International Women's Day 2024: Celebrating women in medtech!

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To mark International Women's Day 2024, Medical Plastics News presents a collection of insights from influential women in medtech.

Although women hold less than a quarter of executive roles in medtech, it is continuously climbing year after year. In 2019, 18% of the largest medical device companies had women in executive roles and in 2023 this had risen to 23.6%. Of course this is still a staggeringly lower number than we wish to see, however with there being continuous rises in the past five years, this shouldn't be the case for much longer!

The rise of women in medtech has created a shift in the industry which has resulted in a surge in femtech startups, a much-needed discussion in the lack of representation of women and arguably the most important thing - a growth in young women wanting to join the sector. 

These remarkable individuals discuss their journeys and experiences as women in life sciences.

Laura Fried-Hirst, managing director, LFH Regulatory

We are a woman-led UK regulatory consultancy and currently have an influx of strong, independent women leaders. Although this wasn’t a conscious hiring strategy, the women employed within the company are all extremely dynamic and are delivering incredible results, which should be celebrated. Having lots of women managers has also resulted in a culture that is inclusive and empathic. 

For me, personally, I was extremely passionate about creating an environment that doesn’t have gender bias or stereotypes, as this is something I have personally had to deal with many times throughout my career. It’s important to create environments that are nurturing and supportive, where a person can be themselves.

Addie MacGregor, sustainability manager, ABHI: 

Working in healthtech, and specifically, sustainability, is immensely rewarding, and as a woman in this field, I have the great privilege of supporting positive change, both in terms of guiding industry best practice and representation of women.

Within ABHI, and the wider healthtech industry, there are some exceptional women role models that I have had the privilege of not just working with, but being inspired by. While there is always room for improvement, I am encouraged by the significant strides we are making towards greater diversity and inclusivity, with many dedicated individuals working tirelessly towards this goal.

Olivia Simpson, CEO & co-founder, SymbioTex:

Being a woman in the medical industry presents both unique challenges and opportunities. It is a rewarding experience to be part of an industry that is rapidly evolving and innovating, and to be at the forefront of that change.

It's inspiring to see more and more women role models in this field. Recognising and celebrating women's achievements in this field can inspire others and bring visibility to their success.

Laurie Rowe, founder & director, Red MedTech:

Being a woman in medical devices is incredibly rewarding. I've always been treated with utmost respect and valued as equal among my peers, which speaks volumes about the culture in our industry. This respectful inclusive and collaborative environment has allowed me to focus purely on my contributions and advancements, without any distractions of challenging gender biases.

It's brilliant to be part of a community that recognises and celebrates the achievements of women internationally, showing the world that together our capabilities are limitless. Now is a remarkable time to be a woman in medtech, filled with opportunities for growth and recognition.

Ikram Guerd, VP global marketing managing director US, Aspivix:

Being a woman leader in healthcare, especially in FemTech, is such an honour because you get to make a positive impact on people’s life. Right now, it’s truly one of the best times to be in women’s health as it’s getting more attention!

One of the most rewarding aspects of our work is contributing to improving patients’ care. At Aspivix, our goal is to replace traumatic tool in gynaecology by gentle medtech clinically proven innovations to reduce pain and bleeding for millions of women undergoing an IUD, and when you get the 1st female patients with our product Carevix reaching out to you to say thank you for improving care for women, it means the world.

Seeing the advancement of research and science with innovations and passionate entrepreneurs is very inspiring.

At the same time, the journey is a long one with obstacles to overcome such as: getting fundings, bias in women’s health, lack of clinical data…

But women always get it done! With perseverance and support from the community and men allies, we'll overcome obstacles to advance women's health.

Leeanne Baker, managing director - senior QA/RA consultant, IMed Consultancy:

Specialising in Quality and Regulatory Assurance, I have to say I’m rarely surrounded by women at industry events. But when I set up my own business, IMed Consultancy, I realised that I belonged to somewhat of a niche.

Despite this, things are definitely looking brighter, and a growing cohort of young women are entering the medical market in droves. This is encouraging the old guard to be more daring with their entrepreneurial aspirations and finally directing investor attention to femtech and other traditionally overlooked areas.

While some of the work cracking that glass ceiling is definitely paying off, there is still a long way to go as female to male ratios remain skewed. I take it as my duty to raise up and celebrate the outstanding professional women I’ve encountered to ensure they are getting their share of access to the top table and contrast that socially ingrained habit or downplaying our successes in favour of “modesty”, a value that men haven traditionally never had to endure.

Jamie O'Neill, talent acquisition leader, CQ Medical:

Being a woman in the medical device industry involves navigating regulatory frameworks while facilitating employee support. Acting as a liaison between management and staff, the role requires ensuring adherence to regulations and fostering a collaborative work environment.

In my case, responsibilities include talent acquisition, employee retention, and promoting professional development. Despite its challenges, the role is compelling due to the ever-evolving nature of the medical device sector. Women in HR contribute significantly to maintaining a balance between fostering creativity within the workplace and upholding compliance. The complexity of the job makes it challenging, yet the rewards are substantial.

Rouzet Agaiby, director, EG Technology:

My background is in engineering and when I started working in the medtech sector, I was pleasantly surprised that female representation was comparably better. However, despite this, there is still a noticeable disparity between how male and female voices are taken into consideration in many cases. It made me reflect on whether training women in more effective communication would help with that.

The power of knowing how to articulate one’s point of view is a key skill but more importantly, knowing how to listen is crucial, irrespective of gender. I feel privileged to be working in medtech at a time when so many influential women are making a difference.

Nicola Thorn, CEO & founder, AND Technology Research:

Like many areas, the medical industry is male dominated, and it can be challenging to overcome perceptions which are placed on you as a woman. However, I have found it extremely welcoming, and the industry has excellent opportunities for women.

There is a passion for innovation and success, driven by better patient outcomes for all, which breeds pride and an acceptance of diversity in the industry. The growing focus on women's health is pushing technology in new directions. It’s such an exciting time to be in the industry, both in terms of professionally and innovation. 

Dr. Chung Looi, CEO, Ablatus Therapeutics:

Today, there's a growing recognition of the invaluable perspectives that comes with embracing diversity. This rings especially true when we look at the significant gender gap in women's health, where women often feel unheard.

The reality remains that the decision-making chain in traditionally male-dominated sectors such as medtech still lacks representation. This means that the healthcare women receive is limited. It means that younger women have fewer role models to look up to. But there are so many benefits to changing this narrative. It means broader perspectives, a chance to provide healthcare that's truly representative of women and their needs. It opens the door to greater innovation and a more balanced and supportive work environment.While the journey may feel lonely at times, it's a crucial step towards creating an inclusive culture, and inspiring future generations of women to shape a brighter future for us all.