Elekta’s Dee Mathieson details the opportunities the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards can create for your business.
In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Elekta managing director Dee Mathieson, a healthcare professional with over 40 years of experience in the field of cancer treatment.
Dee shares fascinating insights into Elekta’s role in the fight against cancer, the importance of raising local awareness for global companies, and the benefits of community involvement. In particular, Dee shares the unique benefits of entering the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards.
For anyone interested in leadership, healthcare, and the behind-the-scenes of a dynamic, impactful organisation, you’re in for a treat.
Dee’s journey began as a radiographer at Guy’s Hospital, followed by roles in medical physics before moving into industry, where she held various technical and commercial positions. At Elekta for over 37 years, she’s played a pivotal role in the company’s growth and reputation in radiation therapy.
Beyond work, Dee is also a Board Trustee for the Mary How Trust, which provides free health screenings. As chairwoman of Gatwick Diamond Business, Dee is known to, and respected by, many in the Gatwick Diamond business community.
Hi Dee. What should we know about Elekta?
Elekta designs and manufactures radiation therapy treatment solutions for cancer. We’ve been established for 50 years, and in the late 90s, Elekta bought Philips Medical Systems Radiotherapy, which is the site that I’m in, in Crawley, UK. This site has been here for probably getting on for 70 years now and was previously Mullard Electronics Limited (MEL).
So, it’s got a very long history. We’ve been making linear accelerators, which are the predominant radiation therapy machines, for many years. This year we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the World’s first digitally-controlled linear accelerator, a significant milestone in our history.
Why did Elekta enter the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards?
One of the things I’ve really focused on since I took the role of Managing Director here is raising the level of the brand in the community. I did a presentation and was very disappointed when a chap, who had worked at the BBC and was running the event, said, “Gosh, the work that Elekta does is very much the unsung hero of the region.”
That was quite depressing because I thought we had done quite a lot of marketing locally, as we reflect that we’re an international company and export 98% of what we manufacture here.
I want to attract and retain the best people, and I thought we seriously needed to do more locally to put us on the map. The awards are such a prestigious way to do that. It’s really about giving back to employees who’ve done amazing things and raising the brand recognition of Elekta in the region.
This then led to me being asked to become the Chairwoman of Gatwick Diamond Business, which really put Elekta on the map. So, it’s been a great vehicle for that. Importantly, it also provides recognition and rewards for the talent we have. It’s triggered a number of other local initiatives we’ve been doing, like STEM, collaboration with universities, and a lot more local activities than we previously had, which is great.
What do you think the Judges saw in Elekta when they gave you the award?
We entered a number of awards, and the one we won for International Business of the Year was very much about what we’ve achieved in the region for the global showcase. We export 98% of what we make. I wish the NHS and UK hospitals could afford to buy more, but that’s a separate topic.
I think being able to demonstrate the level of profitability and resilience post-Brexit and COVID was significant. We are quite a large operation in MedTech, and in the region, we are a significant company with credibility from an international perspective.
Another award we won was for Employee of the Year, for a colleague who had gone above and beyond to set up a corporate social responsibility (CSR) agenda within Elekta.
That’s something I’ve pushed and supported since taking on this role – ensuring we look at the full range of our CSR agenda, particularly focusing on employees, sustainability, resilience, and other aspects of CSR.
What do you think businesses aspiring to international award success could learn from Elekta’s approach?
We’re somewhat unique, which I think attracted the judges’ attention. Cancer care and therapy are, unfortunately, high on everyone’s mind because one in two people will get cancer, and 50% of those diagnoses require radiation therapy. Having a company like Elekta in the region and recognising what we do here was important to Gatwick Diamond.
It’s a two-way street – we act as a beacon as a key employer, but we also have strong financials and a well-rounded company approach. It’s not just about profit and loss; it’s about what we do for our employees and how we give back to the region through our CSR agenda. The application was multifaceted.
My advice to anyone entering would be to have credible, objective data that is compelling. Don’t waffle – just tell it as it is but with facts. I’ve judged these things before, and it’s easy to get lost in the fluff. Get to the point and provide the facts, so people can form their own opinion.
Why is the regional business community important to you?
I think I’m at a stage in my career where I want to give back. I’ve been fortunate in my career, whether in the health service or with Philips, now Elekta, with the opportunities I’ve been given.
I want to make sure students in schools, colleges, and universities have those same opportunities because if they don’t have those chances put in their path, they won’t grab hold of them. They won’t come to you; you have to seek them out.
Also, after hearing the feedback that we weren’t well-known enough locally, I felt responsible for making us more visible and showing the range of career opportunities we offer.
It’s not just about science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM); we offer careers in legal, finance, marketing, product management, manufacturing – you name it.
We have about 900 people working for Elekta in the UK, so there are many different roles. It’s a sense of duty, which may sound pompous, but I wish I had more signposting when I was younger.
Life shouldn’t be that hard – we should make these opportunities more transparent.
Do you think being located in the Gatwick Diamond helps the business?
I’m sure you’ve heard about all the benefits of the Gatwick Diamond in previous interviews – the transport links, over 45,000 businesses, the networking through Gatwick Diamond Business or other organisations, the airport, and everything going on there. If we get the Northern runway, it will bring more job opportunities and prosperity to the region. We’re uniquely placed between London and Brighton.
It’s a nice place to live if you can afford it. I will say that some people who want to relocate here find it expensive, so we need to ensure good transport links. We’re pretty well-served, but it could be better.
It’s something I discuss with Gatwick Airport and others, especially regarding the East-West connection, not just North-South. Crawley had a bad reputation as a new town, but what Manor Royal BID has done over the last 10 years has been amazing, turning the area from an industrial estate into a business park.
It’s pleasant to drive into, with good bus networks and a focus on sustainability and the environment. Crawley has come a long way, and I want to contribute to talking up the area, as I don’t think enough people do.
Do you think the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards are a good vehicle to showcase the best of the region?
Certainly, when you listen to the feedback from people who attend the awards, it’s a very uplifting event. Anyone can apply, and I’ve seen smaller companies really benefit from the PR and team motivation that comes with being part of it.
Elekta is a multinational headquartered in Stockholm, the awards were more about local brand recognition and employee reward. We don’t sell B2B; we sell to hospitals, so it wasn’t a commercial venture for us.
But for many small and medium companies, it’s a commercial opportunity to get their name out there and use the award for credibility in their promotions. It’s heartening to see that, and it’s the feedback we’ve received.
What would you say to a Gatwick Diamond Business considering entering the awards?
What’s the downside? You enter, attend a lovely event, and meet lots of people trying to do the same thing as you – build their business. You may decide to become a member of Gatwick Diamond Business, where there are massive resources available to you.
I’d ask myself, what’s putting me off? Do I need to talk to someone, maybe a smaller company that’s done it before, to understand if it’s right for me? Don’t just not do it
Find out what’s in it for you. Talk to people, attend a networking event, or speak to any of us, and we can put you in touch with smaller companies that have done it, so you can have a chat. You won’t know unless you ask.