Professor Robert Kydd was appointed Chair of the Oakley Mental Health Research Foundation in May 2022. Rob is Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Auckland where he was head of the Department of Psychological Medicine and also served as head of the School of Biomedical and Health Sciences and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences.
He has been Clinical Director of Mental Health Services for Counties-Manukau District Health Board, Chair of the New Zealand branch of the Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, was the first chair of the Suicide Mortality Review Committee for the Health Quality and Safety Commission, currently chairs the board of the Anxiety New Zealand Trust and was one of the first medical advisers to the Schizophrenia Fellowship of New Zealand. He has served on the board of the Oakley Foundation since 2003.
Rob’s research has spanned a number of areas including biomedical research on the EEG, the use of advanced brain imaging (MRI and EEG) to understand and predict treatment response for mental disorders and clinical trials of drug treatment. He has also contributed to health services research in such areas as the use of the Mental Health Act in New Zealand and the role of employment in the rehabilitation of people with mental health disorders.
Rob’s clinical service has included experience on inpatient wards, in community mental health including with crisis and early intervention teams and he has been consultant to an inpatient rehabilitation unit. He currently has a very small private consulting practice.
Rob would like to see research supported by the foundation increase the understanding of mental disorders, better inform service delivery and policy development in mental health and addictions and support the development of young researchers.
