Professor David Theile AO is a distinguished medical clinician, hospital administrator, and dual Olympic gold medallist.

Professor Theile graduated with a MBBS from UQ in 1962, trained as a surgeon gaining, FRACS, FRCS and MS (UQ).

Much of his career has been spent in surgical leading on to chairmanship of surgery at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, CEO of the hospital in 2006, and then district CEO of the Metro South Health Service District in 2008.

Professor Theile is former president of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and he was honoured with the colleges highest award, the Sir Hugh Devine medal in 2000. He made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1997. In 2001, UQ awarded him with a Doctor of Philosophy honoris causa.