Making the announcement on International Women’s Day, the appointment represents another example ofAustralia's digital health industry setting the bar higher for female representation in health technology.
Quirke brings more than 25 years’ experience in the healthcare information sector to the ANDHealth Board. Her background includes senior management roles with several global healthcare software firms and experience in product management, operations delivery, and business development, including shaping international markets for Australian-developed software.
Quirke is also one of a small number of female CEOs of an ASX-listed health technology company, giving her a unique view into the later-stage capital markets facing ANDHealth’s program participants.
Gavin Fox-Smith, Independent Chair ofANDHealth, welcomed Quirke to the Board noting, “Kate brings tremendous knowledge and skills across the digital health sector and hands-on experience of successfully taking an Australian digital health technology into global markets. We are thrilled that she has agreed to join the ANDHealth Board as we look forward to a new period of growth following our $19.75m funding injection from the Australian Department of Health last year.”
To date, ANDHealth has worked with more than 535 of Australia’s emerging digital health companies, many of which are female-founded, to turn innovative health and technology ideas into viable, high-growth businesses.
As Australia’s only organisation with proven outcomes in supporting digital health companies to commercialise, ANDHealth has helped digital health start-ups impact over 500,000 patients, create 381 jobs, undertake 45 clinical studies, 901 commercial pilots and 23 international market launches, and raise $74.3m in new financing and more than $31.4 m in revenues.
As CEO and Group Managing Director, Quirke leads various elements of Alcidion, with a particular focus on sales and marketing and developing business relationships with customers and partners globally.
Commenting on her appointment, Quirke said, “I’m delighted to be joining the ANDHealth Board at such an exciting time for the digital health sector and for ANDHealth. As someone who has participated in ANDHealth’s programs and international delegations, I strongly support the work of the organisation and the demonstrable impact it delivers to CEOs and executives at all stages of digital health commercialisation. ANDHealth is a key player in ensuring that Australia reaps both economic and health dividends from the efforts of our emerging digital health entrepreneurs.”
Bronwyn Le Grice, CEO and Managing Director of ANDHealth added, “Our fully independent Board is a critical element in ANDHealth’s continuing success. Kate brings a level of real-world experience in the global scaling of a digital health business that is extremely rare in Australia. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work more closely with Kate via her appointment to the ANDHealthBoard.”