time.”

The MBA experience gave him what he calls “a leap, not a step” forward. “It’s the confidence to operate three or four levels above where you were - to see yourself as a senior leader.”

Building systems of change

Nick’s career has been marked by both innovation and impact. 

One standout moment was helping launch the first healthcare partnership for fintech company Openpay - expanding into the US market. An experience that stretched his leadership across borders and industries. “It was exciting, fast-paced, and a huge learning curve,” he says.

More recently, as Executive General Manager at MedHealth, he helped deliver a Federal Government program supporting Australians with disability, work that earned international recognition. “Our team won a United Nations Zero Project Award, which was incredibly meaningful. Seeing passionate people get the recognition they deserved was very special.”

For Future Students

His message for anyone considering an MBA is simple: prepare, then commit.

“If you want to accelerate your career and step into senior leadership, this is the program to do it,” he says. “But think through your timing, make sure you’ve got the right support around you - and then back yourself.” He emphasises that the MBA isn’t a decision to rush. “It’s a big commitment, financially, mentally, and in terms of time, so go in with a clear understanding of what you want to get out of it.”

For Nick, preparation meant having honest conversations with mentors, colleagues, and family, and making sure the timing aligned with both work and life. “You don’t have to have it all figured out,” he adds. “You just need to be ready to learn, and to give it everything once you start.” “The quicker you back yourself and get comfortable being uncomfortable, the faster you’ll grow. Once you take that leap, you realise you were capable all along.”

Made. Not born. – Personal Interpretation

For Nick, the new MBS campaign line resonates deeply. “It doesn’t matter what your background is - if you’re willing to put the work in and put yourself in the right situations, you can do anything you set your mind to,” he says. He sees the phrase as a call to action, one rooted in humility and determination. “No one arrives ready-made. You build yourself through the choices you make, the effort you put in, and the people you surround yourself with. The MBA was one of those choices that shaped me.”

Nick’s story captures that spirit of deliberate growth - from treating patients one-on-one to leading teams that impact thousands. “Being made isn’t about where you start,” he reflects. “It’s about doing the work - consistently, thoughtfully, and with purpose.”