Our Why
Merle Health was created to empower people approaching, or entering, retirement to live with confidence, vitality, and purpose.
We believe a longer life should also be a healthier, more connected one. Our vision is a future where people are educated, supported, and motivated to take simple, proactive steps to protect their greatest asset, their health. We want people to live stronger for longer, and to enjoy a next chapter that is active, meaningful, and deeply fulfilling.
Today, retirement planning is still focused almost entirely on financial security. Yet wealth means little without good health. Our Step Ahead programs address this gap by providing essential social, emotional, and physical wellbeing support, laying the foundation for retirees not just to cope, but to truly thrive in the years ahead.
Our Founders
Merle Health was founded by Jamie Vickers and Dr Max Mollenkopf, who share a passion for building digital health solutions that address real gaps in the healthcare system.
Jamie began his career in strategy and marketing roles within life insurance, where he launched Australia’s first digital health program into the insurance market in 2009. He has since built multiple award-winning health and wellbeing programs, with a consistent focus on prevention, engagement, and long-term impact.
Dr Max Mollenkopf is a GP clinic owner and health system advisor focused on building high-functioning, relationship-led primary care. Beyond the consulting room, Max is active in medical leadership, media, and advisory roles, contributing to national conversations about how healthcare can evolve without losing its human core. He serves on the RACGP NSW/ACT Faculty Council, where he advocates for the value of long-term GP patient relationships.
Together, Jamie and Max share a strong belief in the potential of digital health, but not at the expense of traditional care. Their approach is centred on solutions that support, enhance, and complement treating doctors, rather than replace them.
Our Name
Merle was the middle name of Jamie’s grandmother, a woman who embodied what a positive retirement can look like.
Through staying socially connected, remaining physically active, and being diligent with her health, she lived life fully and independently well into her 90’s. Her example showed that ageing well is not about luck, but about the habits, relationships, and support we build over time.
Our goal at Merle Health is to give retirees the best possible chance of achieving the same, not just a longer life, but a longer healthspan.