Digital Healthcare (DH), a UK supplier of software for diabetic retinal imaging programmes and ophthalmology, announces the appointment of Jeff Gordon as chairman and managing director
Gordon joins DH after a successful career spanning 28 years in the ICT industry that has included senior management roles with Unisys, a worldwide provider of IT consultancy services and solutions, and Motorola, the telecoms giant.
It is anticipated that Gordon will play a key role in helping DH realise its ambition to become a leading global provider of innovative software for diabetic retinal screening programmes and ophthalmology.
Headquartered in Cambridge, UK, DH is currently experiencing rapid growth with staff numbers doubling during 2006 to meet increasing demand for its specialist software which combines high quality digital imaging systems with fully-automated data programmes that store millions of electronic patient records.
Key customers are NHS Trusts who use the company's flagship product, OptoMize iP, to monitor hundreds of thousands of diabetes patients in large scale community eye screening programmes across the UK.
Government screening targets require 100% of the diabetic population to have been offered access to a digital scan of their eyes by the end of 2007.
DH's North American operation is also expanding.
In the USA over 100 private practices, hospitals and universities now use the company's software to screen patients for diseases such as glaucoma, retinopathy, cataracts and macular degeneration.
Gordon spent 20 years with Unisys, culminating with his appointment as chairman of Unisys European Board and responsibility for 10,000 employees and $2.2 billion in annual revenues.
His other general management experience has included heading up Motorola's EMEA infrastructure business with responsibility for 1400 employees and $1.6 billion in annual revenues.
Gordon has also held a number of non-executive directorships with fast growing UK based entrepreneurial software companies including chairmanship positions at Axiom Systems, a leader supplier of OSS (operations support systems) solutions to the telecomms industry; Celltick, a fast growing provider of mobile marketing services, and Pallasium, a provider of capacity optimisation solutions for WiMax infrastructure providers.
John Morrison, non executive director of DH, said: "On behalf of the board, I am delighted to welcome Jeff Gordon to DH.
"He brings a wealth of expertise in the software industry and has an outstanding track record that encompasses leadership roles with multibillion dollar, pan-European ICT corporates as well as considerable experience of managing smaller, fast growing entrepreneurial businesses.
"Jeff is a valuable addition to the DH Board as we pursue a strategy to establish DH as the leading global provider in the field of innovative software solutions for ophthalmology and diabetic retinopathy screening programmes".
Gordon said: "I am pleased to be joining Digital Healthcare at this challenging and exciting time.
"The company has established itself as a key player in the UK and US markets and the combination of DH's innovative product offering and highly skilled, dedicated staff leaves us well-placed for further significant expansion.
"I look forward to working with DH's management team and staff to build on their achievements and place us firmly on the map as a global leader in preventative healthcare solutions for diabetic retinopathy, a disease which is the leading cause of blindness in the developed world, as well as other common eye diseases, such as glaucoma, cataracts and advanced macular degeneration."
