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Topic : Innovation, Inequalities Type : Press Release

On Tuesday 2nd June, ABHI hosted its annual Women in HealthTech event, bringing together leaders from across industry, professional services, and the NHS.  The event created a valuable space to explore not only the impact and importance of women in leadership, but also the persistent challenges and systemic barriers that still exist.

The event opened with insights from Jane Lewis, CFO, COO and Women's Health Lead at ABHI, who presented key findings from the latest Women in HealthTech Survey.  The analysis revealed that 96% of women experienced imposter syndrome at some point in their careers, marking an increase from last year's results, and highlighting the persistence of confidence-related challenges, even at senior levels.

The survey also revealed a shift in the top three priorities for those working in HealthTech: culture and values, work/life balance and flexibility, and employee engagement and satisfaction.  Notably, compensation fell to sixth place, down from fourth last year, signalling a meaningful shift towards valuing purpose, environment, and wellbeing over purely financial factors. 

Jane highlighted that, despite progress, barriers to equality within leadership continue to persist.  Caregiving responsibilities remain a limiting factor for many women, reflecting the ongoing imbalance in domestic expectations.  Concern around the gender pay gap has widened, increasing from 25% to 29%, an issue that was unrecognised by male respondents. Additionally, life-stage factors such as maternity and menopause were frequently cited, underscoring how workplace structures often fail to accommodate women’s experiences.  References to an enduring “old boys’ club” culture appeared repeatedly, pointing to informal networks and biases that can exclude women and limit access to opportunities and career progression.  

To conclude her insightful presentation, Jane outlined several recommendations, including the introduction of positive cultural and values-based initiatives, such as becoming a menopause-friendly employer.  Creating more opportunities to foster a healthy work-life balance and flexible working environment is essential for women at all career stages, not just senior leaders, and is key to advancing gender equality. Furthermore, engaging with employers to drive change in these areas will be crucial to maintaining progress.  

The keynote speaker, Gary Cohen, CEO of Maternal Newborn Health Innovations (MNHI), followed. Drawing on his impressive 37-year career at Becton Dickinson (BD) and five years as CEO of MNHI, Gary described his journey as one of “unplanned paths chosen deliberately”.  His current work centres on the Odon Assist Device, a new childbirth assistance method. Using a soft air cushion to enable safer assisted births, the device has already supported over 300 deliveries with consistently positive outcomes and is now in use across 38 hospitals in six European countries. Emphasising that “childbirth is the most fundamental procedure in the world”, Gary highlighted the importance of MNHI’s work in enhancing joy and reducing trauma during birth. This innovation has significant global potential, offering a promising solution to improve maternal and newborn outcomes worldwide, and is focussed on an area of healthcare that has seen very little in the way of innovation over the past centuries. 

The event then moved to a panel discussion on women in leadership and improving health outcomes for women.  Panellists shared insights on building more inclusive leadership across the health sector. At Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Kathryn Boylan highlighted the disparity between a workforce that is 78% female and a board that is only 40% female. She noted that innovation often requires time beyond core roles, limiting access for those with care giving responsibilities. Initiatives such as a new women’s network and calls for protected innovation time aim to address this imbalance. Anna King from Health Innovation Network South London emphasised the importance of partnerships and programmes like Digital Pioneers in helping innovations reach practice, particularly in a landscape where most HealthTech founders are male.

From a diagnostic perspective, Matt Johnson of Roche Diagnostics pointed to a broader shift from treating illness to maintaining wellness, noting that women often deprioritise their own health owing to family care giving commitments. Innovations such as self-sampling and community-based testing are improving access, while prevention and early diagnosis are becoming strategic priorities.

Sharon Lamb, Partner at McDermott, Will & Schulte, also shared practical advice, encouraging women to act with confidence, avoid fear-driven decisions, be proactive in seeking progression, and advocate for transparency in pay and promotion. Looking ahead, the panel promoted key priorities such as supporting the adoption of innovation within health systems, improving equitable access to diagnosis, and maintaining momentum in women’s health through meaningful workplace policies.  

The summit reinforced ABHI’s continued commitment to championing women’s health, advancing gender equality, and supporting more inclusive leadership across the sector.

Thank you to our panellists and keynote speakers again, and Jane for chairing such an interesting discussion.  Thank you as well to our member McDermott, Will & Schulte for hosting such an insightful event. 

The 2026 ABHI Gender Equality in HealthTech Report will be published soon. 

Charlotte Hart, Communications & Events Executive