Jo Bekis, joined the Medilink Midlands team in 2023, and brings with her a wealth of skills to support our membership community. Jo is prioritising time to meet with all of our Patrons and Members, to understand their business, any challenges they may be facing, and how best Medilink Midlands can help to facilitate stronger relationships and growth.
Jo’s early years growing up with one brother and nine foster brothers meant she learned to stand up for herself at a very early age. A trait that has stood her in good stead. She admits that she was very much a tomboy, so it came as no surprise when, following her school years, Jo opted for a role within engineering and manufacturing. Jo took up an apprenticeship at a CADCAM software company before moving on to work at a precision engineering company as a buyer and production coordinator. There, she managed projects (JIT – Just In Time) from start to finish; buying in materials as needed, overseeing production and, ultimately, seeing the finished product out of the door. And if any part of the process required an extra pair of hands, Jo was only too happy to roll up her sleeves and get stuck in.
Jo has since engaged with a number of roles, from sales to business planning and development, education leading on FE apprenticeships to change management consultancy and running her own business. Jo believes she’s well placed to understand the challenges of businesses whatever the sector and the level they are at.
Her experience and knowledge have allowed Jo to hit the ground running. She is taking the time to meet with all of the Patrons and members of Medilink, getting an understanding of their businesses and their own challenges and seeing how Medilink Midlands can help to facilitate stronger relationships and growth.
One area of growth Jo aims to address is to increase members directly in the med-tech and life sciences sector to a healthy 60% along with university engagement. In connecting with every sector, academic institution, service and business within the life sciences and med-tech eco system, Medilink Midlands stands ready to deliver a cohesive and collaborative voice for industry from which all of its members can benefit.
Jo is also working with members to deliver unique benefits to other members while at the same time ensuring that they get the support and opportunities they need to drive their own businesses forward. More recently, Jo has formed a Membership Forum to encourage ideas directly from the membership.
Joining Medilink Midlands allows organisations from start-ups to well established businesses to join a healthy ecosystem and network of people who can offer support and advice that they’ve accumulated as part of that system; Medilink Midlands is the conduit for that. It’s Jo’s passion to develop those relationships and see those businesses succeed.
A recent project has seen Jo working with a fairly young start-up, VUIT, who specialise in analysing data to deliver better healthcare to communities. VUIT are using their software to enable Medilink Midlands to redefine the membership directory by identifying communities and geographical zones to set up networking frameworks and deliver easy access to practical support and guidance.
Jo’s longer term key aim is to double the membership and she hopes to include a healthy cross section of international and national businesses and to grow the med-tech sector. There’s also scope to reach out to the life sciences and med-tech service providers who provide support to these businesses, and, of course, to continue collaborations and partnerships with the Universities.
Jo has instigated a monthly e-member newsletter to keep patrons and members better informed. She’s opened the her door to two-way conversations that will allow her to feedback what members are looking for and to continue a high level of customer satisfaction across the board. A membership values survey has been evaluated and, from that, a membership forum is now in the offing.
“I see it as part of my role to work closely with our patrons and members to find out the challenges they are facing in their own businesses and look at how we, at Medilink Midlands, can help with those challenges,” comments Jo.
“We’re also proactively seeking to take the lead in collaborative events that will not only deliver a cohesive approach across a number of membership organisations but that will add a huge amount of value to our region’s life sciences and med-tech businesses.”
“The Midlands is home to some of the most exciting and innovative life science and med-tech organisations; it’s a privilege to be a part of that and helping to drive those businesses forward.”
If you want to get in touch with Jo Bekis, email joanneB@medilinkmidlands.com
To find out more about membership, visit https://www.medilinkmidlands.com/membership-benefits/