Dr Tom Beale is a Senior Regulatory Affairs Specialist at Agilent Technologies, where he manages the regulatory compliance of diagnostic devices. Tom has a technical background in medical device development and scientific research. Prior to joining CPI, Tom has worked within CPI, part of the UK catapult assisting start-up companies in developing medtech. Previous in his career Tom worked in the NHS developing medical devices, working on multiple projects from point-of-care diagnostic devices, to implantable brain simulators. Tom’s academic background is in Physics, where he conducted academic research studying novel magnetic materials, including designing and developing x-ray instrumentation for the UK and the Taiwanese national x-ray facilities.

Darren is the Deputy Chair of Medilink Midlands and has been with the regional Medilink since its incorporation in 2004. He has successfully overseen the delivery of several significant public sector contracts to stimulate innovation within small and medium-sized enterprises. A Microbiologist by original discipline, Darren has over twenty five years’ experience in the healthcare and bioscience sector, and prior to Medilink worked for Pharmaceutical Profiles, (now part of the Quotient Sciences), one of the Midlands many successful life sciences companies.

Darren holds several advisory and representation roles, including the Midlands Engine Health Board, Charnwood Campus Enterprise Zone steering committee, the strategic advisory group for Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Clinical Trials Unit, the advisory board for the Centre for Healthcare Equipment and Technology Adoption (CHEATA) at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, the Greater Lincolnshire LEP Health and Care Enterprise committee, MTIF Strategic Partner Board and is a former Non-Executive Director of the East Midlands Chamber.

Leigh Cornock has a PhD in Electronic System Engineering from the University of Essex and has been working in industry on electronic product research and development for nearly 20 years, with over 15 years focused on medical device development. Leigh has led product development teams in both SME's as well as large multinational corporations creating market leading hardware and software solutions. Leigh is currently leading the development team at Micrima working on the use of Radar in Breast Cancer screening and detection.

Andrew is responsible for working with partners to ensure that the UK maximises the opportunities for citizen health and economic wealth by appropriate investment in data driven healthcare.

A vital element of this is building on the unique opportunities delivered by the NHS to enable industry to access robust, well-curated data within a strong ethical framework. Coupled with close engagement with national bodies to evolve regulatory and reimbursement systems, the aim is to create a strong infrastructure and commercial environment that can support the development and widespread adoption of the best HealthTech solutions.

Andrew has over 25 years' experience in the medical technology sector having worked within MedTech divisions of household names such as Thorn EMI, Philips and Bristol-Myers Squibb. He has held roles covering UK and international marketing, market access and business development across both capital and consumable equipment.

He has a degree in Applied Physics and a post graduate diploma in marketing.

Alba Gonzalez-Alvarez is a doctor in Biomedical Engineering with 8 years of industrial, academic and clinical experience in the development of implantable medical devices. She has developed hundreds of customised implants and instruments that have been successfully used in patients in collaboration with surgeons, companies, engineers and researchers worldwide. She is currently leading a European Marie Curie Conex+ project on the development of patient-specific implants and instrumentation for bone reconstruction with the use of 3d printing technologies at University Carlos III of Madrid, Spain, in association with several hospitals including Gregorio Marañon Hospital.

Previously, she worked at Stanmore Stryker, designing personalised orthopaedic implants; and for the NHS at Morriston Hospital developing custom solutions for maxillofacial, thoracic and plastic surgery. Before this, she completed an Industrial Marie Curie PhD funded by the European Commission on the development of spinal implants at S14 Implants in Bordeaux, France, and the University of Birmingham, UK.

Dr Alba Gonzalez-Alvarez has been an invited speaker in several international conferences and has presented her work in a number of high-profile events such as the Houses of Parliament in Westminster Palace, London, and at the World Congress of Biomechanics. She is passionate about creating innovative solutions for different clinical needs. Her motivation is to improve patients’ lives by using engineering and 3D technologies.

Dr Ashton Harper studied medicine at University College London graduating with both an MBBS and a B.Sc. in physiology and pharmacology. He worked as a doctor in the NHS and trained as a gastrointestinal surgeon achieving membership of the Royal College of Surgeons. During training he was awarded a post-graduate travelling fellowship to visit the Cleveland Clinic in the USA to observe world leading doctors manage inflammatory bowel disease. In 2015 he joined Protexin, a UK based biotechnology company developing microbiome focused products. Ashton was the Medical Director for the company following its acquisition by ADM in 2018.

He joined Roche Diagnostics in August 2020 as Head of Medical Affairs for the UK & Ireland where he leads a team responsible for clinical research in oncology, cardiology, neurology, infectious diseases, critical care and women’s health. During his career in industry he has designed and initiated numerous novel interventional clinical trials in a range of therapeutic areas and has lectured frequently on an international stage. He has published in the fields of surgery, gastroenterology, neurology, infectious diseases and microbiology, and has presented his work at multiple national and international medical congresses.

Giles looks after the diagnostics team at TTP, an interdisciplinary product development company. Here core team of 25, augmented by the 250 staff at TTP help develop include central lab systems, tissue imaging and point of care devices for clients around the world.

Giles has been at TTP 20 years – working with multiple start-up and multinational businesses in that time. He has worked on a broad number of areas in the chemical and life sciences space. This has ranged from helping the UK government in establishing a microfluidics drug discovery company to working on developments in future generation sequencing as well as many programmes at the forefront of new diagnostic development. By background Giles is a Physical chemist with a doctorate in electrochemistry and research experience in nanobiology and microfluidics for DNA and protein analysis.

Doris-Ann Williams has been Chief Executive of BIVDA since October 2001. She has over 40 years’ experience in the IVD sector. She has held a variety of roles; initially in R&D and subsequently in commercial roles including international responsibilities. She has been involved in a number of Government steering groups and boards including the Pathology Quality Oversight Group.

Doris-Ann was awarded an MBE in January 2011 and was recognised as a Friend of the Royal College of Pathologists in November 2012 and as a Friend of the Association for Clinical Biochemistry in July 2015. Doris-Ann also was elected as a Vice President of the Parliamentary & Scientific Committee in 2015 and is Chair of the organising committee for STEM for Britain 2022. Doris-Ann has particular interest in the role of diagnostic testing in the community and how diagnostics can help with mitigation of antimicrobial resistance.

Aphrodite has over 20 years of experience working across many sectors including Life Sciences and Healthcare both in the UK Civil Service, European Commission and overseas. She managed R&D, patient safety and pandemic preparedness policies and headed the UK Focal Point to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. More recently she managed trade policies and international agreements.

She and her teams help healthcare, chemicals and life sciences UK companies and institutions achieve success abroad by promoting and supporting exports as well as attracting inward investment and bringing global innovations into the UK health and care system. Her academic background is in public health.

Michelle’s career in pharmaceuticals and medical devices started in 1990. Through roles in sales, management, marketing, and market development, Michelle has followed the needs of the current market by re-training in Health Economics, adding the value ‘spectacles’ and ‘hearing-aids’ necessary in today’s world. A graduate of the Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership, it is her goal to make this topic simple to understand and execute within the healthcare sector, currently leading the Commercial Environmental Sustainability Workstream within Boston Scientific in Europe.

She sits on the Board of HealthTech Ireland, chairs the ABHI Sustainability working group, and vice-chairs the Commercial policy group for this UK Medical device industry body.