Meet the team
Kevin Kiely
Chief Executive Officer
Tom Elliott
International Director
Dr Patrick Trotter
Head of Innovation & Commercialisation
Thomas Averre
PR & Communications Manager
Melissa Erwin
International Officer
Rashmi Raju
International Advisor
Adrianna Szczypkowska
PR Officer
Tina Booth
Finance and Operations Officer
Emma Kocsi-Martin
PA & Project Manager
Tom started his career in legal and regulatory affairs working as the Quality and Regulatory manager for medical technology manufacturers including Siemens and Inditherm Plc. Since then Tom has worked primarily within international trade and new market development within the Life Sciences, Healthcare and Bio-tech sectors. His experience with developing new markets, engaging overseas partners and registering medical devices is now something he shares with clients and members of Medilink UK.
As the International Director, Tom is ultimately responsible for all of Medilink’s international activity and has coordinated projects in numerous countries around the world. Relying on a strong team both within Medilink North of England and the wider Medilink UK network, Tom has been able to develop commercial relationships in a significant number of overseas markets.
Tom is an advocate for the UK’s Life Sciences and Healthcare industry, often asked to present his knowledge and insight at international congresses and to foreign trade delegations.
As well as his role within Medilink UK, Tom supports the work in Yorkshire and Humber of the Department for International Trade Life Sciences Regional Sector Specialist. He is also engaged in a strategic role as the Healthcare, Life Sciences and Bio-tech lead for International Trade across the Northern Powerhouse region.
Rashmi joined the Medilink International team, having completed her PhD (Joining Technologies for Cardiovascular Implants) in Mechanical Engineering from University College London (UCL). The research was performed between the UCL Department of Mechanical Engineering and TWI (World Centre for Materials Joining Technology) based in Cambridge. Her research focussed on maximising the durability of new generation cardiovascular implants including transcatheter aortic valves and stent grafts.
Rashmi then worked as a Technical Consultant with Genpact for the management and delivery of regulatory dossiers to Worldwide Health Authorities. During that time, she also gained experience in submission processes and coordination for assigned products and regulatory procedures to support submission planning and delivery for Pfizer. Rashmi also has experience working as a Research & Development Scientist with Bioepic, where her role involved extraction of heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) from photoplethysmography (PPG) signal using Python programming language.
Rashmi’s role at Medilink is to work with members and clients to help them develop international trade opportunities. A significant amount of Rashmi’s time goes in to her role as the Life Sciences Sector Specialist working on behalf of the Department for International Trade. Through this role Rashmi supports Life Science, Healthcare and Bio-tech companies across the Yorkshire and Humber region to develop new and existing international markets.
Rashmi’s expertise in regulation, technical research and product development are a significant benefit to the Medilink members and DIT clients to whom she provides support. Rashmi also delivers a number of overseas trade missions and assists with Medilink UK’s international exhibition schedule.
Thomas graduated from the University of Warwick with a degree in Politics and International Relations and has worked in marketing and communications across tech, healthcare and FMCG, with a focus on disruptive technologies in each of his roles. He has direct experience of influencing government and the NHS at senior levels and of producing compelling marketing and communications content across B2B and B2C portfolios.
Thomas is adept at using traditional and digital channels, having delivered a national Brexit communications programme on behalf of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and countless client marketing and communications projects. He has an exceptional understanding of the media landscape and has relationships with journalists across the healthcare and life sciences sector that enable him to regularly win excellent coverage for clients.
Travelling extensively, he has designed and implemented localised marketing and communications strategies for a health technology firm in China, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Patrick Trotter has a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and MBA specializing in Technology Management.
Following the completion of his PhD, he became a Junior Fellow of the British Heart Foundation continuing the work he initiated during his PhD investigating the mechanisms of platelet activation. In 1997 Patrick moved into industry and was involved in developing a CE marked surgical sealant before moving to Johnson and Johnson in 2001, where he managed early stage internal and external projects in the areas of acute and chronic wound care and haemostats.
Patrick then set up his own bespoke medical device consultancy, InnProMa, which he ran between 2007 and 2013. He was assisting clients and many international companies in innovation strategy, R&D planning and the identification and selection of new opportunities/ technologies/ projects for investment. These were focused in the areas of wound care, wound closure, haemostats, sealants, glues and adhesives and tissue regeneration. During this period, he also became a specialist in clinical evaluation reports having written his first one in 2010, and has since gained a significant level of expertise in regulatory affairs.
Patrick is currently the Head of Innovation, Commercialisation and Regulation at Medilink North of England. He and his team have assisted companies in the medical device, diagnostics (including infection diagnostics) and digital health spheres with innovation strategy, market and competitor analysis and developing business cases for adoption of new health technologies. He had also led the formation of Medilink Regulatory providing regulatory assistance to medical device, in-vitro diagnostics companies and digital health companies whose innovations are regulated as medical devices.
He has conducted original research into best practice front end innovation processes and published his finding in international peer reviewed management journals, developed a healthcare specific front-end framework for innovation to reduce risk and maximise the probability of commercial success and profitability. Patrick has regularly run courses and workshops focused on innovation strategy and product development for the healthcare sector. These courses provide senior executives and managers the skills to launch differentiated successful products.
Patrick is an opinion leader, regularly contributing to thought leadership articles in the areas of innovation, product development, market access and regulation in industry-focused magazines with over 20 publications and 17 patent applications, 12 of which are granted.
Patrick utilises his scientific and technical expertise together with his commercialisaton acumen to provide clients with bespoke support to maximise the potential or their organisation.
Melissa graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with a BSc in Events Management. She has experience as an Events Coordinator in a variety of settings, most notably within corporate and large-scale private events. Melissa’s role within Medilink’s International Team focuses on the organisation and delivery of Medilink UK’s exhibition schedule.
As well as attending these international events to coordinate their delivery on site, Melissa is the key contact for managing the hundreds of exhibiting UK companies that Medilink work with each year.
Medilink have built an excellent and industry leading reputation for exhibition and overseas programme delivery. This is in no small part down to the focus placed upon customer service and company engagement from the beginning to the end of each project. Melissa is for many clients of Medilink the main point of contact and she ensures that Medilink maintains its position as the leading trade association in the Life Sciences and Healthcare sector for international event delivery.
Alongside the delivery of Medilink’s international exhibition schedule, Melissa is engaged on projects securing funding for UK companies, the delivery of international trade missions and the day-to-day support of Medilink members.
Adrianna is a Public Relations Officer at Medilink. She has experience producing a variety of content, including press releases, news stories, articles and features, as well creating targeted social media content to reach specific audiences and goals.
Adrianna is involved in planning and delivering communication strategies for our clients and has worked with clinical research, mental health and medical device clients to enhance their reputation and build their profile. She also works on Medilink’s member communications channels, including our e-bulletin and biannual magazine, which go out to the whole sector and act as an important awareness tool for our members.
She holds a BA (Hons) in Public Relations and an MSc in International Marketing.
Kevin founded Medilink in 1997, a model which is now licensed to regions across the UK. Kevin is currently the CEO of Medilink North of England and Group Chief Executive for Medilink UK.
He has developed a dedicated team of international specialists that service both Medilink UK members, private clients, the Department for International Trade (DIT) and other foreign and domestic organisations. This team works in partnership with DIT to deliver international trade services regionally and also to coordinate UK pavilions and missions on behalf of DIT in territories across the world including: USA, China, UAE, Germany, South Korea, Brazil, South Africa and more.
Kevin also leads a team of health technology innovation specialists with a strong track record in international markets. Much of Kevin’s work internationally has related to technology transfer and he is passionate in promoting alternative market entry strategies for key international growth markets (China, India and Brazil) based on early-stage partnership. He has signed MOUs for cooperation and exchange in trade, technology transfer and R&D with China and Brazil’s largest medical device trade associations.
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MFL Science & Technology is a true specialist risk and insurance advisor to the life science sector.
MFL has been providing pragmatic and cost effective specialist insurance solutions to biotech, medical device and pharmaceutical businesses for in excess of 20 years.
An independent business operating from offices in Manchester, Leeds and Menston our dedicated team has significant experience in helping businesses map out their insurance needs from their very inception through their full lifecycle including flotation and international trading.
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MFL Science & Technology is a trading name of MFL Insurance Group Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered Address Barlow House, Minshull Street, Manchester, M1 3DZ. Registered in England and Wales No. 02817700.
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Medilink North of England retains the services of market leading law firm Hill Dickinson to help members navigate a legal and regulatory landscape that is continuously evolving in response to innovation, challenges and opportunities.
Hill Dickinson helps clients take innovative treatments and technologies to the market, working with companies at every stage of their commercial journey.
They support clients from an idea in a lab, to helping incorporate the company, raising capital, ensuring regulatory compliance (including MHRA and CQC), signing strategic partnerships and, ultimately, commercialising life-changing treatments and technologies.
With more than 180 expert lawyers in their specialist health and life sciences team, Hill Dickinson has in-depth expertise in healthtech, biotech, pharma, medical cannabis, fertility, cell and gene therapies, and genomics.
Hill Dickinson acts for clients in all these sectors, providing support to Medilink, its members and its network of partners.
Hill Dickinson’s interdisciplinary team combines corporate and commercial experience with key sector knowledge, providing clients with first class and cost-effective guidance on a broad range of legal matters.
We also help clients navigate a legal and regulatory landscape that is continuously evolving in response to innovation as well as societal and ethical challenges.
The firm has a strong reputation in this sector, nurturing excellent client relationships with both entrepreneurial and established organisations operating at the forefront of science and innovation globally.
Hill Dickinson lawyers have a real understanding not only of the legal and commercial issues Medilink members face, but also of the strategic arena and regulatory environment, policies and principles that underlie and influence the healthcare sector in which your business operates.
To contact Hill Dickinson and find out more about how they can help your business, visit their website at hilldickinson.com
