Leading medtech firm Bond Digital Health has appointed a Chief Technology Officer to oversee its growing team of developers as they deliver a series of global projects.
The Cardiff-based business has tripled the size of its team over the last twelve months on the back of significant investment and demand for its digital technology.
Bond has promoted Russell Hicks to the newly created role of CTO. Russell, who has a master’s degree in computer science from Cardiff University, has been with Bond for two years as Head of Technology.
As CTO, Russell will be responsible for the technology strategy of the business and oversee the team who are developing Bond’s main product Transform®, a connectivity and data platform for rapid diagnostic tests.
Russell said: “I am very proud of the development team we have in place and the culture we are creating at Bond. We have a skilled and knowledgeable group of people whose expertise and hard work have ensured we already have one product in-market and others in the pipeline.
“Together I want to ensure we continue to deliver quality products and services for our clients that give us an edge in this competitive market.
“I am looking forward to growing the team further and continuing to foster our culture of excellence. Bond is a great place to work, and I want to make sure that develops as we grow.”
The Transform® platform, which uses app and cloud technology, has revolutionised the speed and accuracy of gathering lateral flow test results. Test results and other information are sent directly to the cloud from the app. The data can then be viewed easily and immediately in maps, charts and other reports.
For managing diseases like Covid-19, this means anyone working in disease management can know in real time where infection is spiking or being controlled.
A version of Transform® is currently in-market, digitising and powering a Canadian client’s Covid-19 rapid antigen test.
Bond is currently rolling out Transform® for a major US based lateral flow test developer.
As demand for this technology has grown, Bond has expanded its team, recruiting eight new employees over the last three months alone. These are:
- Beau Welch – Scrum master
- Craig Appleton – Senior iOS developer
- Angus Muller – iOS developer
- Christopher Baker – Senior front-end Web App developer
- Peter O’Boyle – Front-end Web App developer
- Victor Ogbue – Software test analyst
- Eirian Powell – Office manager
- Emma Galletti – Marketing assistant
Dave Taylor, Bond’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “Our rapid growth over the last year has meant we need to take a more strategic approach to our technology and team.
“Russell has played a vital role in managing the team during this time and ensuring our technology meets the standards required by our clients. He is ideally placed to lead us into the next phase of development and make key strategic technology decisions as we continue to grow.”
Bond expects to further double the size of its development team over the next 6-12 months.
In 2020 the business received total equity funding of £1.9 million from Wealth Club, the high-net-worth investment service, and the Development Bank of Wales as well as more than £200,000 in grants from the Welsh and UK governments.
Last month it appointed a new chair, Wayne Harvey.
