THE Bermuda Hospitals Board could soon have a new CEO after 270 candidates from across the globe applied for the position.

The vacancy has been open since February following the retirement of Joan Dillas-Wright after three years at the helm.

Yesterday, a hospital spokeswoman said that the search for a new chief was "going according to schedule", adding that the Board intended to announce the successful candidate before the end of summer.

"The BHB retained PricewaterhouseCoopers to conduct a multi-jurisdictional search for a replacement for Mrs. Dillas-Wright," the spokeswoman said

"The advertising and search campaign yielded significant interest with 270 candidates expressing an interest in the post from across North America, Europe, Australia, the West Indies and other parts of the world.

"The selection of the next chief executive officer of the BHB is crucial to initiating the execution of the Board's healthcare strategy for the first half of this century.

"Consequently, the CEO Selection Committee is moving expediently but with the utmost due diligence. The public should look forward to future updates as we cross major milestones in the search process."

BHB chairman Anthony Richardson said the high calibre of applications "indicates the level of international respect for our hospitals and health system".

"It will make the CEO Selection Committee's job very difficult at this juncture," he said.

"The Selection Committee will work with PricewaterhouseCoopers over the next several weeks to shortlist the most suitably qualified candidates for driving the hospital forward."