At ISKO Vital+ our people are as important to us as the products they create, so here’s a chance to give you a peek ‘behind the masks’ and to meet the team that make what we do possible. First up is our medical business lead and resident (M)Ask the expert, Edgar van der Linden:
When Edgar is not answering your questions or busting myths, he is working with an array of global partners and medical experts to help build ISKO’s medical business.
Edgar’s medical industry background runs deep. He has spent much of his 20+ year career working directly with hospitals, radiologists and healthcare providers. His experience crosses a variety of sectors including medical imaging technology, medical device manufacturing, pharmaceutical distribution, clinical trials and medication management.
Edgar has worked with a number of well-respected brands included Philips Healthcare in the Netherlands and Alliance Healthcare (Walgreens Boots Alliance) in the UK, as well as Microsoft’s medical segment as global client director – a position he held prior to joining ISKO.
He also learned valuable lessons as part of the founding team at Hilver, a technology start-up created to connect medical device and pharmaceutical companies to GPs and healthcare professionals. The business didn’t take off as hoped, but Edgar used the opportunity to continue to build his knowledge of the inner workings of the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. This experience served him well in his subsequent role as EMEA lead in centralised medication management for hospitals and care networks at Swisslog Healthcare.
Edgar is passionate about innovation and technology and its ability to improve healthcare delivery and the lives of patients. It is this passion that fuels his work leading the medical business at ISKO Vital. In addition to extending the product line into PPE and medical gowns, Edgar and his team are exploring how ISKO Vital’s patented compression technology can be used in products to aid in post-surgery recovery and beyond.
He explains: “We all know about compression socks that help to stimulate circulation, but it’s not just about our feet, ankles and legs. Every single part of the body can benefit from compression material – especially when it comes to the recovery process and advanced wound care. Our end goal lies in exploring how technology - such as sensors - can enhance the performance of compression materials. First as a medical product, and then expanding it into sports and leisure applications as a consumer-facing innovation.”
Outside of work, Edgar is a keen walker and tennis player. He enjoys nature – especially the Pyrenees and Northern Spain, where his wife’s family live. He likes all music from grunge to classical and enjoys cooking and a good glass of wine.