To say Jo Maltby is a Medilink Midlands Head of Innovation somewhat belies her passion and enthusiasm for her role within the organisation. Jo is a motivator, an unswerving supporter, an enabler. Her lead on life sciences and med-tech innovation projects has, and does, help project and drive start-ups and SMEs on the road to realisation and, ultimately, commercialisation.
Jo’s highly refined empowering skills and experience have led her to take on the responsibility of looking after Medilink Midlands’ skilled advisory team, managing projects across the Midlands and East of England and providing first hand support to both the CFOO and CEO.
At Medilink Midlands, Jo is part of the team responsible for managing international enquiries and capitalising on opportunities with overseas companies and partners. International trade and export are major areas of focus for Medilink Midlands, as the organisation continues to serve as the voice of industry for med-tech and life science organisations across the Midlands.
Prior to working at Medilink Midlands, Jo helped to run a small business before moving into business support in 2003. She has worked within a variety of sectors and has received numerous CPD qualifications, with expertise in coaching and mentoring, and business diagnostics. To further build on her 20 years of experience as a business adviser, Jo is soon to begin a Women in Leadership qualification with Nottingham Trent University.
Jo values all of Medilink Midlands’ members and patrons tremendously. She believes in providing opportunities and forging connections as well as showcasing the achievements of each member wherever she can. Having worked with SME leaders and senior management teams for more than a decade, Jo believes her consultative approach and ability to listen and understand the complexities associated with the sector’s challenges have given her a unique perspective and the tools to be able to meet those challenges.
Wellbeing at work is another incredibly important issue to Jo and, as such, she has developed a working strategy for her team including regular one to one meetings and action plans to ensure that the team’s mental health is a constant priority.
When asked about her highlight of working for Medilink Midlands, Jo said: “The biggest thing I have realised working here is how passionate I am about the work of companies in the med-tech and life science sectors. These organisations have the chance to make a difference to the lives of others and have made a real impact on me throughout my career.”
Jo also enjoys attending the annual Medilink Midlands Business Awards as they provide small, early-stage companies with the opportunity to get the recognition they deserve, as well as give well-established businesses the chance to showcase their growth and ongoing achievements.
Having been at Medilink Midlands for almost four years, Jo has seen many changes to the life science and med-tech sectors, with the most impactful of those being the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, companies began emerging into the sector and a lot of diversifications took place. Indeed, businesses that had been trying to get remote solutions and digital monitoring into the NHS found a lot of doors were opening for them.
Jo also believes that the Midlands region is getting better at showcasing the fact that they have the largest number of medical technology and supply companies in the country. She says: “Going forward, I really hope that the Midlands will continue to shout about its achievements across life science and med-tech with the continued support and backing of Medilink Midlands.”
To learn more about the Medilink Midlands team, visit our page here.