Meet the Team

Tell us a bit about yourself and your professional background

Before joining Acacium Group just over 2 years ago, I worked for 20+ years within other business development, contract management and business improvement roles within central government (Ministry of Justice) and the private sector (G4S and Mitie), with a particular specialism in tenders. The main consistent thread to all of my roles has been ‘people-centric’, with a vast majority of my career working within the criminal justice/home affairs sector. My greatest achievement was securing a £525m / 10-year contract for Home Office detention and escorting services. As cliché as it may sound, what motivates me is trying to make a positive difference in people’s lives.

When (and why) did you join XEC?

I joined Acacium Group in September 2021. This introduced a new challenge of setting up the BD and Marketing function for three separate brands. I like a challenge, and the opportunity to try my hand in the healthcare sector, particularly during a global pandemic, was too good an opportunity to turn down.

What specific skills and experience do you bring to the role?

My role requires a combination of strategic vision, dynamic working, team/partnership working and a drive ‘to get the job done’. I like to think that I’m highly organised and balance our pipeline of direct award, tender and partnership opportunities to good effect.

What are your responsibilities?

As Business Development Director for Xyla Elective Care, I’m responsible for all business development, marketing and data analysis activity within the brand. My focus is driving business growth by working collaboratively with NHS Trusts, Integrated Care Systems and private sector clients by delivering elective care and diagnostics capacity via a fully managed service proposing virtual, insourcing, diagnostic and community solutions. Through these conversations, I also promote other Health & Community Services divisional solutions where there is potential to prevent, redirect and accelerate patient flow to achieve improved patient outcomes.

What does a typical day look like in your role?

There is literally no such thing as a typical day (which I really like!). I can always guarantee that each day is fast-paced, dynamic and varied!

What’s the best thing about being in the XEC team?

I’m very fortunate that I’m surrounded by a great XEC management team and have a fantastic business development/marketing team who are all equally committed and passionate about making a positive difference in people’s lives, which shines through every day. #teamworkmakesthedreamwork.

More recently, securing the Our Future Health opportunity (the UK’s largest-ever health research programme) is really exciting and a privilege to be a part of!

What are your aims and ambitions for 2023?

To support our NHS colleagues and partners to tackle the growing elective care backlog and imminent winter pressures, and position ourselves for a strong entry point into 2023, which promises to be another hugely exciting and busy year.

What does the next year hold for XEC? What are you excited about?

Xyla Elective Care continues to go from strength to strength, and the structure of our business into Acute, Diagnostics, Community, Virtual and Our Future Health will create even more opportunities for us. We have ambitious business-wide plans, but we are always mindful that our growth is sustainable – clinical excellence, patients first and partnership working will always be the values at the centre of all of our activity.