LifeFlight CEO Ashley van de Velde OAM has been recognised with the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Social Impact category, honouring his four decades of service in aeromedicine. The award was presented at a gala event held in Sydney.

Mr van de Velde began his career in 1981 as a volunteer aircrewman with the Gold Coast Helicopter Rescue Service, one of LifeFlight’s earlier incarnations. Since then, he has overseen the growth of the Australian aeromedical organisation from a small community rescue service into a vertically integrated charitable organisation, operating a 21-strong fleet of helicopters and four long-range air ambulance jets. Under his leadership, LifeFlight has championed the ‘doctor first’ aeromedical retrieval model, which places critical care specialists on every mission. The organisation now employs more than 400 staff.

“It’s an honour to be recognised with this prestigious award. I accept it on behalf of our dedicated teams right across the organisation and the thousands of people we airlift in time of need,” says van de Velde. “We believe providing the vehicles like the helicopters and jets are great, but unless you have got those medical teams onboard that actually make the difference, it’s just another air service. The most valuable lesson I think we’ve learned is to remain humble within the business; walk the talk. We just do the job and make sure we do it well.”

In FY25, LifeFlight’s medical teams and aircraft fleets assisted 8,497 people, 3.9 per cent higher than the previous year. The organisation also commenced new base builds at Mount Isa and the Sunshine Coast, welcomed three new AW139 helicopters to its fleet and signed a $250 million partnership with Italian aircraft manufacturer Leonardo.

Selina Short, EY regional markets leader for Oceania, says the EY Entrepreneur of the Year programme celebrates the success of individual entrepreneurs while emphasising their role in driving economic and social prosperity. “As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, we are reminded of the transformative impact that these leaders have on their communities and the Australian economy as a whole,” she comments.

The other three finalists were: Deborah Thomas – CEO and Managing Director of children's cancer charity Camp Quality; Tim Jarvis AM – Founder of The ForkTree Project, an environmental initiative focused on rewilding a former farmland site on the Fleurieu Peninsula; and Jason Trethowan – CEO of headspace, a national foundation providing early intervention mental health services for young people.