Meet the Team

Ruth Poole

Chief Executive Officer

Ruth is a clinical nurse by background, proudly delivering patient care as a cancer nurse specialist. Wanting to have a wider impact on healthcare, Ruth became Group Commercial Director at Healthcare at Home, a start-up which enabled people with long term health conditions to undergo treatment at home rather than in hospital. She was responsible for driving the growth of the start-up business from a team of four with just one patient, up to 2,000 staff with over 150,000 patients and an established part of the health delivery system.

In 2016, Ruth became Director of Speciality at Celesio UK. She was responsible for growing the speciality services that support an integrated NHS including clinical homecare, hospital and community services. Ruth led the company’s relationships with NHS leaders, commissioners and pharmaceutical companies, developing new solutions and new models of care in today’s healthcare system.

Looking for a new challenge, Ruth joined Preventx as CEO in 2020.

As well as her role as CEO, Ruth is also Chair of the NHS Confederation’s Subsidiary Board.

Tim Alston

Advisor to the Board

Tim’s passion in computing began at a young age. An early starter in electronics from wiring a plug at the age of 3 and writing code for his father’s Amstrad PCW and BBCs from around age 8, the desire to explore and learn has culminated in Tim being both passionate and highly skilled.

Tim graduated from The University of Sheffield with First-Class Honours in Computer Software Engineering (BEng) in 2005.

After graduating, Tim worked on a range of basic e-commerce projects for Neil Cooper. Together they established Preventx, as Tim saw great potential in the business and was keen to be part of its success.

Tim’s passion for the interface between electronics, computer systems and the internet has been instrumental in the development of Preventx’s systems. A keen interest in home automation and “the internet of things” has transferred well over to the businesses electronic and control processes.

Connect with Tim on LinkedIn

Dr Vanessa Apea

Medical Director

Dr Vanessa Apea is a highly experienced sexual health clinician, researcher and speaker. Since 2011, Vanessa has been a consultant physician in Genito-urinary and HIV medicine at Barts Health NHS Trust, and clinical lead for five of those years. She is an Honorary Senior Lecturer and the deputy academic lead for equality, diversity and inclusion within Queen Mary University of London’s School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Vanessa is passionate about reducing inequalities in healthcare. She has made this a central focus of her clinical work and received an NHS 70 Windrush Award for her contribution to improving health equity. She has an established track record of exploring barriers to engagement in care in marginalised populations and has a particular research interest in participatory approaches and the intersection of race, gender and health.

She is a member of the London Fast-Track Cities Initiative stigma subgroup working to get London to zero HIV stigma. She is also the medical director of NAZ, a charity advocating for high quality sexual health and HIV support services for racially minoritised communities. Vanessa is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Public Health from Harvard University.

Dr John White

Medical Director

Dr John White brings over 25 years’ clinical experience within sexual health, having been an NHS consultant in Genitourinary Medicine since 2004, including 13 years at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals, London. John is currently working in the Western and Northern Health & Social Care Trusts, Northern Ireland, a role he will maintain while also working for Preventx.

From 2009 to 2020, John was Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of STD & AIDS and has been a key opinion leader in this field for over a decade. He is a passionate educator and speaker and brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm for clinical sexual health and HIV medicine. His major research and service developments have focussed on bacterial STIs and novel diagnostic approaches and this aligns well with the aspirations of Preventx.

Dr Anatole Menon-Johansson

Medical Advisor

Dr Anatole Menon-Johnson is a Harkness / Health Foundation Fellow and has nearly two decades of clinical expertise in sexual health. In 1994, Anatole was a postdoctoral research fellow at Stanford University when he decided to read medicine in response to witnessing the then untreatable HIV epidemic. This desire to apply science directly to the care of patients has inspired his career.

In addition to his work for Preventx, Anatole is a leading doctor at Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Department at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, where he delivers direct clinical care, teaches, carries out STI research and a decade of experience working with commissioners to develop SRH services. As the clinical director for the young person charity Brook, Anatole provides education and clinical services across the UK, where he delivers direct clinical care, support the nurse led model and a digital first agenda. Anatole is also the director of SXT Health CIC, which helps people diagnosed with an STI to anonymously inform sexual partners about their risk of the infection and linkage to care for partners and other key ‘at risk’ patients.

Andy Burton

Chief Commercial Officer

Andy joined Preventx in July 2020 as Chief Commercial Officer to develop and deliver the company’s ambitious UK growth plan. Previously Andy held senior commercial roles at McKesson and Sciensus pioneering innovative out of hospital care models in partnership with the NHS and local authorities, including virtual wards, patient support services and community infusion clinics. He spent 5 years working at the Department of Health and Social Care on public/private partnership initiatives to help tackle elective waiting lists, and also advised the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia on their healthcare reform programme. Connect with Andy on LinkedIn.

Andrew Barham

Chief Technology Officer

Andrew joined Preventx in June 2022 and has over 30 years’ experience in the healthcare, retail and financial services sectors. Having completed a degree in pharmacy in 1992, he went on to lead a number of major technology transformation programs for Boots the Chemists and more recently Capital One Bank, and clinical research technology organisations including PAREXEL Informatics and Clario.

Andrew has a solid track record of enabling business transformation through technology, and executing winning digital strategies. A committed investor in people, he is also responsible for leading our amazing team of software engineering and technology professionals to realise our global expansion and growth strategy.

Ryan Kinsella

Chief Product Officer

Ryan joined Preventx in 2011 as Lab Manager, after graduating from Sheffield University with a BSc in Genetics and Microbiology. He led on setting up the in-house laboratory, ensuring it was accredited to international ISO standards within one year. Progressing to Lab Director, Ryan managed two the lab expansion projects, most recently doubling the size and capacity of the laboratory.

In December 2020, Ryan became the Chief Product Officer at Preventx, developing and researching new innovative products that align with the overall business strategy.

Nick Wright

Chief Financial Officer

Nick joined Preventx in October 2019. Following training as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte he has worked in senior financial roles across a number of sectors including hospitality, leisure, digital and branding driving profitable growth in fast paced, growing organisations. He is a firm believer in technology and the power of data to drive insight and action.

Nick Malhomme

International Development Director

Nick joined Preventx in 2020, leading the company’s international development activities and partnerships. He has over 15 years in senior roles international healthcare heading up business units in Brazil, India and the UK, for Optum, part of United Healthcare. He has also worked for one of the UK’s largest telemedicine companies and an online pharmacy leader in Spain and has implemented programmes and networks across the globe.

Simon Mortlock

Operations Director

Simon joined Preventx in April 2021, having spent 18 years working in the DHL Supply Chain. After graduating in 2002 with a BA (hons) in Business Studies, he started on the DHL European graduate scheme and worked across sectors in DHL including pharmaceuticals, retail, automotive and technology, eventually becoming Country Managing Director for Russia. During his time in DHL, Simon implemented new facilities and networks, successfully grew the business, increasing profitability, and led the Russian team to be the top ranked country in the global employee opinion survey. Connect with Simon on LinkedIn.